Inheriting Property in Russia While Living Abroad
When you inherit Russian property, money or assets from abroad, you have six months under Russian law to formally accept that inheritance through a notary. You will need a power of attorney authorizing a representative in Russia, a death certificate, proof of kinship, and translation of foreign documents into Russian. Your notary issues the Certificate of Inheritance Right once the period closes and all documents are gathered—and we translate and apostille that certificate for use abroad.
You have inherited property or money in Russia but live abroad. You did not expect to navigate Russian inheritance law from another country, and you are not sure where to start. To inherit property in Russia from abroad you do not need to be in the country, but you do need to move: Russian law gives an heir six months from the date of death to formally accept the inheritance. You do not have to travel to Russia; instead, you appoint a Russian lawyer or notary as your representative through a power of attorney, and that person acts on your behalf to open the case and gather the required documents. When the six-month period ends and everything is in order, your notary issues a Certificate of Inheritance Right proving you have inherited specific assets. This is not legal advice—we are a document bureau, not lawyers or heirs’ representatives—but we can walk you through the process and handle the translation and apostille of your final certificate so you can use it abroad.
The Six-Month Inheritance Window Under Russian Law
Russian law sets a statutory period of six months from the date of death for heirs to accept their inheritance. This is a general rule—missed deadlines, disputes between heirs, and exceptional circumstances exist and fall outside what we can advise on—but the six-month window is the standard. During this time, the notary handling the case (called the “notary of the place of opening the inheritance”) gathers the required documents, verifies the heirs’ claims, and ensures all conditions are met.
If you are abroad and named as an heir, you do not need to attend the notary’s office in person. Instead, you authorize a representative to handle everything—to sign documents, submit applications, and communicate with the notary on your behalf. That authorization is a power of attorney, and it must be signed before a Russian notary or a Russian consular officer at a Russian embassy or consulate. Your representative then keeps you informed and handles the paperwork. Once the six-month period is complete and the notary has verified the inheritance, they issue the Certificate of Inheritance Right to each heir. That certificate is your legal proof of inheritance under Russian law.
How a Power of Attorney Works for Inheritance From Abroad
The power of attorney is the key document if you are abroad. It is a formal authorization giving a specific person (your representative—usually a Russian lawyer or notary) the right to act for you in the inheritance case. Crucially, it only becomes valid when you sign it in front of a notary or a Russian consular officer. Emailing a signed scan achieves nothing. If there is a Russian consulate you can reach, signing before a consular officer there is the cleanest route. If there is not, the common alternative is to sign before a local notary and then have that document apostilled and translated — whether it satisfies the notary running your case is for that notary and your representative to confirm before you spend money on it.
Once your representative holds the power of attorney, they open the inheritance case with the local notary in the place where the deceased lived (or where the bulk of the estate is located, if unclear). Your representative gathers documents on your behalf, communicates with the notary, and ensures everything is submitted within the six-month window. They keep you updated but handle the formal steps. This arrangement is standard for Russian inheritance law; heirs abroad do it all the time, and the notary is familiar with the process.
What Documents the Notary Will Ask For
To accept an inheritance, the notary will ask your representative to provide several categories of documents. First, a death certificate for the person who died—this establishes that death occurred and on what date. Second, proof of kinship: a chain of birth, marriage, and divorce certificates (if applicable) linking you to the deceased. The notary must see how you are related—whether you are a child, spouse, sibling, parent, or other relative. Third, identity documents for each heir claiming a share—your passport, for example. Fourth, any will if one exists. And fifth, your power of attorney (notarized or apostilled as described above) so the notary knows your representative has the authority to act.
If any of these documents were issued outside Russia, they typically need to be translated into Russian before the notary will accept them. A certified Russian translation (by a professional translator certified by a Russian notary) is the standard. The notary keeps these documents in the file; you will need to arrange translation yourself if your documents are in a foreign language. Once all documents are gathered and verified, and the six-month period has passed, the notary issues the Certificate of Inheritance Right to each heir.
Using Your Inheritance Certificate Abroad
When your notary issues the Certificate of Inheritance Right, you own that document—your representative sends you a copy. If you need to use that certificate with a foreign bank, tax authority, court, or other institution, the receiving office will usually want two things: an apostille and a translation. The apostille is a certification under the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention proving the document is authentic and was properly issued by a Russian notary. Without an apostille, a foreign office may not recognize the certificate at all. A certified translation into the language of that country is also needed so the receiving office can read and verify the certificate themselves. We apostille originals issued in the Krasnodar region; for inheritance certificates from other Russian regions we apostille a notarised copy or refer a trusted partner. Once apostilled and translated, your certificate is ready to submit abroad. Many heirs need this certificate to prove their right to inherited bank accounts, real estate, or shares—and the apostille and translation are what makes that proof valid in a foreign jurisdiction.
- 1 At the start: appoint a representative You sign a power of attorney before a notary or a Russian consular officer naming a lawyer or notary in Russia to act for you.
- 2 Early on: the inheritance case is opened Your representative files the opening documents with the notary for the place where the estate is opened.
- 3 Through the period: documents are gathered Death certificate, the chain of certificates proving kinship, identity documents, any will — anything issued abroad translated into Russian first.
- 4 Six months from the date of death: the period closes This is the general rule. What happens if it is missed is a question for the notary and a lawyer, not for us.
- 5 After that: the certificate is issued Once the notary has verified the file, each heir receives a Certificate of Inheritance Right.
- 6 For use abroad: apostille and translation The apostille goes on in Russia, at the regional Ministry of Justice, and the certified translation is made for the country where you will file it.
What to Gather or Arrange if You Are Inheriting From Abroad
- Your relationship to the deceased (you will need birth, marriage, and/or adoption certificates proving kinship)
- The name and address of the deceased, and the date of death, so the notary knows which estate is in question
- A copy of your passport or ID matching the name you use in Russia, if you have Russian registration or citizenship
- A Russian-speaking representative you trust, or the contact details of a Russian lawyer or notary you wish to appoint
- The address and contact number of the notary's office in the place where the deceased lived
- A Russian phone number, Telegram, or email address so your representative can reach you with updates
- Any will left by the deceased, in Russian or with a certified translation into Russian
- A certified translation of your foreign birth certificate, marriage certificate, passport or identity document, and any other key document the notary requires—translated into Russian and certified for use in the notary's file
- Your mailing address abroad for courier delivery of the Certificate of Inheritance Right
You May Also Need
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Inheritance Certificate Apostille & Translation
Once your notary issues your Certificate of Inheritance Right, we apostille and translate it so you can use it with foreign banks, tax authorities, and courts.
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Death Certificate With Apostille
The Russian notary handling your inheritance case will need an apostilled death certificate to open and manage your file, and you may need one separately for foreign authorities.
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Power of Attorney for Russian Authorities
If you need to authorize a representative in Russia to act on your behalf in your inheritance case, we can arrange, apostille, and deliver a notarized power of attorney.
Frequently Asked Questions
I inherited property in Russia but live abroad. Do I have to travel to Russia to claim it?
No. You can appoint a Russian lawyer or notary as your representative through a power of attorney signed before a Russian notary or consular officer. Your representative then handles the entire inheritance case—gathering documents, submitting applications, and communicating with the notary. You do not need to travel; the representative acts on your behalf throughout the six-month period.
How long is the acceptance period for inheritance in Russia?
The statutory period is six months from the date of death. This is a general rule under Russian law—missed deadlines, disputes, and exceptions exist but fall outside our scope as a document service. During this six months, your representative must submit all required documents to the notary so they can verify your inheritance claim and issue the Certificate of Inheritance Right.
What documents does the Russian notary need to process my inheritance?
The notary needs a death certificate, proof of kinship (birth and marriage certificates linking you to the deceased), your identity documents, your power of attorney, and any will if one exists. If documents are in a foreign language, they must be translated into Russian by a certified translator before the notary will accept them.
What is the Certificate of Inheritance Right, and do I need an apostille on it?
The Certificate of Inheritance Right is the document your notary issues once the six-month period closes and all conditions are met—it proves you have inherited specific assets under Russian law. If you need to use that certificate abroad (for a foreign bank, tax authority, court, etc.), yes, you will need an apostille under the 1961 Hague Convention, and usually a certified translation into the language of that country. We handle both.
Can I inherit Russian property if I am a foreign citizen?
Generally yes — being a foreign national does not by itself prevent you from inheriting, and the process runs the same way through a representative. There are categories of property, certain land in particular, where foreign ownership carries its own restrictions, so ask the notary or your lawyer about the specific assets in the estate rather than assuming.
Who should I appoint as my representative—a lawyer or a notary?
Either can work. A Russian notary is required to issue the Certificate of Inheritance Right; some notaries also handle small to medium inheritance cases directly. Larger or complex cases (multiple heirs, disputes, unclear assets) often benefit from a specialist inheritance lawyer who works alongside the notary. The choice depends on the size and complexity of the estate, and it is not ours to make — we handle documents, not the case itself.
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We are not lawyers, notaries, or heirs' representatives, and this article is not legal advice on Russian inheritance law, tax treatment of inherited assets, or any other legal matter. We do not open or manage inheritance cases—that is the role of the Russian notary or lawyer you appoint. We do not appear before the notary for you, we do not calculate inheritance shares, and we do not advise on disputes between heirs. We translate and apostille documents related to inheritance once your notary issues them. The six-month acceptance period, the contents of the Certificate of Inheritance Right, and rules on inheritance shares, taxes, and probate all belong to Russian law and the laws of your country—consult your Russian notary and a local tax or legal advisor for those questions. We apostille originals issued in the Krasnodar region; for documents from other Russian regions we apostille a notarised copy or refer a trusted partner. Typical door-to-door courier delivery of the apostilled and translated certificate to the EU or US takes 2–5 weeks on top of processing time.
