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ProcedureEdit

Apply In-Person:

  1. To Single Status Certificate, the applicant has to approach the Ministry of Home Affairs – link
  2. An application form will be provided to the applicant by the concerned officer.
  3. The applicant has to fill in all the necessary details in the application form. (Incomplete applications are not accepted)
  4. Make sure that the applicant has attached all the necessary documents that are mentioned in the “Required Documents” section of this page.
  5. The applicant has to attach the photocopies of the required documents along with the application form while submitting.
  6. Submit all the documents with the completed form to the concerned officer.
  7. The applicant has to pay the fee as per the authority’s request.
  8. 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.
  9. Then the application will be processed further. All the updates on the application status will be sent via SMS.
  10. Once the process gets completed, the applicant gets a call from the office regarding the application.
  11. The applicant has to complete the further process for collecting the certificate.
  12. This entire process can be completed within 30 days or as per the timeline advised by the respective department authority.



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Required DocumentsEdit

  • 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.



Office Locations & ContactsEdit

Ministry of Home Affair
Vientiane
Laos
6376
Laos PDR
E-mail: [email protected]
Telephone: 212545, 212639, 213647, 213646
Fax: 213649, 217619

List of diplomatic missions of Laos



EligibilityEdit

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'.


FeesEdit

Explain the fees structure which is required for obtaining the certificate/document.



ValidityEdit

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



Documents to UseEdit

Please attach documents that can be used by people. e.g. links



Sample DocumentsEdit

Please attach sample completed documents that would help other people.



Processing TimeEdit

Please explain processing time taken in obtaining the document/certificate.



Related VideosEdit

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications. 
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type="website">video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites.
Please remove the "&" inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver, 
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M" Video ID is "Y0US7oR_t3M". 
	



InstructionsEdit

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.



Required InformationEdit

  • 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 DocumentEdit

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 helpEdit

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.

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.



Other uses of the Document/CertificateEdit

The Bride & Groom to be married must provide from their country of Citizenship, individual Certificates of non impediment or Certificate of Single Status/Sworn Affidavit, as proof that they are both indeed single and eligible to marry. This is also called an affidavit of single status or negative statement of marriage. This document can be obtained at the Bureau of Vital statistics in their city they reside.


External LinksEdit

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of LAO PDR

Ministry of Home Affairs

Lao Government Web Sites



OthersEdit

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".