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american document of unmarried status?

wtorres
- 10 posts
March 30, 2012 6:08:09 PM CEST

In June I am planning to apply for a residence permit with my Dutch girlfriend as my sponsor. We are preparing all the paperwork. Part of the application requires a "certificate of unmarried status" from my country of origin.

Does anyone know what document I can acquire from America that satisfies this requirement? I am not aware that America supplies such a document.
wilber
- 9 posts
March 30, 2012 7:31:25 PM CEST

Sure. Check with the US Consulate in Amsterdam. There is a form that you fill out and you 'swear' to an official that you are not married and he/she signs it. That's what I did. Check the Consulate web site. I can't remember if I downloaded and filled out the form first, or just did it there.

This post was edited by wilber at March 30, 2012 7:32:43 PM CEST
wtorres
- 10 posts
March 30, 2012 7:45:03 PM CEST

that is very helpful
do you recall if this was the form you filled out?
http://photos.state.gov/libraries/netherlands/19452/public/AFFIDAVIT_of_Civil_Status_001.pdf
expat2holland
- 15 posts
March 31, 2012 12:25:37 AM CEST

I have lead people through this procedure for and you get it in the state where you are living in the USA, Its just something to say there is no record of a marriage under your name.
christianbarth
- 4294967295 posts
March 31, 2012 8:56:09 AM CEST

wtorres said:

In June I am planning to apply for a residence permit with my Dutch girlfriend as my sponsor. We are preparing all the paperwork. Part of the application requires a "certificate of unmarried status" from my country of origin.

Does anyone know what document I can acquire from America that satisfies this requirement? I am not aware that America supplies such a document.

Americans who already have a residence permit for the Netherlands can get a single status statement from the American consulate in Amsterdam. Americans without a residence permit here should go to the Dept. of Marriage records in the state they last resided in and request a search of the marriage records. When the search comes up empty, they will issue a certificate stating there is no record of a marriage for the applicant.

Christian Barth, Attorney

www.expatlaw.nl
wilber
- 9 posts
March 31, 2012 11:52:09 AM CEST

It has been a while, 2004, but I believe that was the form that was used. I would take that to the Consulate and if it is incorrect they will probably give you the correct one to fill out there. They have always been extremely helpful.

I did not have a Residence Permit, at that time. I needed the doc to get the permit and it was accepted. Things may have changed, however.
christianbarth
- 4294967295 posts
April 2, 2012 5:38:27 PM CEST

wilber said:
It has been a while, 2004, but I believe that was the form that was used. I would take that to the Consulate and if it is incorrect they will probably give you the correct one to fill out there. They have always been extremely helpful. I did not have a Residence Permit, at that time. I needed the doc to get the permit and it was accepted. Things may have changed, however.

Yes it changed in 2007 when IND realized that the American consulate was offering this service to non-resident Americans in violation of Dutch law. We had a few clients back then whose applications were initially denied because they used the consulate form instead of one from their home state.

Christian Barth, Attorney

www.expatlaw.nl
wtorres
- 10 posts
April 2, 2012 10:15:10 PM CEST

Would it help that I got divorced in 2008 and I can provide my official divorce record?
christianbarth
- 4294967295 posts
April 9, 2012 11:00:55 AM CEST

wtorres said:
Would it help that I got divorced in 2008 and I can provide my official divorce record?

You need a copy of the divorce record legalized with an apostille. 'Divorced' is not the same as 'unmarried'.

Christian Barth, Attorney

www.expatlaw.nl
dizzy107
- 1 posts
May 31, 2012 1:41:46 PM CEST

I divorced in 2009 and had to have an apostilled copy of my divorce decree. Additionally, in order to gain residency, I had to have a "single status letter", also apostilled stating that I had not married in the last six months. I got that from the state where I was a resident before I applied for residency in NL. Incidentally, I was also required, along with a copy of my divorce record, to submit an apostilled copy of the original marriage certificate for the marriage that resulted in the divorce in 2009. I thought that was a bit strange. Good luck!