Belgium - Obtain Certificate of No Diriment(Marriage) Impediment / Single Status Certificate

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Procedure

Apply by mail (Non – Citizen)

1. To apply for Single Status Certificate, the applicant has to approach the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade – link
2. The applicant has to visit the office with the request letter.
3. An application form will be provided to the applicant by the concerned officer. (if required)
4. The applicant has to fill in all the necessary details in the application form. (Incomplete applications are not accepted)
5. Make sure that the applicant has attached all the necessary documents that are mentioned in the “Required Documents” section of this page.
6. The applicant has to attach the photocopies of the required documents along with the application form while submitting.
7. Submit all the documents with the completed form to the concerned office mailing address.
8. The mailing address is mentioned in the “Office Locations & Contacts” section of this page.
9. The applicant has to pay the fee as per the authority’s request.
10. After receiving the application, the concerned authority will check the submitted application and document set. #If all are in place, the application will be accepted.
11. Once the process gets completed, the officer will contact the applicant regarding the application.
12. This entire process can be completed within 15 – 30days or as per the timeline advised by the respective department authority.

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Required Documents

• National identity card or Passport.
• Proof of address.
• If divorced, Decree Absolute.
• If widowed, Death Certificate of previous spouse (and Marriage Certificate).
• If your name has been changed by Deed Poll, proof is necessary.
• The relevant fee.

Note: Belgian Embassies may request for additional documents to be submitted, please contact your local Belgian Embassy for more information.

Office Locations & Contacts

Civil Status
Marriages and legal cohabitation
Administrative centre
Boulevard Anspach 6
3th floor
1000 Brussels
Tel: 02 279 34 40
Fax: 02 279 34 49
Email: [email protected]
Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 8:30 am till noon, after appointment: from 1 pm to 3:30 pm (from Monday to Wednesday), from 1 pm to 6:30 pm (Thursday)
Telephone hours: from Monday till Friday from 8:30 am till 4 pm
Belgian Embassies and Consulates Abroad

Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation

Telephone number for all your enquiries: +32 2 501 81 11 Website

Search for Belgian Embassies and Consulates Abroad

Eligibility

Certificate of No Diriment Impediment is issued to Belgian nationals planning to get married abroad.

If you are planning to marry in another country, you may be required to obtain a Certificate of Non-Impediment. This document has many different names such as Declaration of Non-Impediment to Marry, Statutory Declaration of Single Status, Affidavit of Intended Marriage, Statement In-Lieu of Certificate of Non-Impediment to Marriage Abroad, Certificate de Coutume, a Certificate of No Impediment, Certificate of Nulla Osta, Certificate of Freedom to Marry or just free to marry.

Fees

Consular fee for the issuance of the two documents (Certificate of no diriment impediment and the Affidavit for marriage) is the equivalent of 20 euro

Contact the Belgian Embassy in the country you are currently residing for the local amount.

Validity

Explain the time until which the certificate/document is valid.
e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Documents to Use

Please attach documents which can be used by people who would like to follow this procedure.    

Sample Documents

Please attach sample completed documents which would help other people who would like to follow this procedure.    

Processing Time

Belgian Embassies may not always issue the documents requested immediately and that in some cases, applications must be forwarded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Brussels. In such cases, issuance of certificates may take several weeks.

Related Videos

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Instructions

Certificate of No Diriment Impediment are obtained from Belgian Embassies abroad. This certificate is submitted along with the Affidavit for marriage

Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage

This can be obtained from your local department of foreign affairs or your embassy in the country in which you are getting married.

Certificate of Single Status/Sworn Affidavit that you are free to marry

These are similar to a Certificate of No Impediment, but instead you have to swear you are single in front of a legal representative.

Required Information

• Full Name
• Passport or ID number
• Place and Date of Birth
• Nationality
• Statement
• Date
• Signature of the person who declares
• Signature of the witnesses

Need for the Document

Marriage is a legal contract binding two people together, granting them rights and obligations. Some overseas countries would require a "Certificate of No Diriment Impediment" to be submitted before you can proceed with the actual marriage ceremony. This document states that according to the Belgian law there is no Belgian legal caveat to the marriage of the Belgian national.

A Single Status Certificate also referred to as a No Marriage Affidavit, Certificate of Freedom to Marry or Certificate of No Impediment, is a sworn statement saying that you are eligible to marry.

Overseas marriage authorities often require further evidence that the party is free to marry. Such evidence may be a statement from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages that there is no record of the person having been previously married or a 'Single Status Certificate' or 'No Records Result'.

Information which might help

Through a sworn affidavit the applicant confirms that they are who they claim to be. The Single Status Letter or Affidavit says that they are able and free to marry among other things. Bear in mind that one fact about the Single Status Affidavit is that it is not a government document; rather, it is a letter from the affiant signed in front of a notary public. An interesting fact about this type of document is that there are many names given for it. For example look at this list: "Single Status Statutory Declaration" or a "Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage" or a "Single Status Certificate" or "Free-to-marry statement".

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

In some countries, in order to solemnize a marriage the local authorities require a certificate stating that there is no reason why the marriage cannot take place. This document is issued by the Belgian consulate in the country where the marriage is to be solemnized. You are strongly advised to contact the Belgian consulate before you leave.

External Links

• Embassy of Belgium in Thailand:

http://www.diplomatie.be/bangkok/default.asp?id=28&mnu=28&ACT=5&content=20

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belgium

Portal Belgian Government

Others

In order for non-nationals to marry in a foreign country you will most likely be required to produce legal documentation from your country of citizenship verifying single status and that you are free to marry. This is known as a 'Certificate of No Impediment', 'Certificate de Coutume', 'Certificate of Nulla Osta' or a 'Certificate of Freedom to Marry'.

Please also be aware that a standard Single Status Certificate or Certificate of No Impediment may be insufficient on its own to allow a marriage to take place in a foreign country. You may be required by the foreign authorities to comply with the following, so please ensure that you allow sufficient time for processing.

• Certificates may need to be translated.
• Certificates may need to be endorsed or exchanged for a locally acceptable version issued by your Embassy or Consulate in the country where you will marry.
• Certificates may need to be legalized i.e. stamped with an official stamp known as an Apostille.
• Certificates may require that witnesses swear an Affidavit stating that you are free to marry and that this is appended.