who knows

[tomandling]

my boyfriend lives in california. he will come to china in june to marry me. and it is said that it is needed for him to bring his single certificate. who knows how to get the single certificate in california?? thanks.

[samsong]

I believe he can get the single-status certificate from the state's vital records department. He should be able to google the department and get info from there. It might even have a apploication he can fill out and print and mail it in with a check to pay for the fee. Good luck.

[dnoblett]

Other option is for him to visit any US consulate while in China they will issue one to him there. Perhaps stay a day in Shanghai or Beijing when flying into China.

 

How do I get the Marriageability Affidavit?

 

The U.S. Consulate has the authority to issue Marriageability Affidavits for Americans who wish to marry in China. To apply for a Marriageability Affidavit, you are required to apply in person, by appointment, at the U.S. Consulate.

http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/in..._in_china2.html

 

In order to do this in the USA requires getting a document from the department in their state or county showing single status, and then sending it to the Chinese Embassy or Consulate for Authentication.

 

The Chinese Embassy and Consulates authenticate documents which are executed in the United States and will be used in China. Type of documents include: birth/death certificates, power of attorney, marriage certificates, diplomas, adoption application papers, business license, etc.

 

How to apply/Document must be:

1. Signed before a notary public.
   
2. Certified by the clerk of Court of the County in which the document is commissioned if applicable. It may be omitted if the authority in item 3 will certify directly to the notary.
   
3. Certified by the Secretary of the State in which the document is executed( Authentication offices contact information).
   
4. Certified by the relevant Consulate - General. You must apply to the correct Consulate - General which holds consular jurisdiction over the area where the document is executed.
   

For applicants who live in the consular jurisdiction of the Embassy, documents after being certified by the authority in item 3 shall be certified by the U. S. Departments of State Authentication Office, and then by the Embassy.

 

http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/hzqz/gzrz/t84255.htm

 

Doing in the USA is complicated because most states and counties do not understand what you are asking for because getting married in the USA does not require a person to prove single status. Then the added complication of having to get the document Authenticated by the Chinese consulate or Embassy.

[samsong]

I checked CA vital records dept. website and found no information on the certificate. Afterwards, I checked my state's VRD and ran ino the same thing- no info. I know my state has them because I had to get one for myself. So. I called them and asked and yes, you can get them.

I did get a number for the CA deptartment but the website has no information on them. Try this number and hopefully you won't get the run-around. Good luck,

 

CA Public Health (916) 558-1784

 

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/Pages/Default.aspx

[a2784]

Other option is for him to visit any US consulate while in China they will issue one to him there. Perhaps stay a day in Shanghai or Beijing when flying into China.

 

How do I get the Marriageability Affidavit?

 

The U.S. Consulate has the authority to issue Marriageability Affidavits for Americans who wish to marry in China. To apply for a Marriageability Affidavit, you are required to apply in person, by appointment, at the U.S. Consulate.

http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/in..._in_china2.html

 

In order to do this in the USA requires getting a document from the department in their state or county showing single status, and then sending it to the Chinese Embassy or Consulate for Authentication.

 

The Chinese Embassy and Consulates authenticate documents which are executed in the United States and will be used in China. Type of documents include: birth/death certificates, power of attorney, marriage certificates, diplomas, adoption application papers, business license, etc.

 

How to apply/Document must be:

1. Signed before a notary public.
   
2. Certified by the clerk of Court of the County in which the document is commissioned if applicable. It may be omitted if the authority in item 3 will certify directly to the notary.
   
3. Certified by the Secretary of the State in which the document is executed( Authentication offices contact information).
   
4. Certified by the relevant Consulate - General. You must apply to the correct Consulate - General which holds consular jurisdiction over the area where the document is executed.
   

For applicants who live in the consular jurisdiction of the Embassy, documents after being certified by the authority in item 3 shall be certified by the U. S. Departments of State Authentication Office, and then by the Embassy.

 

http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/hzqz/gzrz/t84255.htm

 

Doing in the USA is complicated because most states and counties do not understand what you are asking for because getting married in the USA does not require a person to prove single status. Then the added complication of having to get the document Authenticated by the Chinese consulate or Embassy.

Go with Dnoblett's advice. It is much easier to get it at the US embassy or one of the counsulates in China and the FAO in China knows this document.

[Highlander 08 09 10 11]

Last year on the China Embassy website, the procedure was to make a document "Affidavit of Single Status" stating you are single on this date, and have never married since this date. Have the document notarized by county, send to your State , Secretary of State for notary seal, and then send to the USA, Department of State for Authentication, and then send to the Chinese Embassy for Authentication. This is about a 2 month process, but will save a trip to the China Consulate to register.

[Kyle]

Last year on the China Embassy website, the procedure was to make a document "Affidavit of Single Status" stating you are single on this date, and have never married since this date. Have the document notarized by county, send to your State , Secretary of State for notary seal, and then send to the USA, Department of State for Authentication, and then send to the Chinese Embassy for Authentication. This is about a 2 month process, but will save a trip to the China Consulate to register.

That's exactly what we did in Arkansas. We went to the Sec of State office in Little Rock and picked up our Affidavit of Single Status. Piece of cake.

Edited February 17, 2010 by Kyle (see edit history)

[Randy W]

Last year on the China Embassy website, the procedure was to make a document "Affidavit of Single Status" stating you are single on this date, and have never married since this date. Have the document notarized by county, send to your State , Secretary of State for notary seal, and then send to the USA, Department of State for Authentication, and then send to the Chinese Embassy for Authentication. This is about a 2 month process, but will save a trip to the China Consulate to register.

 

 

I think it was samsong who reported that his single certificate had been signed by Colin Powell (as US Secretary of State at the time), but I think that step is no longer necessary - that it just goes to your state gov.

 

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...st&p=496736

Edited February 17, 2010 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Kyle]

Last year on the China Embassy website, the procedure was to make a document "Affidavit of Single Status" stating you are single on this date, and have never married since this date. Have the document notarized by county, send to your State , Secretary of State for notary seal, and then send to the USA, Department of State for Authentication, and then send to the Chinese Embassy for Authentication. This is about a 2 month process, but will save a trip to the China Consulate to register.

 

 

I think it was samsong who reported that his single certificate had been signed by Colin Powell (as US Secretary of State at the time), but I think that step is no longer necessary - that it just goes to your state gov.

Wow! That would be really cool! It's probably auto-pinned though. Regardless, I think that's kind of neat.

[samsong]

Last year on the China Embassy website, the procedure was to make a document "Affidavit of Single Status" stating you are single on this date, and have never married since this date. Have the document notarized by county, send to your State , Secretary of State for notary seal, and then send to the USA, Department of State for Authentication, and then send to the Chinese Embassy for Authentication. This is about a 2 month process, but will save a trip to the China Consulate to register.

 

 

I think it was samsong who reported that his single certificate had been signed by Colin Powell (as US Secretary of State at the time), but I think that step is no longer necessary - that it just goes to your state gov.

Wow! That would be really cool! It's probably auto-pinned though. Regardless, I think that's kind of neat.

Yeah, it was pretty neat! It all went fast and smooth. It didn't take long for them to do it, about 2 weeks. What took 2 months or more was getting my birth certificate from New Orleans. But the step-by-step of authenticating went like clockwork and the fees weren't bad either. The state handled it all and sent the documents to me when they got them back from the embassy. All I had to do was go to China and give the people at the marriage registration office in my 'soon-to-be' wife's city the paperwork.

I remember how impressed I was to see Colin Powell's signature on the letter when I opened the mail.

I also felt more confident in knowing my paperwork was taken care of stateside and not running into any unpleasant surprises in China by any consulate office. ~"One in the hand is worth two in the bush!" B)

 

 

Here's a copy of it:

 

http://i45.tinypic.com/2poxxcj.jpg