Certificate of No Marriage Should Not Be More Than 3-Month Old

Also known as No Record of Marriage Certificate, Cenomar is a vital document that significantly proves your bachelorhood or single status.

In India, the single status affidavit is issued, which is a sworn statement from the affiant who has signed it in the very eye of a notary public.

Need & Role of This Certificate for Marriage Abroad

This document is essential if you have any plan to solemnize marriage in a foreign country. It’s a fundamental requirement, especially if you are working or temporarily living in the USA, the UK, Australia, Philippines and many other European countries (& a few Asian countries).

You have to plan way ahead your marriage and apply for this certificate from India. It is necessary because you are going to get married outside your country of birth. You are not from that region. So, it is paramount to obtain the requisite documents that are needed for proving that you have no dependent or are free for matrimony.

Although you have a right to willingly enjoy, live or tie a knot, yet you should have some proofs to demonstrate the fact you are exactly who you say about yourself. One of these proofs is bachelorhood certificate, as called in India, which has more different names like Certificate of Legal Capacity To Contract Marriage or Single Status Statutory Declaration & Free-to-Marry Statement or Certificate of No Impediment etc..

The foreign country authorities request to show up a legal document that states some personal information, as if you are single or married or a divorcee. These details assist in establishing that you are legally eligible for that wedding in the country where you stay temporarily.

Apostille Certificate Of No Record of Marriage

Apostille is an attestation service that adds up validity to the document. This apostille service is available in a signatory country of the Hague Convention of 1961.

Simply say, the countries that recognize this convention use a system of documentation that makes the paperwork for matrimony in abroad easy, but unfortunately, it’s a longer process. You have to pass through three different levels that are SDM, MEA and Embassy to make it all done.

What Does It Prove?

Like your intention, the government of any country has a provision to identify your motto behind getting this paper. It conducts a search about the authenticity check of this paper, as if there is no record of marriage surfaced of the affiant. Many NRIs solemnize it just to get the PR or green card. So, there is a big possibility to make fool to the government authorities by presenting a fake document.

However, the verification and attestation of this paper are not easy. The foreign affair ministry comes at the last stage. Statewide verification and then, country wise authentication go on at the backstage. When this verification is at the state level, the SDM strictly cross checks all supporting documents and their authenticity. If he finds something suspicious, he rejects the application.

Does A Foreigner Also Need To Present It?

Yes, it is compulsory in many countries. The foreign government has some clear guidelines that the immigration and other authorities deem necessary.

If you consider the case of the USA, the would-be spouses will have to present a special document. It is a declaration that is processed by the local office where marriage documents are issued. This declaration clearly states that there has no marriage taken place in the recent years for the affiant.

For being very important, this is later counter attested by the local and state registrar.

Accept Only Recently Released CENOMAR

There are a few countries like the USA wherein the competent authorities do not accept old certificate or the one which is more than three months old. So, NRIs should always keep this fact in mind before delivering it the foreign competent authority.

Manoj Sodhani is an Nri consultant whose concern areas are immigration-based documentation, such as passport, visa and transcripts.