San Jose · Single Status Affidavit Apostille
You are marrying the love of your life in their home country, and the local registrar wants proof you are actually free to marry. In the United States there is no national marriage registry to pull that from — so the answer is a sworn single status affidavit, signed before a notary and authenticated. Here is exactly how San Jose couples handle it.
The short answer
A single status affidavit is a sworn statement that you are not married and free to wed. You sign it before a notary, and it is then authenticated by the California Secretary of State so a foreign authority will accept it. Because there is no central marriage record in the U.S., this affidavit is what stands in its place, often with a translation.
Why this document exists
Many countries pull a “no record of marriage” straight from a government registry. The United States does not keep one, so the gap is filled with a sworn statement instead:
You swear it
You state under oath that you are single and free to marry, signing in front of a notary who verifies your identity.
The state authenticates it
The apostille confirms the notary is real, so the destination country can rely on the signed statement.
We prepare the affidavit to your country’s expected wording before you sign.
How San Jose couples get it done
We draft it to spec
The affidavit is written to match what your destination expects, including any phrasing the local registrar requires.
You sign before a notary
You sign in front of our notary, who confirms your identity so the signature can be authenticated.
We add the apostille
The signed affidavit goes for its apostille, and a translation is prepared if the country wants one.
Where couples get tripped up
Two things cause most of the scramble. The first is generic wording: an affidavit written without the destination’s specific phrasing can be waved off by a local registrar who wants an exact statement, so matching the country up front matters. The second is treating the translation as an afterthought, which forces a second authentication trip when the office abroad asks for it. Drafting to the country’s expectations and pairing the translation with the apostille from the start is what keeps a wedding from waiting on paperwork.
One document, many names
Part of the confusion is that this paperwork travels under different labels. A foreign registrar might call it a certificate of no impediment, a certificate of freedom to marry, or a sworn declaration of civil status, while the U.S. side simply prepares a notarized statement. They point to the same thing: written, verified proof that you are legally able to wed. Knowing the exact term your destination uses helps, because the wording on the page should echo what the local office is looking for. When we draft yours, we tailor the language to the country you are marrying in so the label on their end lines up with the statement on ours.
Single status affidavit apostille: quick answers
What is it?
A sworn statement that you are free to marry, standing in for the marriage registry the U.S. does not keep.
Does it need an apostille?
Almost always. It is notarized, then apostilled by the California Secretary of State for use abroad.
How do I get one in San Jose?
We draft it to your country’s wording, you sign before our notary, and we submit it for the apostille.
How long does it take?
Once notarized, it can be apostilled the same day when submitted early on a weekday.
Do I need a translation?
Often, yes. Many countries want a certified translation paired with the apostille.
Marrying abroad? We will get you free-to-marry, on paper.
Your affidavit drafted, notarized, apostilled, and translated in San Jose — matched to your destination so the registrar abroad accepts it the first time. Walk in or book ahead.