Latvia - Single Status Certificate

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Procedure

Apply In-Person:

1. To Single Status Certificate, the applicant has to approach the Ministry of Justice – 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 4 weeks 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.

Office Locations & Contacts

Riga City Registry Office
Address: Br?v?bas Street 86
Telephone: 67181259
E-mail: [email protected]
Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Latvia
Regional Divisions
Diplomatic and Consular Representations

Eligibility

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'.

Fees

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

Validity

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

Documents to Use

Application Form for Requesting Documents

Sample Documents

Please attach sample completed documents that would help other people.

Processing Time

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

Related Videos

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Instructions

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.

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

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

Public documents issued in Latvia and intended for use in a foreign country

Before going abroad to work, study or get married etc., a person should clarify in advance what kind of documents will be required and whether the authorities of the relevant country accepts public documents issued in Latvia after they have been legalised at the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or other procedures are in place.

The auathentication of document authenticity is regulated by several international conventions and intergovernmental agreements, and also by the Document Legalisation Law and the Regulations for Public Document Legislation of Latvia.

• If a document is intended for use in a foreign country which has joined the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Documents of 5 October 1961, its authenticity should be certified with an Apostille by the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The document bearing an Apostille is valid for submission in the institutions of the relevant country and is not subject to any other confirmation.
• If a document is intended for use in a foreign country which has not joined the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Documents, it must be first legalised by the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia and then by the the diplomatic or consular mission of the relevant country or the diplomatic/consular mission of Latvia in the relevant country
• If a document is intended for use in Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, or Italy, public institutions of these countries have to accept without legalization the public documents issued in Latvia, because Latvia applies the Convention Abolishing the Legalization of Documents Between the Member States of the European Communities which provides for a reciprocal exemption from the requirement of legalisation.

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

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 Links

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia

Government & Official

Requesting Documents from Abroad

Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Latvia

Useful Links

Others

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.