Single-Status Certificate for Marriage in Vietnam

About to register a marriage in Vietnam and need to prove you're single? Vietnamese civil authorities usually require a single-status / marital-status certificate. VietVisas handles the whole chain — affidavit, notarization, authentication, consular legalization, and translation.

$500 all-in — done end to end, delivered free to your door across all 50 states.

What is a single-status certificate?

It confirms you are unmarried, or divorced/widowed — i.e. free to marry. When one party is a Vietnamese national (or foreign national) in the U.S., Vietnamese civil authorities need this document to complete a marriage registration with a foreign element.

When do you need it?

• Registering a marriage with someone in Vietnam.
• Marrying a person of a different nationality at a Vietnamese civil registry.
• Other civil-status procedures that require proof of marital status.

Documents usually required

• A valid passport or ID.
• Never married: an affidavit of single status.
• Divorced: include the divorce decree/judgment.
• Widowed: include your spouse's death certificate.
• Some offices also request a "no marriage record" certificate or a birth certificate.

The standard process — in the right order

1. Draft & notarize the affidavit of single status (U.S. Notary Public).
2. State authentication at the Secretary of State (some states, e.g. New York, require County Clerk verification first).
3. Consular legalization at a Vietnamese representative office. See: What is consular legalization.
4. Translation into Vietnamese.
5. Submit in Vietnam — usually at the district Justice Department (Phòng Tư pháp) where the marriage is registered.

Doing the steps out of order is the most common reason a file has to be redone. VietVisas ensures the correct sequence from the start.

Validity

A marital-status certificate is typically valid only about 6 months. Don't prepare it too early — time it close to your marriage-registration date to avoid expiry and a redo.

Common mistakes

• Name mismatch between passport and affidavit (including middle names).
• Blurry notary seal, an expired notary commission, or Remote Online Notarization the receiving office won't accept.
• Pre-signing before meeting the notary.
• Missing secondary documents (divorce, death certificate, "no marriage record," etc.).
• Preparing too early, so the certificate expires before submission.

Cost & why choose VietVisas

The service fee is $500 — covering the whole chain: drafting the affidavit, notarization, state authentication, legalization, and translation. VietVisas serves the entire U.S. and delivers results free to your door in all 50 states — no running between the notary, the Secretary of State, the consular office, and the translator yourself.

Getting married in Vietnam soon? Message VietVisas for a free consultation and guidance specific to your situation.