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 (for the affidavit). 1. Draft the affidavit. State that you are currently unmarried and free to marry, include identity details, and add any country-specific language the foreign registrar requires (some want the intended spouse named). 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. If the destination requires the certified record instead: order a Certificate of No Marriage Record from CDPH-VR or the County Recorder/Clerk (registry #21) and apostille that certified copy via the Certified route. Who can swear it. You, about your own marital status. Cost + timeline for THIS step (verified June 2026): notary $15 for the jurat (Gov. Code §8211(b));.
Frequently asked questions
Affidavit or certificate — which do I need?
It depends on the country. Some accept your sworn Single Status Affidavit; others require the certified Certificate of No Marriage Record (registry #21). Confirm with the foreign registrar first.
What exactly do I submit (affidavit route)?
Your sworn single-status affidavit, notarized with a jurat. The SOS apostilles the notary’s signature.
Acknowledgment or jurat?
Jurat — it’s sworn.
Do I name my intended spouse?
Only if the destination requires it; some registrars want the partner named, others don’t.
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).