Affidavit of Spinsterhood in Nigeria

Attestation of Marital Status

Certificate of spinsterhood in Nigeria is basically an affidavit (sworn to before the commissioner of oath in the High Court of the state) attesting to her single marital status, clearly stating that the woman is free to marry and there is no hindrance of a proposed marriage. It serves to proof a woman’s unmarried status.

However, the certificate is a public document but not a government document because it is merely a statement sworn to before the commissioner of oath and attested to by a notary public.

Certificate of Spinsterhood is necessary for non-national women seeking to marry in a foreign country. It is usually used when a woman intends to marry in a country that is not her country of origin, that is, a country where she is not a citizen.

It is one of the documents required to be uploaded on the  Ministry of Interior, Citizenship and Business Department’s website for a marriage to be conducted.

The contents of the certificate or affidavit of spinsterhood must include the followings:

  1. Full name, sex, religion, Nigerian citizen, and address
  2. Date of birth
  3. Occupation
  4. That the woman is single and has never gone through the ceremony of marriage
  5. The omnibus clause, that is, (i) that the content of this affidavit is true to the best of my knowledge, information and belief.

These contents meet the requirement of Section 90 of the Evidence Act, which provides for the general content of an affidavit.

Due to its importance, it is necessary to authenticate the certificate of spinsterhood in the home country of the spinster. And to do this, the following are the steps;

  • The document must be submitted to the office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) where payment of a fee will be required.
  • Payment of the fee in the bank
  • An acknowledgement receipt will be issued by the MFA after payment.
  • The applicant will return after a few days after the submission to pick the authenticated certificate by the MFA.

In closing, for the certificate or affidavit of spinsterhood to be used, it must be duly notarized and authenticated, and only then can it be used or accepted internationally. And in circumstances, the certificate may require legalization from a relevant embassy or foreign mission in Nigeria.

By Resolution Law Firm. 

Email:info@resolutionlawng.com

+2348099223322