For a foreign national marrying in India under the Special Marriage Act, proof of being free to marry is mandatory. Here is what the Single Status Certificate is, who issues it in each country, and how it must be attested before an SDM will accept it.
A Single Status Certificate is an official document confirming that a person is currently unmarried and legally free to marry. It is also called a Certificate of No Impediment (CNI) or a No-Objection Certificate to marry.
In an Indian court marriage involving a foreign national, the SDM must be satisfied that the foreign partner is not already married elsewhere. The Single Status Certificate is how that is proven. Without it, or with it in the wrong form, the Special Marriage Act file will not be accepted.
The requirement applies primarily to foreign nationals and, in some cases, to NRIs marrying under the SMA. Indian citizens marrying within India ordinarily prove marital status through affidavits and existing records rather than a separate certificate, though a previously married person must always produce the divorce decree or death certificate of the former spouse.
The issuing authority and the exact document name differ significantly by nationality. These are the patterns for the countries we most often see.
The US does not issue a national no-impediment certificate. A notarised Affidavit of Single Status, executed by the applicant and often confirmed at the US Embassy, is the accepted substitute for most Delhi SDMs.
A Certificate of No Impediment is issued by the local register office / FCDO. It must be apostilled in the UK before use in India. Originals only.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issues a CNI on request; it must be apostilled in Australia. Some SDMs also accept a statutory declaration.
Marital-status certificates are issued through ZAGS (civil registry), then apostilled under the 1961 Hague Convention and translated into certified English.
A Certificate of Celibacy or equivalent is issued by the municipality or civil registry, apostilled under the Hague Convention, and translated into English where needed.
For countries without a standard certificate or a strong embassy presence in India, the competent home-country authority issues the nearest equivalent and the correct attestation route is arranged before travel.
A certificate on its own is rarely enough. For countries in the Hague Apostille Convention, the document must be apostilled by the competent authority in the issuing country. For non-member countries, it must be attested through the embassy chain. Any document not in English needs a certified translation. See the companion apostille guide for how this works in the other direction — attesting the Indian certificate for use abroad.
Tell us the foreign partner's nationality and we will confirm the exact certificate and attestation route required.
Get My Country's Requirement →Send your name and WhatsApp number. You will get a clear, case-specific answer on how your registration applies to your situation — usually within 10 minutes. No fees, no obligation.
Every marriage registration matter connects to a next step. These pages cover the ones most people ask about next.