Single-status affidavit apostille for Mexico
To marry in Mexico, the Registro Civil requires a sworn affidavit stating you have never been married — or that any prior marriage has been dissolved. This single-status affidavit must be notarized in California and apostilled by the California Secretary of State before the Mexican civil registry will accept it.
A single-status affidavit is a sworn statement declaring you are legally free to marry. As a sworn statement (jurat), it requires you to swear under oath before a California notary that the contents are true. The California Secretary of State apostille then makes the affidavit acceptable at the Mexican Registro Civil for a marriage license. If you have been previously married, you typically also need an apostilled divorce decree or death certificate of the former spouse.
What this page covers
Foreigners marrying in Mexico must prove to the Registro Civil that they are legally eligible to marry — most commonly by presenting a sworn single-status affidavit confirming they have never been married or that all prior marriages have been legally dissolved. We draft or review the affidavit, administer the oath, and apply the California jurat in a mobile visit. The California Secretary of State then apostilles it so the Mexican Registro Civil accepts it as valid proof of civil status. Note: if you have been previously married, your divorce decree (or former spouse’s death certificate) must also be apostilled and presented alongside the affidavit.
Common reasons people need this
The Mexican civil registry requires all foreign nationals to present proof of single status before issuing a marriage license. An apostilled single-status affidavit sworn before a California notary is the standard document used by U.S. citizens and residents marrying in Mexico.
If you have been previously married, the Registro Civil requires both the apostilled single-status affidavit AND the apostilled divorce decree (or apostilled death certificate of former spouse). The affidavit references the prior marriage and its legal dissolution.
INM residency applications based on marriage to a Mexican national may require a sworn affidavit of civil status as part of the personal history and family documentation package.
Some Mexican civil registry offices or consular processes require an affidavit of single status to update civil records, process CURP corrections, or support other administrative legal procedures.
How it works
Send us a draft of the affidavit (your Mexican attorney, the Registro Civil office, or the Mexican Consulate in LA can provide a template). We confirm the jurat language is correct for California notarization before you sign.
We meet you anywhere in Los Angeles, Orange, or Ventura County. You present valid government photo ID, raise your right hand, swear the statement is true, and sign in front of us. We apply the California jurat.
We submit the notarized affidavit to the California Secretary of State for apostille and ship the apostilled document to you. Arrange a certified Spanish translation by a Mexican perito traductor before presenting to the Registro Civil.
What will and won't be accepted
Realistic timelines
Before you contact us
Single-Status Affidavit Apostille FAQ — Mexico Use
A single-status affidavit (also called an affidavit of single status or affidavit of eligibility to marry) is a sworn statement in which you declare that you are legally free to marry — either because you have never been married or because all prior marriages have been legally dissolved. The Mexican Registro Civil requires this from foreign nationals because Mexico cannot directly verify foreign civil records, so it accepts a sworn statement as proof of eligibility.
Yes — typically both. The single-status affidavit references your prior marriage and its legal dissolution, and the apostilled divorce decree (or apostilled death certificate if you are widowed) serves as documentary proof of the dissolution. Bring both apostilled documents to the Registro Civil. Confirm with the specific Registro Civil office for their exact requirements.
The Mexican Consulate General in Los Angeles offers consular notarization services for some documents, including sworn statements, which Mexican authorities may accept without the California apostille chain. However, consulate appointments can be limited. Confirm with the Registro Civil office in Mexico where your marriage will be registered whether they prefer a consular notarization or a California notarization + apostille before booking either option.
The Mexican Registro Civil typically requires a certified Spanish translation of the affidavit by a Mexican perito traductor if the affidavit is in English. Some clients bring both an English and a Spanish version; we notarize the English version and the perito handles the certified translation. Confirm with your Registro Civil or Mexican attorney which format they prefer.
A CENOMAR (Constancia de No Registro de Matrimonio) is a Mexican civil registry document confirming no marriage is registered in Mexican records. Some Registro Civil offices accept it for Mexican nationals instead of an affidavit, but for a U.S. citizen or resident marrying in Mexico, the Registro Civil typically requires the sworn affidavit since U.S. civil records are not centrally stored in Mexico. Confirm with your specific Registro Civil office.
The Mexican Consulate General in Los Angeles sometimes provides a template upon request. Your Mexican attorney or the Registro Civil office where you will marry may also provide one. Some online resources have standard single-status affidavit templates for Mexico — confirm the format with the receiving Registro Civil before using any template. Once you have the draft, send it to us for review before your notarization appointment.
Other Mexico documents