Single Status Affidavit in the US: Documents for Marriage in Another Country

What is a single status affidavit?

A single status affidavit is a legal document confirming that a person is single and free to marry. This document is usually required if you are going to get married in a foreign country.

Most countries do require an essential proof that you are free to marry and are not engaged in a legally recognized matrimonial relationship in another country. It is important to note that a single status affidavit is not a government-issued document; rather, it is a legal document signed in the presence of a notary as a witness. For this reason, there are many names for this document, in particular “Single Proof Letter”, “Single Status Letter”, “Free to marry”, etc. Essentially, it contains the same info, though.

When do I need a single status affidavit?

Like we said above, a single status affidavit is predominantly used in cases when its holder is planning to marry abroad. Typically, foreign authorities require this document before issuing a marriage license.

How to obtain a single status affidavit?

We provide full support with preparing a single status affidavit and help you go through all steps to get it properly legalized. The format of the affidavit will depend upon the local requirements the country of your partner puts forward. The list of personal information may vary from just a name, date and place of birth to your citizenship information, SSN and passport number. Also, some countries may require a photograph of an applicant.

If you are currently divorced, you will have to submit a final decree from the court proving that your marital status is single. Also, some countries require that the notary witnessing signing of a single status affidavit be a local one.

As you can imagine, getting the paperwork ready takes lots of time. Without knowing the numerous pitfalls and varying local requirements, you may see the process dragging on for months. Contact us for professional assistance and get your affidavit ready in a record time.

Why do I need to legalize a single status affidavit?

The importance of a proper legalization of a single status affidavit for marrying abroad cannot be stressed enough. Your affidavit will not be considered valid if it is not notarized and, in most cases, properly translated.

For countries that joined the Hague Convention, the primary method of authentication is an apostille. Countries that do not recognize the Hague Convention usually deploy a somewhat lengthier procedure of authenticating a single status affidavit.

An affidavit of a single status in the US

The US government does not maintain a central database of marriages in the country. Therefore, it is not capable of providing its citizens with appropriate affidavits explaining their marital status. For this reason, US citizens wishing to marry abroad are required to present the following document on their own.

Fortunately, you can create this document quite easily. Provided that it is properly written and notarized, chances are big it will be recognized by most countries. Like mentioned above, you will have to sign an affidavit in the presence of a notary who will also issue a certificate of acknowledgment proving that all legal requirements were followed.

Once you have your single status affidavit issued, contact the US State Department to get it authenticated. That done, you can submit it to the foreign authority (previously translated if such requirement was put forward by that government).

A single status affidavit for Canada

In Canada, a single status affidavit serves the same function as in the US. It lists your current marital status as well as some personal information like name, Canadian address, age, etc. Like in the US, you can draft the affidavit on your own. However, it does require an up-to-date knowledge of the legal requirements so it makes sense to contact professionals like our team to get things done properly.

The affidavit should be notarized by a Canadian Notary Public. That done, the document is ready to get legalized and authenticated by the Department of Foreign Affairs of Canada, then submitted to the foreign authorities.

A single status affidavit for the Dominican Republic

In order to get married in the Dominican Republic, you will be required to submit previously apostilled birth certificate, divorce certificate (if applies) and a single status affidavit.

It is required to translate each of these documents into Spanish. Both copies and originals must be notarized and apostilled. If you submitted your documents to be translated at the Consular Office of the Dominican Republic, the apostille is not required. It is necessary that your passport number is listed in the affidavit.

Once you have sorted out your single status affidavit, contact the local Dominican Civil Registry Office and set the day of your marriage (make sure to contact them in advance to ask if there are any additional requirements).

To make the process of arranging your overseas marriage less daunting, contact our team for professional assistance.

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