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. Name each person and the precise relationship, with identity details and the basis of your knowledge. Attach or reference supporting vital records if the destination asks. 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. Who can swear it. A family member, or a disinterested witness with personal knowledge — match the receiving authority’s requirement. Cost + timeline for THIS step (verified June 2026): notary $15 for the jurat (Gov. Code §8211(b)); usually same-day. Drafting is free. (Supporting certified vital records carry their own fees — see registry #1–20.) What the SOS needs to see: a California notary’s jurat —.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly do I submit?
Your sworn Affidavit of Relationship, notarized with a jurat. The SOS apostilles the notary’s signature.
Can a birth or marriage certificate prove this instead?
Often yes — and many authorities prefer the certified vital record. Confirm which the destination wants; you can apostille both.
How is this different from a Next of Kin affidavit?
Next of Kin (#209) identifies the closest living relative(s), usually for estate/death matters; this one states a relationship more generally.
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).