How to accept an inheritance in Russia while living abroad

There is no need to travel to Russia: the application to the notary goes through a consul, a local notary with an apostille, by post or through a representative. What matters is meeting the 6-month deadline from the date of death.

In detail

Six months from the date of death - that is how long the Russian Civil Code gives an heir to claim their rights, and living in Russia is not required. The application to the notary can be made through a consulate, a local notary with an apostille, by post or through a representative with a power of attorney. What matters most is meeting the deadline and having the signature properly certified: everything else can be arranged later and also remotely.

Can you accept an inheritance while living abroad

Yes. Article 1153 of the Civil Code allows the application to accept an inheritance to be filed through another person or by post. There is one condition: the heir's signature must be witnessed by a notary, a consul or another official authorised to perform notarial acts.

The deadline is 6 months from the opening of the inheritance, that is, from the date of death (Article 1154). An accepted inheritance belongs to the heir from that same day, even if the papers for the flat arrive a year later (Article 1152). The heir's citizenship and place of residence make no difference: the rights are the same whether you live in Moscow, Berlin or Buenos Aires.

An inheritance can be accepted in two ways: by applying to the notary or by actually taking possession of the property, for example paying the flat's utility bills. For heirs abroad the first route is safer: actual acceptance later has to be proved with documents anyway.

Four ways to apply to a notary from abroad

The application goes to the notary at the deceased's last place of residence. You can find which notary has opened the inheritance case in the public register of inheritance cases of the Federal Notary Chamber: the surname, first name and date of death are enough.

In practice the methods are combined: the signature is certified by a consul or local notary, and a representative in Russia files the application and documents. If little time is left before the deadline, the priority is to send the application; proof of kinship can follow later.

How to accept an inheritance from abroad: step by step

1. Find out whether an inheritance case has been opened and by which notary: through the Federal Notary Chamber's register or through relatives.
2. Choose the filing method: consul, local notary with an apostille, post or representative.
3. Have the signature on the application certified or issue a power of attorney with the right to accept the inheritance.
4. Send the application to the notary before 6 months from the date of death have passed.
5. Gather proof of kinship and property documents: these can be submitted later, but before the certificate is issued.
6. Receive the certificate of inheritance once 6 months have passed, in person or through a representative.
7. Register ownership of the flat or house with the Russian property register and transfer accounts, cars and shares.

The notary issues the certificate no earlier than 6 months after the death: the law gives all heirs time to come forward.

What documents are needed and how to get them from abroad

Documents issued abroad, such as a marriage certificate from another country, are submitted with an apostille and a notarised Russian translation. If a surname is spelled differently in different documents, name change records or a court ruling establishing kinship are needed. How to restore a birth certificate remotely is covered in a birth certificate from abroad, and a criminal record certificate in a criminal record certificate while abroad.

How to apply through a Russian consulate

A consul abroad performs the same notarial acts as a notary in Russia: witnesses the signature on an application, certifies a power of attorney and the accuracy of a translation. For an heir this is the simplest route if a consulate is nearby and appointments are available.

1. Book an appointment on the consulate's website and choose the notarial act: witnessing a signature or a power of attorney.
2. Prepare the text of the application to accept the inheritance: the deceased's details, date of death, your relationship and the notary's name if known.
3. Bring your passport and proof of kinship if you have it.
4. Sign the application in front of the consul and pay the consular fee.
5. Send the application to the notary by post or pass it on through a representative in Russia.

If no inheritance case has been opened yet, the application is addressed to a notary at the deceased's last place of residence: the case is opened by the first notary who receives it. If there is no consulate in the country or appointments stretch for months, a local notary certifies the signature and an apostille is added.

If the 6-month deadline has been missed

A missed deadline is not the end of the story, but the path gets longer. Article 1155 of the Civil Code offers two options.

• Through the court. The deadline is restored if the heir did not and could not have known about the death or missed it for another good reason, such as illness. The claim must be filed within 6 months after the reason has ceased.
• Without the court. If all heirs who have already accepted the inheritance agree in writing, the notary will accept the application after the deadline. The consents are certified by a notary or consul.

Living abroad is not in itself a good reason: courts look at whether the heir could have learned of the death and applied remotely. If you paid the flat's utility bills or sent a relative money for its upkeep within the first 6 months, this can be proved in court as actual acceptance of the inheritance.

Wills, the compulsory share and renouncing an inheritance

Without a will, heirs inherit in order of priority: first children, spouse and parents, second brothers, sisters and grandparents, third uncles and aunts. The next group inherits only if no one is left in the previous one or everyone has renounced.

If there is a will, the notary finds it in the unified register of wills and the estate is divided according to it. But the law still reserves part of the estate for compulsory heirs: minor children, as well as children, a spouse, parents and dependants unable to work. They receive at least half of what they would have received without a will (Article 1149).

An inheritance can be renounced in the same way and within the same period, 6 months, by an application to the notary with a certified signature (Article 1157). A renunciation cannot be withdrawn or made partial: for example, you cannot take the flat but refuse the debts. You can also renounce in favour of a specific other heir.

Renunciation is often chosen when the deceased's debts exceed the value of the property, or when relatives have agreed that the flat will go to one heir. It is possible even after applying to accept the inheritance, but only before the six-month period ends.

How much it costs to accept an inheritance

The main payment is the notarial tariff for the certificate of inheritance. It depends on the degree of kinship and the value of the property.

Dollars are at the Bank of Russia rate on 6 October 2026, rounded up. The tariff is calculated from the value the heir confirms: cadastral, market or inventory, and the lowest can be chosen.

Taxes for an heir living abroad

An inheritance itself is not subject to income tax, for either residents or non-residents (paragraph 18 of Article 217 of the Tax Code). The exception is royalties for authors and inventors passed on to heirs. An inherited flat is subject to annual property tax, like any other owner's.

The three years run not from the date of the certificate but from the date of death: that is when the inheritance belongs to the heir. You become a non-resident if you spend fewer than 183 days in Russia over 12 consecutive months; more in Russian tax non-residence and tax residence and the 183-day rule.

A separate question is your country of residence. Germany, Spain, France and a number of other countries charge their residents inheritance or gift tax on property abroad as well, so a Russian flat also needs to be reflected in the local return.

Selling the inheritance and getting the money abroad in 2026

A flat can be sold without travelling: through a power of attorney covering the sale and receipt of funds, certified by a consul or by a local notary with an apostille. Ownership is registered with the property register first, then the sale is concluded.

What happens next depends on the heir's citizenship.

• Russian citizens, including those living abroad. Since 8 December 2025 the Bank of Russia has lifted limits on transfers abroad for Russian citizens: the proceeds can be sent to your own foreign bank account with no monthly ceiling.
• Foreigners from countries Russia regards as unfriendly. They can sell an inherited flat, but the money goes into a special type C account, and transfers abroad from it are restricted. The Bank of Russia has kept these restrictions in place at least until 7 December 2026.
• Foreigners from other countries. Transfer limits for them have also been lifted since 8 December 2025.

Before a sale it is worth checking the property for bans and seizures: how this happens to the property of people who have left is covered in asset seizures of relocants. Where to open an account to receive the money is explained in a bank account abroad.

Pitfalls

• The deadline runs from the date of death, not from when you learned of it. Late news helps only in court.
• A general power of attorney will not do. It must expressly state the right to accept the inheritance, or the notary will not accept the application from a representative.
• Foreign documents without an apostille and translation are not accepted by the notary. The translation is certified in Russia, by a notary or consul.
• Different spellings of a surname in old and new documents have to be confirmed with name change records or through the court.
• The deceased's debts pass on with the property, but only up to the value of the estate (Article 1175). If the debts are larger, the inheritance is renounced in the same way and within the same period.
• A flat with registered residents takes longer to sell. How to deregister from a flat remotely is covered in deregistering from a flat while abroad.

If the inheritance is tied to a move, a change of citizenship or heirs in different countries, it is worth working out in advance how it fits with a second passport: details in inheritance and a second passport.

How we help

The law does not stop you claiming an inheritance on your own. But mistakes cost more than the tariff: a missed deadline, a power of attorney without the right authority, documents without an apostille, miscalculated tax on a sale. Murblz specialists and partner lawyers in Russia handle the case from the application to the money in your account.

The full series: Russian documents from abroad

• How to deregister from a Russian address while living abroad
• How to get a copy of a Russian birth certificate from abroad
• Replacement Russian marriage or divorce certificate from abroad
• Russian certificate of no marriage for a wedding abroad
• How to get a Russian police clearance certificate abroad
• How to replace a Russian diploma from abroad
• Power of attorney at a Russian consulate
• How to sell an apartment in Russia while living abroad
• How to accept an inheritance in Russia while living abroad

Murblz specialists request, translate and certify the documents from this series to the requirements of the country where they will be used: translation, notary and apostille.

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