Get Single Status Certificate in Assam: A Single-Status Certificate is exactly what the name implies. It officially certifies that the individual in possession of it is single or unmarried as per the judicial verification under the jurisdiction of a specific country.

It is a self-sworn statement that is legally verified and certified which says that the person mentioned in the certificate is single or unmarried at the time of its issuance.

It serves as the proof for the individual to get a marriage license to solemnize and tie the knot in a far off land. Often, though not solely, it is asked to be presented to keep polygamy and illegal marriages at bay.

What is Single Status certificate?

Let us know what it is called in various parts of the globe. It is known as No Marriage Affidavit, Certificate of Freedom to Marry, Single Statutory Declaration, Certificate of No Impediment, Certificate of Nulla Osta, Bachelor Certificate, Certificate of Marriageability, Celibacy Certificate, Certificate of No Record of Marriage and so on.

Wherever you get it and whatever it is named after, the sole motto of this certificate is the same i.e., to legally prove the single nature of the individual.

Reasons For Getting Single Status Certificate

Effective migration of the 20th and 21st century makes it mandatory to carry a single-status certificate. It is possible for people to marry on the opposite side of the globe. To make this process more requisitely safe, various countries make it an obligation to provide this certificate.

Truth to be told, marriage is not the only reason where a single status certificate is asked to be presented. Let’s see where else it is needed.

Employment Purpose : An offer letter from an employer abroad may come along with a requirement of this certificate.

Visa and Immigration Purpose : Almost all countries with a huge immigration influx require this document. So, for registration of visa or appearing in immigration office it may be mandatory.

Legal Matters : In some legal issues such as transactional financial matters, inheritance claims etc.. it is required to state your marital status.

Adoption Purpose : In some countries, if you are planning to adopt someone abroad, it is required to get your marital status legally confirmed.

Marriage : For individuals planning to solemnize and establish a marriage abroad there is some important paperwork to attest during the procedure and this Single Status Affidavit is one of them. This affidavit is required if one plans to marry outside of their native country and don’t have the citizenship of the currently residing country.

Almost all European countries and some Asian countries like China, Singapore have made it mandatory to submit a Single Status Letter to prove bachelorhood prior to obtaining a marriage license. However, Assam does not make it mandatory to prove singlehood of the individual prior to marriage As non-residents or overseas citizens or persons of Assam origin, if you wish to marry a foreign individual, this is a requisite document to submit in the resident nation.

What documents are required to get a Single Status certificate in Assam?

The kind of documents to be submitted by a bachelor or a divorcee or a widower do not vary to a great extent. In the latter cases, they need to supply additional evidence to verify their status. Let’s go through the documents required by the former first.

For a Bachelor:

Identity Proof : Passport/Visa/Aadhar/Voter ID issued by government
Address Proof : Aadhar/Voter ID/Rental agreement/Bank passbook/Utility bills
DOB Proof : Birth certificate/Aadhar/Passport/School certificate/NABC
Proof of Parents : Aadhar/voter ID of parents
Witness Proofs : Witness statements from parents stating the affiant is single
If the affiant’s name has been changed by deed poll, proof of that is necessary.

For a Divorcee or a Widower: In addition to the aforementioned documents the following needs to be submitted to verify their status.

If legally divorced, Decree Absolute
If widowed, death certificate

Who issues this certificate?

As mentioned earlier, Assam does not mandate to prove the single status of the soon to be spouse. But it offers the legal services by the competent authorities to provide the document for the required individuals keeping in mind that it is required for various purposes..

SDM, DM of courts in respective jurisdiction have authorisation to issue the certificate.

What is the Procedure to Get a Single Status Certificate in Assam?

One can directly apply for the certificate or avail the services of online providers that can help them right from the beginning to the end of the process. In any case, the procedure involves 3 major steps.

Application Form :

Obtain the application form from the respective organization or download it from their online portal if available. Duly fill in the application form with all the necessary details. Attach required evidence documents to the application form.

Attestation From The Notary Public :

Create an affidavit in the required format stating the single nature, address, age, reason for the application and other requisite details of the individual. The notary public verifies the given evidence and signs it. This is the initial step in the authentication process.

Attestation From the SDM or DM :

Abbreviation for Sub-District Magistrate or District Magistrate, offer their services to certify the document. Take the notarised document, application form and required evidence documents along with witness statements to the SDM or DM of the court having jurisdiction of the residential address of the affiant.

They verify and counter-attest the document and certify it. You can check the status of your application by enquiring about it in the regional office from time to time. But now-a-days the process has been updated and they send the status of the application via timely messages. So once you get the message of completion you can go and collect it.

Apostille from Ministry of External Affairs :

After verification the affiant can get the affidavit attested in the Assam Embassy operated under the Ministry of External Affairs. MEA apostilles the affidavit and the stamp of the ministry is essential for the acceptance by foreign countries.

What is the process for a Single Status Certificate Apostille?

The Government of Assam has decentralized the process of Single Status Certificate Attestation and Apostille procedure. The individuals can manually submit for attestation till the SDM certification stage. They can follow the first two above said steps manually. However, they cannot directly go to the MEA for the rest of the attestation and apostille process. They may contact their RPO or EPS for further proceedings.

Excellent Apostille Services : In short EPS, is an official private, non-government agency that gathers single status certificates from all over the country and hands it over to MEA for Apostille. This is the primary step to the Singlehood Certificate Apostille Process.

After the application and the affidavit have been passed through the mandatory legal screening at the home state level the officials at the MEA finalize it and apostille it.

There are agencies that offer services from start to end upon submitting required documentation. They take care of filling the application, preparing an affidavit, notarising it, attesting it by SDM/DM, apostille by the MEA. However, you can also get it done by following the above mentioned steps.

How Much Time Does It Require?

Single Status Certification is a multi-step process which involves verification at different levels or organizations. The process and the stages it has to go through varies from state to state. The Apostille process alone takes about 10 to 12 working days. Combining the time to get an affidavit certified and attested and get an apostille stamp on it may take 12 to 21 days. Mind that the time to get the certificate in your hands varies depending on the issuing place.

How much does it cost?

The price varies from state to state and the process you choose. It depends on the type of agency you take on, the attestants, the apostille etc. The only fixed cost for sure is the amount that is paid to the MEA and the rest is subject to the place and type.

Format of Single Status Certificate

For any official legal document the format varies with time and region. However, the key points ensured to be present in the affidavit remain ageless and provide a definite way for attestation by the Assam Embassy. Ensure you tick all the given boxes below while you submit your application along with the affidavit for SDM/DM attestation.

Sworn statement of the affiant: It should be detailed as

I (your full name) of (age) born on (DOB) in (place of birth) am s/o or d/o of (parent’s name) residing in (full permanent/present address). I am currently single and am an eligible bachelor(for single). I have no dependents from any previous marriages(for divorced/widowed). I am eligible to marry an Assam nationale or a foreign nationale.

A self swearing statement all included in one or few statements.

Sworn statement of Affiant’s parents : The statement of the parents should contain the information as

Name of your parents, their age and their nationality.
Their confirmation of you as their child.
Their statement swearing that you are eligible for marriage.

Statement of the Witness : Witness statement is usually produced to reinforce the claim of the applicant.
Complete Date of Birth and Address : Mention the date of birth in full format and give the complete address in the native country and give sufficient requisite documents as proof.
Proof of Nationality : Having an Assam passport supports authentication. Give the passport number with validity period from date of issue to date of expiry.
Competent Authority’s Certification : At the end of the affidavit the issuing authority has to verify the documents and certify with valid signature and stamp.
Make sure the justifying statements are present at each and every step of verification from the applicant to the certifying authority that says

“ I confirm that all the above information is true and correct and if not am susceptible to punishment as per the law.”

And it concludes with the date and place of the application and the signature of the applicant.

Conclusion

Though the Assam Government does not mandate the proof of bachelor certificate prior to marriage it does provide apostille singlehood certificate for individuals who wish to kick-start a new stage of their life in a foreign land, be it a career with new opportunities, or a new marital life, or to resolve financial issues. Though the process appears to be long and time consuming, help is always provided by many such as EAS so make sure to do your research before jumping right into the process.