If you are Nigerian and you are planning to marry someone from another country, or want to move abroad to get married, one document you will need is a single status certificate.
A single status certificate is a document that confirms you are not currently married. Without it, your visa application can be rejected, and foreign registries can refuse to process your marriage.
This guide will teach you about a single status certificate and how to get one.
Key takeaways
- A single status certificate proves you are not currently married, or that a previous marriage has been legally dissolved.
- A single status certificate comes in one of two forms: a bachelorhood certificate for men and a spinsterhood certificate for women.
- The process of getting a single status certificate starts with a sworn affidavit at a High Court, followed by an application to your Local Government Area or the Federal Ministry of Interior.
- The total cost for a single status certificate in Nigeria is ₦200,000, which includes all the standard fees and the processing agent charge.
- If a single status certificate will be used outside Nigeria, it must be authenticated at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and, in some cases, legalized at the destination embassy.
What Is a Single Status Certificate?
A Single Status Certificate is an official document that confirms you are not married, or that any previous marriage you had has legally ended, whether through divorce or through the death of your spouse.
It’s also known by other names, including certificate of singlehood, attestation of marital status, non-marriage certificate, or certificate of legal capacity to marry.
A Certificate of No Impediment serves a similar purpose to a single status certificate, but it goes further to prove that there is no legal obstacle to you marrying.
It is issued by a Local Government Area or the Federal Ministry of Interior, but before you get there, you first need to swear an affidavit before a court.
Types of Single Status Certificate
There are two types of Single Status Certificate, one for each gender:
- Bachelorhood certificate: This is issued to men, confirming they are unmarried. This document provides evidence that you are a bachelor in Nigeria (not currently married) and therefore can legally marry.
- Spinsterhood certificate: This is issued to women, confirming they are unmarried. This document proves you are unmarried and have no legal husband in Nigeria, confirming you can legally marry in your country of residence abroad.
Both serve the same purpose and are both single status certificates. They simply have different names depending on whether the applicant is male or female.
Who Needs a Single Status Certificate?
You are likely to be asked for this certificate if you fall into one of these categories:
- You are about to marry a foreigner.
- You are about to marry abroad.
- You are about to marry a foreigner within Nigeria.
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What Documents Are Required for a Single Status Certificate?
Here is a list of documents you will need to get a single status certificate.
- Identification (national ID card, international passport, or driver’s licence).
- Evidence of your place of residence and a functioning phone number.
- Your birth certificate or a declaration of age.
- A recent passport photograph with a white background.
- A completed application form, obtainable from the marriage registry or your local government secretariat.
- A signed letter of authorization, if someone else is submitting the application on your behalf.
- Supporting documents if you were previously married: a divorce decree, or a death certificate and marriage certificate if you are widowed.
Step-by-Step Process to Get a Single Status Certificate in Nigeria
- Get an affidavit of singlehood: Visit a High Court and swear an affidavit declaring that you are not currently married and have never entered a marriage or that your previous marriage has been legally dissolved.
- Gather your supporting documents: Put together your ID, proof of address, birth certificate, passport photograph, and any divorce or death certificate that applies to you.
- Submit your application: Take the affidavit and your documents to your Local Government Area secretariat, or the Federal Ministry of Interior if the certificate is for use abroad.
- Wait for review: The officer handling your case will verify your documents and process your application.
- Collect your certificate. Once approved, you will receive your bachelorhood or spinsterhood certificate, usually issued as an official letter.
- Authenticate it, if needed. If the certificate will be used outside Nigeria, take it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for authentication, and to the relevant embassy for legalization if that country requires it.
If you are living abroad, you don’t need to fly back to Nigeria. You can authorize a lawyer, a document processing agency, or a relative in Nigeria to process a single status certificate on your behalf.
How Much Does It Cost to Get a Single Status Certificate in Nigeria?
How much you pay for a single status certificate depends on how you choose to go about it. Handling the process yourself is possible, but it usually involves a lot of back-and-forth stress and is although it is cheaper.
Going through a reliable agent costs ₦200,000, agent fee included, for a fully processed single status certificate.
Where Can You Get a Single Status Certificate in Nigeria?
You can get the underlying affidavit at any High Court in Nigeria. The certificate itself is then issued through one of two channels:
- Your Local Government Area secretariat, ideal if the certificate is only needed for use within Nigeria.
- The Federal Ministry of Interior, the route to take if the certificate will be used outside Nigeria, since it can then proceed to authentication at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Getting a single status certificate typically takes 2 to 5 days, depending on how quickly your documents are verified.
Yes. A certificate of no impediment and a single status certificate are the same; they are legally recognized documents that show you are legally allowed to marry.
Yes. You can authorize a representative in Nigeria, such as a lawyer or family member, or provide a document to process the application on your behalf.
A single certificate is valid for six months, so it’s best to apply close to when you’ll actually need it.
Conclusion
Getting a single status certificate does not have to be the thing that holds up your wedding or slows down your visa plans; just follow the process above, and you will get your single status certificate.
Always confirm the specific requirements of your destination country before you start, then follow the steps for authentication and legalization. If you would rather skip the back-and-forth, we can handle the entire process for you, quickly and correctly.
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