Private Client Services: Inheritance, Property, Family Matters

A relative has died in Russia, or you own a flat in Moscow and live abroad, and every step seems to require your presence. In most cases it does not. Advocate E. V. Petrova handles probate, estate disputes and family property matters for foreign clients under a power of attorney, with reports in English.

Opening an Estate with a Moscow Notary

Russian probate starts at the notary serving the district of the deceased's last residence. The heir files an application to accept the inheritance, and the notary opens a case file. Under the Civil Code, acceptance must happen within six months of the date of death.

We file the application on your behalf, order extracts from Rosreestr, bank statements and archive records, and obtain valuations. When the file is complete, the notary issues a certificate of inheritance, which is the basis for registering title or closing accounts.

Missed the Six-Month Deadline

Heirs abroad often learn of a death months later. Article 1155 of the Civil Code allows a court to restore the term if the heir did not know and could not have known about the opening of the estate, and applies within six months after that reason ends.

The court needs evidence: correspondence, proof of residence abroad, absence of contact with the family. We collect it and file the claim in the district court. Other heirs are parties, so their shares may be recalculated.

Wills: Challenge or Defence

A will may be disputed if the testator lacked capacity, acted under pressure, or the document breaks formal rules on signing and notarisation. A posthumous psychiatric examination is usually the central evidence in capacity cases.

If you are the beneficiary, we prepare the defence: medical records, witnesses, the notary's file. The mandatory share under Article 1149 still goes to minor or disabled children, a disabled spouse and dependants, even against the will.

Dividing and Selling Inherited Property

A sale of an inherited flat can be completed without your visit. We check the buyer, coordinate the notary and registration, and follow the currency rules for transfers abroad.

Foreign Documents in Russian Proceedings

A Russian notary or court accepts foreign papers only when legalised. Documents from Hague Convention countries need an apostille; others need consular legalisation. Everything must then be translated into Russian with the translator's signature certified.

Typical papers include birth and marriage certificates proving kinship, name change records and foreign court decisions. We tell you which ones are needed before you order them.

Marital Property and Alimony in Russia

Assets acquired during marriage are joint property under the Family Code, even if registered to one spouse. We act in divisions of Russian real estate, accounts and shares held by foreign spouses, draft marriage contracts and enforce alimony through bailiffs.

Working Remotely from Abroad

You sign a power of attorney at a Russian consulate or before a local notary with an apostille. The scan lets us start; the original arrives by courier. You receive written updates in English at each stage.

For probate, send the details of the death certificate. For a property matter, describe the assets and the dispute. You will receive the procedure, the timeline and a fee estimate.

The main channel of communication with the lawyer is email: lawyer@lawyer-moscow.com.