Single status affidavit or certificate for marriage abroad
Many people getting married abroad need to prove they are single. In the United States this is usually prepared as a single status affidavit signed before a notary, which is then apostilled. We help you prepare, notarize and apostille the document according to the country where you will marry.
Affidavit or certificate · Notarization and apostille · Translation if required
Certificate or affidavit of single status?
It's important to tell two documents apart. One is an official single status certificate issued by a government office; in the United States there is not always a uniform government-issued certificate of this kind, because civil status is recorded differently from one country to another. The other is a single status affidavit — a sworn statement that the person signs before a notary, declaring their marital status.
Because of this, in the United States a single status affidavit signed before a notary is frequently used. We help you prepare, notarize and apostille the document, or review one you already have, according to the state and the country where you will marry.
Key points about your single status document
A single status affidavit is a private document; before it can be apostilled it must be signed before a notary public.
Official certificate vs. sworn affidavit
In the U.S. there is often no uniform government-issued certificate; a sworn affidavit signed before a notary is used instead.
Notarization
The affidavit is signed before a notary — in person or, in some states, through Remote Online Notarization (RON).
Apostille
The document is apostilled in the state where it was notarized — not where you live or where you will marry.
Confirm wording and validity with the destination
The receiving country or civil registry may require a specific text and a recent issue date; confirm this before signing.
Original, copy or translation
Notarized affidavit
The single status affidavit is signed before a notary; that notarized document is what gets apostilled.
Certified copy of a record
In some cases a certified copy of a record is apostilled instead, when applicable; it depends on the state and the intended use.
Translation
If the destination country requires it, we coordinate a certified translation — before or after the apostille, depending on the case.
Three steps for your single status document
Tell us where you will marry
Tell us the country where you will marry and we'll indicate the text and format usually expected, so you sign the right document. Free consultation.
We prepare and notarize
We prepare and notarize the affidavit (or review the document you already have) and send you the estimated cost and time.
We coordinate the apostille and return it
Once authorized, we coordinate the apostille before the competent authority and return the document to you or your designated recipient, nationally or internationally.
Countries we frequently handle single status documents for
Requirements may vary by country and by the receiving notary or authority. Send us your case and we'll confirm what applies.
Questions about single status certificates
Send us your document and the country where you will marry, and we'll tell you exactly what it needs.
Is there an official single status certificate in the U.S.?+
Do I have to sign it before a notary?+
Which state is it apostilled in?+
Does the certificate have a validity period?+
Does it include translation?+
Can you help me draft it?+
Let's apostille your single status document
Send us your document and the country where you will marry. The initial review is free. Service in Spanish and English.