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How to Get a Single-Status Affidavit for Marriage Abroad

By Frank MetayerUpdated August 16, 2026

If you are a U.S. citizen or resident planning to marry in another country, that country's civil registry will almost always ask you to prove you are legally eligible to marry. Because the United States keeps no single national registry of marital status and issues no federal "certificate of no impediment," Americans satisfy this requirement with a single-status affidavit: a notarized sworn statement declaring that you are not currently married and know of no legal impediment to the wedding. Foreign authorities accept that affidavit only after it has been authenticated for international use — an apostille for countries in the Hague Apostille Convention, or embassy legalization for countries outside it — and often only when it was issued within a few months of the ceremony.

This guide explains how to get a single-status affidavit that will be accepted overseas: what the document is, why it must be apostilled through a state Secretary of State rather than issued by a government office, and the exact sequence to follow — draft or obtain it, notarize it, apostille it, and add a certified translation if your destination requires one. It is an informational overview; when you are ready to have it handled end to end, see our single-status affidavit apostille service page. Anything time-sensitive here (Hague membership, recency windows, and processing times) can change, so treat the specifics as "as of 2026, confirm before filing."

Key takeaways

  • A single-status affidavit (also called an affidavit of single status, certificate of no impediment, or no-record-of-marriage affidavit) is a notarized sworn statement that you are legally eligible to marry, required by many countries before they will register a foreign national's marriage.
  • Because it is a notarized document, it is apostilled through the Secretary of State (or equivalent authenticating authority) in the state where you signed it. The apostille authenticates the notary's commission and signature, not the truth of your statement.
  • The path is: draft the affidavit, sign it before a notary, apostille it through the Secretary of State, and add a certified translation if the destination's official language is not English.
  • Many countries require the affidavit to be issued within roughly 3 to 6 months of the wedding (as of 2026, confirm the exact window), so do not apostille it too far in advance or it may fall outside the recency window.
  • If your destination is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, you will need embassy legalization instead of an apostille. Confirm your country's current status before you begin.

What a single-status affidavit actually is

A single-status affidavit is a sworn statement in which you declare, under oath before a notary public, that you are legally eligible to marry: that you are single, divorced, or widowed, are not currently married, and know of no legal impediment to the intended marriage. It goes by several names depending on which country and which office is asking, including affidavit of single status, certificate of no impediment (CNI), sworn statement of no record of marriage, and certificate of eligibility to marry.
The reason U.S. couples reach for an affidavit at all is structural: the United States has no central registry of who is married and issues no nationwide "certificate of no impediment" the way some governments do. In place of a government-issued record, a U.S. citizen or resident makes the statement themselves under oath, and the notarization plus apostille is what gives that statement the official weight a foreign civil registry needs to see.

Why countries require it, and who needs one

Most countries want documentary proof that a foreign national is legally able to marry before they will perform or register the marriage. Civil-law jurisdictions across Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia are especially likely to require a certificate of no impediment or single-status affidavit from each non-citizen spouse as part of the civil marriage file.
You will typically need one if you are a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident marrying abroad, or marrying a foreign national under that country's civil process. Because requirements vary widely, confirm the exact document your destination's civil registry (or that country's embassy or consulate) demands before you start. Some accept a notarized affidavit on its own; some also want a state vital-records search; and a few require the statement to be executed or countersigned at their own consulate.

Why it is apostilled through the Secretary of State

A single-status affidavit enters the apostille system through the notary who administered your oath. This is the key point many people miss: an apostille does not certify that your statement is true. It authenticates the commission and signature of the notary public who notarized the document. That authentication is issued by the Secretary of State (or the equivalent authenticating authority, such as a Lieutenant Governor in a few states) where the notary is commissioned, which is why the state where you sign matters.
Apostille Near Me is experienced with Secretary of State apostille processing in all 50 states, so the affidavit you notarize in a given state is authenticated by that same state's office. In some cases a couple also obtains a state vital-records "no record of marriage" certification, in the limited states that offer one. That is a certified government record rather than a sworn statement, so it is apostilled directly by the Secretary of State (which authenticates the state official who signed it) rather than through a notary.

Step by step: draft, notarize, apostille, translate

First, draft or obtain the affidavit. Use wording your destination country will accept. Some consulates publish a template; otherwise a standard affidavit states your full legal name exactly as it appears on your passport, your date of birth, your current marital status, and a declaration that you are eligible to marry. Do not sign it yet, because the notary must witness your signature.
Second, notarize it. Sign in front of a notary public, who administers your oath and completes the notarial certificate. Every detail (name spelling, dates) should match your passport, since a mismatch is a common reason foreign registries reject the document. A mobile notary can come to you if that is easier.
Third, apostille it. Submit the notarized affidavit to the Secretary of State in the state where it was notarized to obtain the apostille. Fourth, translate it if required: if the destination's official language is not English, you will usually need a certified translation, and whether you translate before or after the apostille depends on the country, so confirm the order your destination expects before you have anything translated.

Recency rules: do not apostille too early

Many countries will only accept a single-status affidavit that was issued within a set window before the wedding, commonly around 3 to 6 months, with some requiring a tighter 3 months and others accepting up to 6. The clock usually runs from the notarization or the apostille date, depending on the receiving authority.
As of 2026, confirm the exact validity window with your destination's civil registry or embassy before filing, because these rules differ by jurisdiction and change over time. The practical consequence is real: if you notarize and apostille the affidavit months ahead of the ceremony, it can fall outside the recency window and be rejected on the wedding date. Timing the affidavit close to (but before) the ceremony is one of the most important and most commonly overlooked parts of the process.

Country nuances: Hague vs. legalization, translation, and consular steps

The biggest branch point is whether your destination is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. If it is, a Secretary of State apostille is the final authentication step. If it is not (for example, the United Arab Emirates and certain other countries, as of 2026), the affidavit instead needs embassy legalization, a multi-step chain that ends at that country's embassy or consulate. Membership can change, so verify your destination's current status on the official HCCH list before you begin.
Beyond that, watch for country-specific quirks. Some countries require the translation to be performed by a sworn or in-country translator rather than any certified translator; some ask you to also sign a declaration at their consulate; and popular wedding destinations such as Spain, Italy, and Mexico each maintain their own document checklist. When in doubt, the destination's civil registry or its U.S. embassy is the authority to confirm with before you invest time in preparing the wrong version of the document.

Marrying abroad? Get your single-status affidavit handled

Apostille Near Me is a San Diego-based team working nationwide and experienced with Secretary of State apostille processing in all 50 states. Tell us your destination country and wedding date, and we can coordinate notarization, the apostille, and a certified translation as one package, timed to your ceremony's recency window. Start your order or contact us and you will get a flat, all-in quote before any work begins — with no hidden fees, and no obligation.

Get a free quoteCall 1-800-889-7850

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to get a single-status affidavit apostilled?+

The affidavit itself can be notarized the same day, and Secretary of State apostille processing generally ranges from a few days to several weeks depending on the state and whether you use standard or expedited handling. As of 2026, confirm current turnaround with the issuing Secretary of State, and add extra time if a certified translation or embassy legalization is also required. The safest approach is to start early, but not so early that the affidavit falls outside your destination's recency window.

How much does it cost to get a single-status affidavit apostilled?+

It depends on the document, the issuing authority, and how fast you need it. You get a flat, all-in quote before any work begins — with no hidden fees, and no obligation.

Which authority issues the apostille on a single-status affidavit?+

The Secretary of State (or the equivalent authenticating authority) in the state where your affidavit was notarized. The apostille authenticates the notary's commission and signature, not the contents of your statement. Because that authority is tied to the state of notarization, an affidavit notarized in California is apostilled by the California Secretary of State, one notarized in Texas by the Texas Secretary of State, and so on. Federal documents such as an FBI background check follow a separate federal route through the U.S. Department of State.

Do I need a certified translation of my single-status affidavit?+

Usually yes, if the destination country's official language is not English. Most civil registries require the affidavit, and sometimes the apostille itself, to be accompanied by a certified translation. Whether you translate before or after the apostille depends on the country: some accept an English affidavit with the apostille attached, while others require the entire package translated by a sworn or approved translator. Confirm the requirement, and the required order, with your destination before translating.

What is the most common mistake people make with a single-status affidavit?+

The two most frequent problems are timing and name mismatches. Many couples apostille the affidavit too far in advance, so it falls outside the destination's roughly 3-to-6-month recency window by the wedding date. Others sign with a name that does not exactly match their passport, or notarize in one state while expecting a different state's apostille. Match every detail to your passport, notarize in the state whose Secretary of State will authenticate it, and time the affidavit close to but before the ceremony.

Keep reading

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