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I am in Tokyo and I am a US citizen. I would like to become a member of the online marriage agency Pairs Engage, but they require uploading a 独身証明書, i.e. proof that one is single. Since I am a US citizen, they said that I need to obtain it from the US Embassy. I checked the homepage of the US Embassy and tried to figure out what I need to bring to the appointment I made. There is a form to download (here https://japan2.usembassy.gov/pdfs/wwwf7114.pdf). I guess I need to fill this out, but the form seems to be for people already knowing who to get married to, whereas I just need something to prove that I am single. Do I simply fill half the blanks?

Does anyone have experience getting a proof of single status from the US Embassy and can inform me of precisely what I need to do? Also, how long will it take for me to receive the certificate? On the same day of my appointment?

phoog
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Tapioka
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  • AFAIK you can obtain an affidavit stating that you are free to marry/have not been married and have it notarized by the Embassy https://jp.usembassy.gov/services/notarials/ I can’t see an example affidavit on that website however the US embassy in the UK gives this example https://uk.usembassy.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2016/01/scs_affidavit.pdf – Traveller Dec 03 '21 at 08:04
  • @Traveller Thank you for your information. The example you gave seems to be used not only for proving that one is free to marry. – Tapioka Dec 03 '21 at 13:34
  • @Traveller By the way, do you know if one can obtain the affidavit on the same day one visits the embassy or only after a while, like a week? – Tapioka Dec 03 '21 at 16:03

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So actually I do have experience with going to the US Embassy in Tokyo for this reason. I needed proof of being single to register with a local government's version of Pairs Engage. When I went I had both a prepared affidavit and the "Affidavit of Competency to Marry" with me. Essentially, I swore to the person at the Embassy that the contents of my affidavit ("I am currently single and not married") and they stamped it with the US seal or whatever. I was told the Affidavit of Compentency to Marry is only for marriage, so you won't need that one.

The only problem you may encounter is if Pairs Engage will accept it as proof. When I handed mine over, the person seemed hesitant but after explaining that America has no other way of proving bachelor(ette)-hood, they took it. You may also consider having a (informally) translated copy as well to be able to explain what the affidavit is for.

As for going to the Embassy, you'll have to make an appointment on the Embassy website for the Tokyo Embassy and everything will be taken care of on that day.

A Lobl
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  • @A Lobl: Thank you very much for your answer! Things became clearer. By "everything will be taken care of on that day", do you mean that I will be able to take a document home on the day of the appointment as my 独身証明書 to be scanned and uploaded to the Pairs Engage system? – Tapioka Dec 10 '21 at 07:14
  • @Tapioka Yeah, it's literally a piece of paper that you write what you want to be "proven true" (as technically lying on an affidavit is fraud), the embassy will stamp it, give it back and that's it. You can do whatever you need with the affidavit afterwards. – A Lobl Dec 14 '21 at 01:34
  • @A Lobl I see, thank you for your explanation. What if one writes 1+1=3, a famous unsolved conjecture in mathematics, or "This sentence is false."? Just joking. – Tapioka Dec 15 '21 at 02:06
  • @Tapioka I mean "proven true" in a loose sense, more as something that you attest is true. If you wanted to make an assertion that 1 + 1 = 3, then perhaps you could write that on an affidavit! Good luck with your endeavor either way! – A Lobl Dec 17 '21 at 01:43
  • @A Lobl Okay, I see. – Tapioka Dec 22 '21 at 03:17