Hello everyone,

I am an American who is getting married to a French partner. We will be getting married in France since that is where he is from. Two of the documents required is something the French call a “ certificat de coutume and certificat de célibat ou de non re-mariage". The US does not have certificates like this, but the embassy in Paris/consulate in Marseille can write a sort of attestation.
Anyway, as I live in Geneva, I would like to avoid making a trip to either Paris or Marseille. Has anyone had the experience of getting this type of attestation provided by the American Embassy or Consulate in Switzerland? (I have already emailed the American embassy in Bern, and am waiting for a reply on their end). I am looking for advice from anyone who has had a successful practical experience with this. Thanks for your advice!

I can't speak for Americans, but I had the same problem as a Brit and ended up going to the consulate, swearing all this in front of the consul and getting a signed paper. They seemed to be used to this even though the papers didn't exist in the UK either.

What they want is an affidavit, a sworn statement that you were either never married or no longer married. The notary is just an official means to verify your identity.

In theory you could do it in front of any public notary. But as we are speaking about bureaucracy we have to expect extra steps and stupid hurdles.

Better check with the Franch authorities if they are happy with an affidavit notarized by the US Ambassadeur to Switzerland, or an US Consul in Switzerland (the service is normally also offered in Zurich and Geneva, but both are closed due to COVID-19. Even Bern has only limited consular services), OR even better, if it can also be done in front of any French notary public.

See Affidavit of Civil Status https://ch.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen...s-we-notarize/

If it must be done at an US Ambassador/Consul also ask if you need an apostille as well on top of it. To get the apostille you have to send the notarized affidavit to the US Department of State https://travel.state.gov/content/tra...tications.html

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