Quick facts
- Category: Affidavit / Sworn Statement
- Apostilled by the California Secretary of State (Sacramento or Los Angeles)
- Fee: $20 per document (mail) or $26 (walk-in) at the California Secretary of State
- Free document review before you pay any government fee
- Tracked outbound and return shipping included
What to know
Self-prepared — no issuing office. 1. Draft the affidavit. State your current marital status (and history if required), with identity details and any country-specific wording. If the status depends on a prior event, reference the supporting record. 2. Personally appear before a California notary with satisfactory ID. The notary administers an oath and completes a jurat; you sign in the notary’s presence. 3. Confirm the notary’s seal, signature, commission number, and expiration are present and legible. Supporting records (if the destination requires them). Divorced status → apostille the divorce decree (registry #25); widowed → the spouse’s death certificate (registry #11); never-married where a certified search is required → Certificate of No Marriage Record (registry #21). Who can swear it. You, about your own marital status. Cost + timeline for THIS step (verified June 2026): notary.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly do I submit?
Your sworn Affidavit of Marital Status, notarized with a jurat. The SOS apostilles the notary’s signature.
How is this different from the Single Status affidavit?
The single-status affidavit (registry #201) specifically asserts you’re free to marry; this one covers any status (single, married, divorced, widowed).
Do I also need my divorce decree or a death certificate?
If the destination wants proof of the underlying event, yes — apostille the certified divorce decree (#25) or death certificate (#11) separately.
Acknowledgment or jurat?
Jurat — it’s sworn.
Common destinations
Countries this document is most often sent to (pulled from this page's own guidance). Every destination has its own rulebook — apostille (Hague) or full legalization (non-Hague).