Spain - Single Status Certificate / Certificate of Marital Status

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Procedure

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.

HOW TO APPLY

1. Go to the Civil Registry office where marriages are registered with all the required document.
2. Request for the application form of single status certificate or “Fe de Solteria y Vida” and fill it correctly, declare by signing the affidavit that you are of single status and not bond to any marriage or divorce
3. If you are divorced, we suggest that you bring a copy of the divorce decree or death certificate if your spouse is deceased.
4. Submit them with the required documents to the attending official with the required fees
5. The officer will than verify and process your information.

Abroad application

1. The applicant must appear in person at the Embassy. The applicants can submit the complete application form, the required documents and pay the recommended fees on any working day or book an appointment online with the embassy in advance.
2. If you are divorced, we suggest that you bring a copy of the divorce decree or death certificate if your spouse is deceased.

NB. If due to health reasons the applicant cannot appear at the Embassy in person to apply for the certificate of existence, he/she could do it through a legal representative that should therefore submit on top of the required documents, his/her national identity card (DNI) in force, a supporting medical certificate and a witnessed signature before a Notary Public. The Embassy won’t accept medical certificates with an issuing date older than 15 days. (NOTE PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR EMBASSY IF APPLICABLE)

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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

Civil Registry Offices
Embassies and Consulates

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

Embassy
Civil Registry offices

Validity

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

Documents to Use

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Sample Documents

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Processing Time

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

Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications. 
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Instructions

1. Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage
2. This can be obtained from your local department of foreign affairs or your embassy in the country in which you are getting married.
3. Certificate of Single Status/Sworn Affidavit that you are free to marry
4. These are similar to a Certificate of No Impediment, but instead you have to swear you are single in front of a legal representative.
5. 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.
6. Certificates may need to be translated.
7. 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.
8. Certificates may need to be legalized i.e. stamped with an official stamp known as an Apostille.
9. Certificates may require that witnesses swear an Affidavit stating that you are free to marry and that this is appended.

Required Information

• Full Name
• Passport or ID number
• Place and Date of Birth
• Nationality
• Gender
• 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

• Before you apply for a single status certificate, check with the consulate, embassy or local representative of the country in which you wish to marry to understand their legal requirements. You may be required to take your single status certificate to the Department of Foreign Affairs for an apostille stamp.

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

• This document will most likely be required as a supporting document if you are getting married in a foreign country.
• This document can also be required for employment in a foreign country.

External Links

Ministry of Justice

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation

Government of Spain

Others

Civil Registry

• Institutionally, the Civil Register is unique. In accordance with Article 10 of the Civil Register Law, the Civil Register is made up from Municipal Registers by a first instance judge, assisted by the secretary; for Consular Registers, by the Consuls of Spain abroad and by the Central Civil Register.
• Each consular area has a Civil Registration office. This body is divided into four sections:births and general, marriages, deaths, and guardians and legal representatives. It is made up from Municipal Registers by the first instance judge, assisted by the secretary; the Consular Registers, by the Consuls of Spain abroad, and the central Civil Register. The offices of each consular district submit a duplicate of the records made locally to the central Civil Register.