Congratulations on the marriage!
Planning a wedding is extremely hectic, and sorting out the paperwork can complicate the whole process. If you are a Malaysian marrying a foreigner, you will most probably need to obtain a ‘Certificate of Single Status’ from Malaysia before you can register your marriage in a different country.
Most importantly, you must apply for the Certificate of Single Status before you register your marriage in any country.
This Certificate of Single Status can only be obtained from the National Registration Department (NRD), known as Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (JPN). The process can be quite complicated and troublesome. To make things worse, I couldn’t find a proper updated guide online to help me with my application! After going through all the troubles and hiccups obtaining the certificate, I have decided to blog about the process in details to guide my fellow brides-to-be so you can be well-prepared!
Basically, there are only 3 steps:
- Statutory declaration – swear your oath @ Istana Kehakiman (Palace of Justice)
- Apply for the certificate of single status @ JPN (NRD Headquarter)
- Get the certificate endorsed by Wisma Putra (Ministry of Foreign Affair)
Here’s the bad news for you, if you are living overseas, then you will have to come back to Kuala Lumpur personally to get this done. I’ve seen on the website that they accept postage application, but when I tried to call them to verify, I’ve gotten different answers all the time. Therefore, I highly suggest that you come back and spend one day on this. It is quite unavoidable.
Here are some very important reminders:
1. Statutory declaration
Initially, the JPN officer told me that I could authorise my family to apply for the certificate of single status on my behalf, but I will have to do the statutory declaration in the presence of a local consular officer. I called the Malaysian Embassy in Singapore to clarify, and they confirmed that it is possible to do it at the Embassy (it was also stated on their official website that they do statutory declarations for single certificates).
I visited the consulate but returned empty-handed, as apparently they have stopped providing this service. Therefore, if you really need to do it remotely from overseas, plan well in advance. In case you are not able to do the statutory declaration, you’ll have time for a backup plan. For example, you could look for a Malaysian Commissioner for Oath, if any, in your residing country and swear in front of him/her.
2. Public holiday and closures
Though JPN is opened on Saturday, the Palace of Justice for statutory declaration is closed. You can’t proceed without swearing the oath, unless you visited a Commissioner for Oath in advance to swear in front of him/her.
Public holidays on a Thursday may be changed to the next day, Friday, to make it a long weekend. It is best to avoid a Friday near public holidays like these.
3. Address on the forms
Make sure that all your forms, including the statutory declaration, have the same address as in your Malaysian MyKad. If you apply on a Saturday, remember that the Palace of Justice for statutory declaration is closed so you’ll not be able to proceed with your application.
4. Birth certificate
Very likely, if you need a certificate of single status, then you will also need an extract copy of the birth certificate. You can conveniently apply for it after you get your certificate of single status as it is done in the same building, and will take less than 5 minutes. Moreover, the extract copy is in both Malay and English.
In addition, you can also ask the officer to make some certified true copies for you, just in case.
5. Documents Required
For the application, you will need to prepare the following documents:
1. *Form JPN.KC09 (original) – fill up section A & C only
2. MyKad (original and photocopy)
3. Passport pages with personal details of prospective spouse who is a non-citizen (photocopy)
4. **Application Letter (Letter of Reason) stating the purpose of the application (original)
5. Statutory declaration form (original)
If you are applying for an extract copy of the birth certificate, then you will need to prepare these documents as well:
1. *Form JPN.LM12 (original)
2. MyKad (original and photocopy)
*The official website states that you cannot use the online forms, but only the forms collected from JPN. I used the online forms anyway and there were no problems, just be prepared to use the hardcopy forms at JPN.
**I have confirmed with the officer that applicants can use any self-written letter. This is a letter I drafted for the application as close to the original as possible, feel free to use it or write your own letter. Otherwise, you can also collect from JPN directly.
3-Step Application for the Certificate of Single Status
Once you have everything prepared, then you can follow the steps below to obtain the certificate:
Step One: Statutory declaration – swear your oath @ Istana Kehakiman (Palace of Justice)
Basically, this step will also take you less than 5 minutes as long as you have your declaration form and MyKad ready. It is also located at Putrajaya, a 7-minute walk away from JPN.
The declaration will cost you RM4. I did this step with an external Commissioner for Oath and paid RM4 as well, though some others may charge differently.
Update 2 Aug 2022: As many readers have commented, there is now an office on the ground floor of JPN (near the ATM machine) where you can do the swearing of oath as well.
Address:
Pejabat Ketua Pendaftar
Mahkamah Persekutuan Malaysia
Aras 3, Presint 3 Istana Kehakiman
Federal Territory of Putrajaya
Wilayah Persekutuan
62506 Putrajaya
Hours:
Weekdays: 8:00am to 5:00pm
Sat / Sun / PH: Closed
Tel: +603 8880 3500
Step Two: Apply for the certificate of single status @ JPN (NRD Headquarter)
If you already have done your statutory declaration in advance, you can come ~10 minutes before the opening time. You do not need to come too early ahead as the escalator is closed and you’ll not be able to enter.
Upon arriving, head towards the escalator and stand around it. When it is the opening time, the security guard will release the escalator and you can then quickly go one level up to the 1st floor to take the queue number for the application.
When it is your turn, the officer will take around 10 minutes to process your application. After that, you’ll be asked to wait for your name to be called to collect the certificate. My name was called after about 15 minutes.
Reason to come early: The officer takes quite a really long time to process each queue number, so if you’re not rushing, by all means take your time. A good gage is approximately 15 minutes for 1 queue number.
The application costs RM5.
*Remember to apply for the extract copy of birth certificate after this step if you have not done so, it is in the same building (level 3) and will take you less than 5 minutes.
Address:
Ketua Pengarah
Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara
(Bahagian Perkahwinan dan Perceraian)
No. 20, Persiaran Perdana Presint 2
62551 Putrajaya
Hours:
Weekdays: 7:30am to 6:00pm
Sat: 9:00am to 2:00pm
Sun / PH: Closed
Tel: +603 8000 8000
Step Three: Get the certificate endorsed by Wisma Putra (Ministry of Foreign Affair)
The Consular Section at Wisma Putra only (not even at the Consular Section of Malaysian Embassy in Singapore) will need to endorse the Certificate of Single Status. I went at around 9:30am, submit the documents to be endorsed, and then received them back after about an hour.
I have also requested the original extract copy of birth certificate to be endorsed, in case the foreign marriage registry needs them to be done the same way as the certificate of single status. You’ll pay more for this, but it’s better to be safe.
The endorsement costs RM10 for the certificate of single status, and RM20 for the birth certificate.
Address:
Wisma Putra
No 1, Jalan Wisma Putra
Precinct 2 Wilayah Persekutuan
62602 Putrajaya
Hours:
Weekdays: 8:30am to 4:00pm
Sat / Sun / PH: Closed
Tel: +603 8887 4000
When I first started searching, I could not find a very detailed guide online. As a result, I’ve wasted so much time and money that could have been avoided.
Hence, I have written this guide from my experience to help more people in need of a little guidance. If you’re reading this for your marriage preparation, I wish you a smooth application process and a blessed marriage ahead!
I cannot thank you enough for this post! You saved me hours and probably a few extra trips to JPN. We were the first one in the queue when the counters opened (7.30 am sharp!) and we were able to get our single status cert and extract of the birth cert done by 10.00 am).Thanks to your Surat Akuan Sample, I was able to swear an oath in front of a Commissioner of Oaths (The one I used was from the court located in PJ and it cost me RM 4 as well) a day before we headed up to JPN Putrajaya and it saved us so much time. So I would highly encourage anyone reading this to skip the trip to the Palace of Justice on that day and instead get your Surat Akuan done a day earlier at any Commissioner of Oaths nearest to you. Trust me, the time you will be saving is worth it. A couple behind us did not have this done and they had to leave to get it done at the Palace of Justice and we caught them making it back to JPN more than 2 hours later when we were all done with our single status and birth cert extract and about to leave. You can imagine the queue in front of them at that point.
Hi, thanks for this! I’ve been searching for information on this and this article has been without a doubt, the most helpful!
Btw, can we get the form from the locations mentioned above or do we print online and fill it up? Can we print the declaration form thingy from here and use that as well? Thanks so so much!
Hi.. thank you very very much for all ur info.. its been very very helpful .. im from jb and my GF is an Indonesian.. as to rejester here in Malaysia we need to get so many letter ( n11, n2 ,n3 ,n4 n etc ) frm Indonesia Keluruhan ( JPN Indonesia ) .. required by Indonesian Embacy here to provide us Approval Letter . With all the form needed i still need to provide my single status certificate .. it seem the only way to get it is frm Putrajaya.. im planning to go putrajaya soon.. ur guide will be very helpfull to me..
Hi! I just completed this process. Just to inform those reading, you do not need to go to the Palace of Justice to do the swearing of oath anymore. There is a department on the Ground Floor of JPN building that you can do that. Good luck everyone!
Hello Wennessa! Thanks for your helpful comment!
I just went to JPN putrajaya on 25 July 2022, and done the oath at Ground Floor of same JPN building (there is a Pesuruhjaya Sumpah office there). There was no need to go to Palace of Justice/ Istana Kehakiman anymore.
Hey Thanks so much for the amazing input in your blog. Very helpful indeed. One thing to confirm, I called the JPN and they said the birth cert extract is in Bahasa and not in English, hence I have to get an official translator to translate to English and then legalised both by Ministry of Affairs Malaysia and Dutch Embassy. My husband is Dutch and we are planning to get married in Holland in February. Would appreciate your clarification. Thanks
Yahnee
Hi Yahnee, I just took a look at my extracted copy of birth ceritifcate and it is in both Bahasa Melayu and English. Hope this clarifies!
Hello Yahnee,I’m glad to read your comment here.Me and my boyfriend will also getting marry in Netherlands soon this year.So is there anything documents we need to prepare too or only single status certificate and birth certificate translate in English required?
Congrats! I think you’ll need to check what they require, but most of them definitely require a single cert 🙂
Hi Yahnee!!
For marrying in Netherlands did you need to have the birth cert extract translated to English, then legalized / stamp by Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Dutch embassy in Malaysia?
The information on my birth cert is provided in Bahasa. For example the question has 2 languages “Jantina / Gender” and the answer is written purely in Bahasa “Perempuan” without any English word of “female”.
Hope you could share some information 🙂
Just to update that I successfully registered with Amsterdam municipality although the extract copy of birth cert contained some Malay words. The officer in charge asked me is “perempuan” written on the birth cert my hometown & I explained verbally it was sufficient. Not required to translate extract copy of birth certificate! 🙂
Do you need to get the passport copy (to be sent to Dutch Embassy) to be stamped by Notary Public?
That depends on their requirements, it’s best to check with them directly on what they need 🙂
Hello. Thanks for this article however, you should state that this information is solely for non-Muslim Malaysians. Legally, I am a muslim in Malaysia which means JPN would turn me away if I wanted to apply for the single status cert. They told me that I’d have to go to an Islamic body to register my marriage with my foreign spouse which was pointless for me because I want to marry him outside of the country. Hope everyone else has a successful process though!
Hi Sarah. I’m a Muslim in Malaysia and want to get marry with my foreign fiancé outside of the country too. Just wondering if you have gone thru any process for getting single status certificate from any Islamic body?
Hi Sarah, did you manage to get the single status letter? As a guy, I was told to get at.any commissioner of oath.
I’m doing both statutory Declaration and an affidavit of single status
.both have different meaning.
Will seek COO stamp for both, then have it translated to English, then get it stamp by MOFA -wisma putra.
After, get it translated, stamp, notarize. Remember embassies can also certify the signatures on the original copies.
Tell me how it went for you. I haven’t done it yet though. Still figuring the best way.
Hi ! this applies the same for Muslim individuals marrying abroad too right ? . I am not coming back to stay in Malaysia after I move , I am moving permanently .
I’m sorry but this guide applies to non-Muslims only, there may be more documents required, that I am not familiar with, for Muslim applicants.
Hi there! Glad that I found your Website. Can I get the Letter of Reason also in JPN? Or must i really draft one on my own?
I am getting married in Germany this June and I am going back to Msia this CNY to get the documents done. Hope to hear from you soon!
Yes, the letter is available at JPN, but it is perfectly ok for you to bring your own (or use my sample copy).
Do remember to check the closing dates for public holidays at the offices, best of luck and happy marriage to you 🙂
Thank you for the quick reply! If i understood correctly all the required documents to apply for the single status cert can be obtained at JPN? But it would be better if I prepare the statutory declaration form in advance so that I can go to Palace of Justice firstly to swear my oath?
yes, you can definitely swear your oath beforehand! I did mine in front of an external Commissioner for Oath
Hi there, could you clarify – you mentioned that you managed to swear your oath before hand, does this mean if we do it beforehand externally, we can skip the step at the Palace of Justice? Thank you!
Hello, thank you for your kindness to share the information above, it is very helpful. I have few questions. hopefully you don’t mind to help me out a little ><
1. My partner and i actually want to apply for De Facto Relationship in Italy, but i read all the documents above all about suami or isteri, so it is this type of relationship does not exists in Malaysia? (Because it seems like once I apply for the single status then I am consider married…)
2. How long did you take for the whole process from step 1 to 3? All in one day? so I can sort of organize to come back for how many days in total TT
Thank you very much.
Application of single status letter does not necessary mean that you are then married in Malaysia. It just proves to another country officially that you are currently single in Malaysia.
As I recall, De Facto Relationship does not exist in Malaysia. I’m afraid that I won’t be able to help you on this as I’m not familiar.
I swore my oath in front of an external Commissioner for Oath on a separate day, took me less than 5 mins.
All the other steps are done at JPN and took me one morning to complete.
All the best!
Hi thanks for your sharing. I’m previously divorced and going to married abroad too. The country requires the single status certificate too.
Does the process for divorcee same as single to get the certificate done?
It’s best to check with JPN directly on this 🙂
My partner must also go with me to apply for the single status certificate?
Can I just do that by myself with the copy of his passport (he is in EU)
Yes I believe you can do it without your partner being physically present.
Hi thanks for your sharing! your post has definitely saved up much of my time!
My fiance is a Japanese and we are planning to get married this year end. However, i am a little confused about the Step 1: Statutory declaration – swear your oath @ Istana Kehakiman (Palace of Justice). Can i just drop by any external Commissioner of Oath to get this step done? Thanks and hope to hear from you soon!
Yes, I did mine with an external Commissioner for Oath in KL 🙂
Does my foreign partner need to be with me to apply for the single’s letter? I am back in KL and going to Putrajaya tomorrow.
Sorry for the late reply, hope it went well!
To others for future references, your partner does not need to be with you.
Hi guys! Just to share my experience. When you swear your oath to an external commissioner of oath, make sure the statutory of oath original paper has your birth date, and foreign spouse’s passport details. My external one did not have neither. They made a mistake on their end. I ended up redoing everything at Putrajaya.
Hi, thank you so much for your post. My partner is Portuguese and we are planning to get married in Portugal this year. Did your certificate of single status come in English or was it in Bahasa? Also, all documents for Portugal needs to have an Apostille however Malaysia is not a signatory to it. By any chance do you happen to know how long can the documents take to be notarised, authenticated and legalised?
The single cert is in English 🙂
The legalisation of the documents can be done at Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
No appointments are required last I went, and they are very quick. I’ve submitted my documents for legalisation and got them back within 5 minutes.
Thank you so much & appreciate your detailed info. It says in my application “BC must contain the seal or signature of the official custodian to the record or show that it is an extract from an official record”. I have my original BC. Do I still need an extract copy? Can I just get it endorsed by the embassy?
At JPN, you are able to apply for an extract copy of your birth cert. No appointments are required.
An extract copy is different from an original copy.
Then, bring the extract copy to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to get it legalised.
May I know when to use or submit the extract of birth certificate?
It’s just a bonus step since you’re at JPN 🙂
If you don’t need it (for whatever applications), then you can skip it.
Hello! Thank you so much for sharing this useful post. This will save my life!
I have question regarding the address on all the forms. I am living in Tokyo and will be registering with my Swiss fiance in Switzerland. Should I write the address on MyKad for all the forms from above? I don’t live in malaysia for more than 10 years and the add on MyKad hasn’t been updated for ages.
Thank you so much again and hope to hear from you soon! x
Are you going to apply for the single cert in Malaysia?
If yes, then you need to write the address on your MyKad, even though you don’t “live” there. It is still your official address registered in Malaysia and they want that. This was what I was told by the officer in JPN, hope it helps.