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You don't need a Taiwanese single-status certificate to marry in the US; only a foreign spouse registering in Taiwan does

A felted raccoon carrying a huge stack of documents sighs with relief at a counter that holds only a passport and one form

When you apply to a US county for a Marriage License, none of the counties we checked asked for a Taiwanese certificate of single status or a household registration transcript. The county looks at whether both of you appear in person, your government photo ID, your age, and when any previous marriage ended. Taiwanese documents only come into play later, when you register the marriage in Taiwan or your spouse goes through immigration, and each of those has its own rules about which document is needed and who prepares it.

Below, broken into three points in time: applying for a marriage license in the US, registering the marriage in Taiwan, and your spouse's US immigrant visa.

Applying for a marriage license in the US

Taking the counties we checked as examples:

None of these counties' requirement lists includes a "certificate of single status." Rules differ by county, so check the official page of the county where you apply before you go. For the full requirements for foreigners, see foreigners marrying in the US: no nationality or residency requirement.

If you've been married before, what to bring

The county will ask when your previous marriage (or domestic partnership) ended. You only need to bring proof if it ended recently:

If you divorced in Taiwan, prepare an English translation of the household registration transcript showing the divorce registration, or of the court documents, ahead of time, using a translator who meets that county's requirements; see the Chinese-to-English section of translating the marriage certificate into Chinese.

Registering the marriage in Taiwan

The Department of Household Registration, Ministry of the Interior, rules for marriages that took place abroad (checked 2026-10-22):

So on the Taiwan side, a "single-status certificate" is mainly something the foreign spouse prepares, and it is valid for 6 months. Whether the Taiwanese spouse also needs one depends on whether the marriage certificate is annotated as "complying with the law of the place where the marriage took place"; check with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) before filing. For the full steps, see registering a US marriage in Taiwan in five steps.

Your spouse's US immigrant visa (interview in Taiwan)

The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) supplemental immigrant visa instructions (July 31, 2026 version, checked 2026-10-14):

For the other documents and steps in the immigration process, see the visa and documents site.

Common questions

Do I need a Taiwanese single-status certificate to marry in the US?

None of the counties we checked (Clark County, Orange County, San Francisco County) requires one for a marriage license. The county looks at ID, age, and when any previous marriage ended.

What proof does a foreign spouse need to register the marriage in Taiwan?

Proof of marital status authenticated by an overseas mission, valid for 6 months from the date of issue, plus a declaration of the Chinese name they will use (Department of Household Registration, Ministry of the Interior).

For the AIT interview, do I need a birth certificate or a household registration transcript?

Applicants born in Taiwan use a household registration transcript: two copies each in Chinese and English, issued within the past year, with complete remarks; AIT does not accept birth certificates.

I just divorced in Taiwan. Can I marry in the US right away?

It depends on the county. San Francisco County requires anyone whose previous marriage ended less than 90 days ago to bring a certified copy of the divorce record with the court seal, plus an English translation; Fort Bend County, Texas, does not allow remarriage within 30 days after a divorce decree becomes final unless a waiver is granted.

Which documents to prepare, and when, the My Wedding Plan checklist adds according to each partner's status: the marriage license starts at item 1, and registering in Taiwan is item 15. The checklist has a free version, and you can start without giving an email address.

Sources (checked 2026-10-22)

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