How to Get "Certificate of No Marriage"?

You WILL need an American to answer this. Us Aussies just go to our embassy and apply for it, quick and easy.

Go to the Consulate.  Get the affidavit of single status.    https://vn.usembassy.gov/wp-content/upl … ietnam.pdf

Anh Map wrote:

Go to the Consulate.  Get the affidavit of single status.    https://vn.usembassy.gov/wp-content/upl … ietnam.pdf

This is the correct answer. If you are in Vietnam, go to the US Embassy in Hanoi or the US Consulate in Saigon. Fill out the short document "Affidavit of Single Status for marriage in Vietnam". There is no background search. You affirm that you are not married. It is already translated into Vietnamese. The embassy notarizes this, you pay $50 cash or credit card.

Embassy website

If you have been married, the Vietnamese are going to want to see your original court divorce papers. And you will have to also get that notarized at the embassy/consulate for another $50. And probably translated too.

gobot wrote:

If you have been married, the Vietnamese are going to want to see your original court divorce papers.  And you will have to also get that notarized at the embassy/consulate for another $50. And probably translated too.

For translation, you will have to go outside.  In HCM, the consulate will direct you to the Dept. of External Relations on Pasteur Street, where you can both translate and get the Vietnamese certification.

Just a cultural observation, but Vietnam makes everything have multiple red circular stamps from people with official sounding titles, but once those stamps go on it's all OK.  In the US, a lot of government instructions tell you that plain photocopies are OK but remind you that providing false documentation is a felony.  Which way do you think results in more fake documents being passed off as real?

Originally I was hoping that was the correct answer.

However, on the document the guy at the local government office from my Fiancees area gave me it lists the affidavit of single status AND the certificate of no marriage as both being required.

Are you saying that you've done this recently and they did not need the certificate of no marriage?

I'm tempted to just try it and see if they ask where it is.

THIGV wrote:

gobot wrote:

If you have been married, the Vietnamese are going to want to see your original court divorce papers.  And you will have to also get that notarized at the embassy/consulate for another $50. And probably translated too.

For translation, you will have to go outside.  In HCM, the consulate will direct you to the Dept. of External Relations on Pasteur Street, where you can both translate and get the Vietnamese certification.

Just a cultural observation, but Vietnam makes everything have multiple red circular stamps from people with official sounding titles, but once those stamps go on it's all OK.  In the US, a lot of government instructions tell you that plain photocopies are OK but remind you that providing false documentation is a felony.  Which way do you think results in more fake documents being passed off as real?

Yes I've gotten this affidavit verified there on Pasteur.

It would be great if that is sufficient. I'm just confused because the requirements list both documents as being required.

Yet, everyone I talk to from the consulate staff, to the government official that gave me the paper, to other married couples don't seem to have any idea about this elusive document.

I even got ahold of someone at the bureau of vital statistics in my home state and they had no idea what I was talking about.

Maybe it's just a bullshit test to see how badly you want to get married to a Vietnamese and whether you're willing to pay someone off to have them sign your marriage documents.

I apparently never needed the affidavit perhaps because I had a Certificate of No Marriage Record from my home state.  I went the long route of certifying it at the VN Embassy in D.C. but in hindsight I would have had it certified in HCM.   You on the other hand seem to be in the opposite situation, having the Affidavit but not the Certificate.

The embassy (VN in US) website http://vietnamembassy-usa.org/consular/ … gistration does contain as follows:

2. Affidavit of Single Status
3. Certificate of No-marriage Records issued by the State (or County) Vital Statistics Office within the last six months certifying that no marriage license or marriage record of the applicant has been found from his/her mature age of marriage (age of 18 for female or 20 for male) or since his/her divorce up to now or since his/her spouse’ death up to now.

Notice that the documents are listed as separate items which would imply that they are both needed.  However a Power of Attorney is also listed as Item 7 but is obviously not needed except for special cases.  The Affidavit is shown in red and bold type and has a link to a blank downloadable document.

First of all you, did not indicate that you attempted to obtain a marriage license using only the Affidavit and were turned away.  Why not try that first, unless your fiance lives in a distant province?  I had every item on the website list except the Power of Attorney and the clerk gave me back some of them (sorry I don't recall which but I suspect that they included the Affidavit) and said they were not needed.  Why not try and see before you go to the trouble of getting the Certificate.  If they accept only the Affidavit then great;  if not then get the Certificate and come back once you have it.  As you indicate that your home state will accept a mail in application for the Certificate of No Records, I would do that but have it mailed to a friend or relative in the US.  Have the friend  mail it to you, then take it to the HCM US consulate and to External relations.  It may take some time but it should work.

THIGV wrote:

I apparently never needed the affidavit perhaps because I had a Certificate of No Marriage Record from my home state.  I went the long route of certifying it at the VN Embassy in D.C. but in hindsight I would have had it certified in HCM.   You on the other hand seem to be in the opposite situation, having the Affidavit but not the Certificate.

Could you tell me more about this long route? I'm trying to figure out what you have to do with the document once you get it? Did you have to get it translated into Vietnamese before you brought it to the VN Embassy in DC?

http://vietnamembassy-usa.org/consular/ … gistration

On the website linked above it says that the documents have to signed by a notary public and that notary public has to be certified by the State Department.
Getting certification from the State Department sounds like an act of Congress. Or is that easier than I'm thinking it will be?
Did you even do that?

Also, you're right in that I haven't tried it with just the affidavit of single status. Maybe I should just go try that.
I guess the worst they could do is take my money, make me wait a few days and then tell me it's wrong and go do it all over again.

Now I see what you are talking about. Something new on embassy site. I was married 2 years ago, and this is first I have heard of this.

Embassy marriage pdf

6. A letter by the U.S. local vital statistics office certifies that no marriage license or marriage certificate of the applicant is found within the state where the applicant is residing in. The search period must be started from the year when the applicant was 18-year-old up to date. In case the applicant was divorced, or the spouse has been deceased, a certified photocopy of a divorce decree or a death certificate must be submitted.  (This requirement varies from province to province).

At the time, we used a lawyer to make a couple of different problems go away, that is another option.

Also note "This requirement varies from province to province". Is this enforced in your province? Find another province to get married in?

America2Vietnam wrote:

Could you tell me more about this long route? I'm trying to figure out what you have to do with the document once you get it? Did you have to get it translated into Vietnamese before you brought it to the VN Embassy in DC?

http://vietnamembassy-usa.org/consular/ … gistration

On the website linked above it says that the documents have to signed by a notary public and that notary public has to be certified by the State Department.
Getting certification from the State Department sounds like an act of Congress. Or is that easier than I'm thinking it will be?
Did you even do that?

I did it but I would never do it again.  Your profile says you are already in Vietnam.  In that case you definitely don't want to certify your documents in DC.

If you are still in the US, getting certification from the US State Department is not difficult.  It is just time consuming and expensive (unless your live close to DC and hand carry the documents.)  You have to get the document notarized, then certified by your State's Secretary of State, then the US Secretary of State, then the VN Embassy.  The steps may have changed since I did it, so read carefully if you really want to go that route.  The method within Vietnam is notarizing at the consulate, not of the document but your attestation that it is true, then translation and certification by the Dept. of External Affairs.  Two locations and less money.

The VN Embassy translated all my marriage documents but failed to do so with some of my work permit documents so I had to do them all over again.  That's why I learned to do the certification in HCM.

America2Vietnam wrote:

Also, you're right in that I haven't tried it with just the affidavit of single status. Maybe I should just go try that.
I guess the worst they could do is take my money, make me wait a few days and then tell me it's wrong and go do it all over again.

Exactly.

America2Vietnam, did you end up getting/needing the certificate of no marriage? I'm in the same boat as you were in 2018. I'm in Vietnam and am wondering whether or not I need to travel back to California to get this.

Any help/tips would be greatly appreciated!

cod2019 wrote:

America2Vietnam, did you end up getting/needing the certificate of no marriage? I'm in the same boat as you were in 2018. I'm in Vietnam and am wondering whether or not I need to travel back to California to get this.

Any help/tips would be greatly appreciated!

You can simply go down to the US Consulate located at 4 Le Duan District 1 and file an affidavit notarized by the US Consulate stating that you have never been married. You can find the form on the US Consulate Vietnam website. From there you will need to get it translated and notarize by the Vietnamese government. The gal at the US Consulate will give you direction where to go. I must warn you if you are not located in HCMC, the notarizing from Vietnamese government is a 1 day turnaround and you will need to come back the next day and pick it up. Hope that helps.

Hi there its 2023 can anyone help me on this topic? is there a US Consulate in every state? do i get my no marriage certificate there too ? thanks

    Hi there its 2023 can anyone help me on this topic? is there a US Consulate in every state? do i get my no marriage certificate there too ? thanks
   
    -@tracydinh1988

Welcome to the Vietnam forum, Tracy.

No, the USA doesn't have consulates or embassies in the USA, only in foreign countries.

This thread can be confusing because it addresses the needs of those in the United States AND those physically in Vietnam. 

Please read this most recent thread on the subject of USA document verification:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=1040038

and ask any follow up questions there.

Cheers!

O.B.