Getting Married Abroad: Canadian Documents You May Need

Many countries ask foreign nationals to present a 'certificate of non-impediment' or 'certificate of no impediment to marriage' — an official government statement that there is no legal obstacle to the person marrying. Here is the complication: Canada does not issue such a certificate. There is no federal or provincial office that will produce a document titled 'certificate of non-impediment' for a Canadian citizen.

The usual solution is a sworn document instead. A Canadian who needs to prove single status typically signs a statutory declaration or affidavit of single status (sometimes called an affidavit of marital status) before a notary public or commissioner of oaths, declaring under oath that they are legally free to marry. Some provinces can also issue a marriage search letter confirming that no marriage is registered for the person in that province's records, which some foreign authorities accept alongside or instead of the declaration.

Because this substitution is not obvious, it is important to confirm with the marriage authority in your destination country — or the couple's local celebrant, lawyer, or wedding planner — that a sworn declaration will be accepted in place of the certificate their checklist names. Most countries that regularly marry Canadians are familiar with this arrangement, but requirements differ and the receiving authority always has the final say.

Foreign marriage registrars commonly require a birth certificate in addition to your passport. For international use, many authorities prefer or require the long-form (registration) version issued by your provincial vital statistics registry rather than the short-form wallet card, because the long form shows parental information that some jurisdictions record in their marriage registers.

Order a fresh certified copy directly from the provincial registry — photocopies will not survive the certification process, and some destinations also want civil status documents issued recently. If your name has changed since birth, a legal change of name certificate or other linking document may also be requested so the registrar can connect your birth record to your current identity.

If either partner was previously married, the destination authority will almost always want proof that the previous marriage legally ended. For a divorce granted in Canada, this usually means the certificate of divorce issued by the court that granted it — a distinct document from the divorce order or judgment, and one you may need to request from the court registry if you never obtained it. If the previous spouse passed away, a death certificate from the provincial registry serves the same purpose.

Some countries impose additional conditions, such as waiting periods after divorce before remarriage or recognition procedures for foreign divorces. These are questions of the destination country's law, and where they arise, guidance from a legal professional in that country is the appropriate route — a document agency can prepare and legalize your paperwork but cannot advise on foreign marriage law.

Whatever combination of documents your destination requires, they will almost certainly need formal certification before the foreign registrar accepts them. If the destination country is a member of the Apostille Convention, your documents can be apostilled by the appropriate Canadian competent authority. If it is not a member, the documents follow the traditional chain: authentication in Canada, followed by legalization at the destination country's embassy or consulate.

Many destinations also require certified translations into the local language — and in some cases the translation itself must be certified or legalized alongside the original. Because sworn declarations of single status are often date-sensitive and civil certificates may need to be recently issued, sequence matters: confirm the destination's full requirements first, then order and prepare documents so that everything is fresh, certified, and translated when your wedding date arrives.

Visa Jet helps couples across Canada assemble, certify, and legalize the documents needed for marriage abroad — from coordinating the notarized single status declaration to routing birth and divorce certificates through the apostille or legalization chain, with translations arranged where required. We are a private agency, not a government body, and we handle everything remotely by email and secure courier.

Weddings come with fixed dates, so start early. Contact us at info@visajet.ca or +1 819-635-8787 with your destination and your registrar's document list, and we will map out the steps with you.