California Single Status Affidavit Apostille Guide

A single status affidavit apostille is the internationally recognized authentication that lets a sworn "free to marry" statement be accepted abroad. This guide walks you through doing it yourself, so you pay only the California state apostille fee: $20.00 per Apostille.

A Single Status Affidavit is a sworn statement, made under penalty of perjury, in which you declare your current marital status — that you are single, widowed, or divorced — and that you are legally free to marry. You draft and sign it yourself: it is your own attested declaration, not a government-issued vital record and not official government proof of fact the way a birth or marriage certificate is. No agency "issues" it; you create the statement, swear to its truth before a notary, and have that notarized document authenticated. One universal caveat: an apostille only makes your affidavit acceptable in countries that belong to the Hague Apostille Convention. If your destination is not a Convention member, an apostille will not work and the document must instead go through consular legalization at that country's embassy or consulate.

Whether you need a single status affidavit depends entirely on the country where you plan to use it — each destination sets its own rules and wording. People most commonly need one for:

• Marriage abroad (proof you are free to marry)
• Residency / partnership / family-based visas
• Other consular matters — name change, adoption, or inheritance where civil status is relevant

Because requirements vary widely from one country to the next, confirm the exact document, format, and any translation rules with the receiving authority or local consulate before you draft and apostille your affidavit.

This is a practical checklist, not legal advice. A complete single status affidavit should clearly contain:

• Your full legal name, spelled exactly as it appears in your passport
• Your date and place of birth
• Your current address
• A clear statement of your current marital status (single, widowed, or divorced)
• A statement that you are legally free to marry
• If you are divorced or widowed, a brief note that any prior marriage was legally dissolved, with the year and the jurisdiction
• The destination country (and city, if you know it) named in the body of the affidavit
• The date
• A signature line to be signed in front of a notary

Leave enough blank space below your signature for the notarial certificate — an acknowledgment or jurat — and the notary's stamp. Your sworn statement should affirm that the contents are "true and correct under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California." One nuance: some consulates provide their own required affidavit template or wording. When yours does, follow that template exactly rather than this generic outline.

1. 1

   Bring the unsigned affidavit and a valid photo ID to a notary commissioned in this state.

2. 2

   Sign in the notary's presence (or swear/affirm if a jurat is used).

3. 3

   The notary verifies your identity, completes the acknowledgment or jurat certificate, signs, and affixes an official seal.

Your affidavit should affirm that the statements are "true and correct under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California."

Instead of (or alongside) a personal affidavit, some applicants use an official "no marriage record" document. This can take the form of a county-clerk Letter of No Record from the county where you would have married, or a certificate / statewide search through the state vital-records office: California Department of Public Health – Vital Records (CDPH-VR). Such a document is an official attestation that no marriage record was found, rather than your own sworn statement. The destination country decides which proof it will accept, so confirm before you choose a route. Note that this official no-record document may itself need an apostille the same way — certified as required, then authenticated by the California Secretary of State.

Processing queues drift over time, so treat these as a snapshot. As of 2026-02-24: "Our Sacramento office is currently processing Apostille requests received: 1. Through the mail on 02/06/2026 2. In person on the 3rd floor on 02/23/2026"; "Our Los Angeles office is currently processing Apostille requests received: 1. In person on the 2nd floor on 02/23/2026". Last updated on page: February 23, 2026. Always check the official processing-times page for the current queue.

Many destination countries require a certified translation of both your affidavit and its apostille into the local language. The receiving country or authority sets this requirement — including who may translate and how the translation must be certified — so confirm exactly what they expect before you submit. Arranging the translation after the apostille is issued ensures the apostille itself is translated along with the affidavit when that is required.