> Source: https://instantdeedpoll.co.uk/single-status-declaration/ — last reviewed 22 August 2026. This Markdown mirror is generated at build time from the same content the page serves. # Single Status Declaration: Proving You’re Free to Marry Quick answer A single status declaration is a statutory declaration confirming you are free to marry. It’s the standard proof required when marrying abroad in Commonwealth countries such as Cyprus and Malta, because the UK doesn’t issue Certificates of No Impediment for those destinations. You sign it before a solicitor or notary for the statutory £5 fee. Who should skip this Skip InstantDeedPoll if you need a Certificate of No Impediment for a non-Commonwealth wedding (Spain, Italy, Greece, France): that is a register-office document we do not sell. Skip us if the destination has already accepted a solicitor-drafted declaration. InstantDeedPoll.co.uk is an independent document service and is not affiliated with HM Government. £14.99One-time payment. Yours forever. No subscription, ever. - ✓Personalised single status statutory declaration PDF with exact 1835 Act wording - ✓Covers never-married, divorced and widowed variants - ✓Apostille guidance note for use abroad - ✓Witnessing instruction card with the £5 statutory fee rules - ✓Unlimited free re-downloads for 12 months - ✓Money-back acceptance guarantee [Generate your declaration — £14.99](/start/statutory-declaration/?use-case=single-status)Acceptance guarantee: if HM Passport Office, the DVLA, HMRC or any UK bank refuses to accept your document solely because of its wording, tell us within 60 days and we will refund you in full. WARNING: it is a criminal offence under section 5 of the Perjury Act 1911, punishable by up to two years’ imprisonment, knowingly to make a false statutory declaration. Do not sign this document until you are in front of your witness. ![A couple's hands holding travel documents at a sunlit Mediterranean wedding venue] 1 ### Fill in, in 3 minutes Answer a few plain-English questions about your declaration. No legal knowledge needed — and you can preview your document free before you pay. 2 ### Checked by our legal team Your declaration is built from wording our paralegal has checked against the prescribed form of the Statutory Declarations Act 1835 — right first time, no drafting errors. 3 ### Instant PDF by email Pay once. Your tailored declaration arrives by email within minutes, with a step-by-step instruction card and unlimited re-downloads. 4 ### Sign in front of an authorised witness Do not pre-sign. Sign in front of a solicitor, Commissioner for Oaths, notary or JP, who watches you sign then signs, dates and stamps it. The statutory witness fee is fixed by law at £5. ### Accepted or your money back If HM Passport Office, the DVLA, HMRC or any UK bank refuses your document solely because of its wording, we refund you in full within 60 days. ### One-time payment Yours forever. No subscription, no hidden fees, and unlimited free re-downloads for 12 months. ### Genuine legal wording The government model wording and 1835-Act prescribed form, reproduced character-for-character and checked by our legal team. InstantDeedPoll.co.uk is an independent document service and is not affiliated with HM Government. Read our acceptance guaranteeAcceptance guarantee: if HM Passport Office, the DVLA, HMRC or any UK bank refuses to accept your document solely because of its wording, tell us within 60 days and we will refund you in full. One-time payment. Yours forever. No subscription, ever. ## When do I need a single status declaration? When you marry abroad, the local authority usually wants proof you are free to marry. The UK does not issue Certificates of No Impediment for Commonwealth destinations — Cyprus, Malta, Mauritius, Barbados, Jamaica, St Lucia and others — so a statutory declaration of single status, signed before a solicitor or notary, is the usual route there. For non-Commonwealth destinations such as Spain, Italy, Greece and France, a CNI from your local register office (£46.50 per person from 6 April 2026, 28 days’ notice) is generally required instead. See our country guides: [Cyprus](/freedom-to-marry/cyprus/), [Malta](/freedom-to-marry/malta/), [Greece](/freedom-to-marry/greece/), [Spain](/freedom-to-marry/spain/), [Italy](/freedom-to-marry/italy/). ## What does the declaration contain? Your full name, address, date of birth and nationality; a statement that you are single and free to marry; your intended spouse’s name and nationality; and the intended date and place of marriage. If you were previously married, you declare that the marriage was dissolved by decree absolute or ended by death, with the date. The wording follows the Statutory Declarations Act 1835 exactly. ## Do I need an apostille? Usually yes, if the declaration will be used abroad. The FCDO Legalisation Office apostilles the signed declaration so foreign authorities recognise the witness’s signature. Order the apostille after signing — a blank declaration cannot be apostilled. Requirements change, so always confirm with your wedding planner or the local authority. ## How do I sign it? Book an appointment with a solicitor, Commissioner for Oaths, notary public or JP — independent of you and the matter. Bring photo ID, proof of address and, if previously married, your decree absolute or late spouse’s death certificate. Sign in front of the witness; never pre-sign. The statutory fee is £5. Read [who can witness a statutory declaration](/who-can-witness-a-statutory-declaration/). What a statutory declaration really costs| Route | Typical cost | What you get | Solicitor drafts it | £25–£55 | Drafting fee, plus the £5 statutory witnessing fee on top | Notary public | £70–£125+ | Notarial rates, plus appointment lead time | InstantDeedPoll.co.ukBest value | £9.99 once | Tailored 1835-Act PDF by email in minutes (+ £5 statutory witness fee) One-time payment. Yours forever. No subscription, ever.Good to know ## Frequently asked questions ### What’s the difference between a single status declaration and a Certificate of No Impediment?+ A CNI is issued by your local register office (£46.50 per person in England and Wales from 6 April 2026, after 28 days’ notice) and is the standard route for non-Commonwealth destinations such as Spain, Italy, Greece and France. The UK doesn’t issue CNIs for Commonwealth destinations like Cyprus and Malta — there, a statutory declaration of single status is the usual proof. ### Which countries accept a statutory declaration as proof of single status?+ Commonwealth destinations — Cyprus, Malta, Mauritius, Barbados, Jamaica, St Lucia and others — commonly accept a single status statutory declaration signed before a solicitor or notary. Requirements change, so always confirm with your wedding planner or the local authority before booking anything. ### Do I need an apostille for my single status declaration?+ Usually yes, if it will be used abroad. The FCDO Legalisation Office apostilles the declaration so foreign authorities recognise the witness’s signature. Order this after your declaration is signed and witnessed — it can’t be apostilled blank. ### What information goes into a single status declaration?+ Your full name, address, date of birth and nationality; a statement that you’re single and free to marry; your intended spouse’s name and nationality; and the intended date and place of marriage. If previously married, you declare the divorce or death details. Our generator covers all variants. ### I’ve been married before. Can I still make a single status declaration?+ Yes — you declare the previous marriage and that it was dissolved by decree absolute (or ended by death), with the relevant date. Bring your decree absolute or your late spouse’s death certificate as supporting documents when you sign.