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Is it possible to obtain a single status certificate from the South African embassy in Madrid in less than 5-8 months?

Last Updated on March 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi

Question

I’m South African, been in Madrid on a student visa for 2 years however my partner and I are finally doing Pareja de Hecho. Went to my embassy today to apply for certificate on no impediment(single status certificate). However they said it would take 5-8 months to arrive which is ridiculous!!!
Is there another way around this? Is there a loop hole in terms of another document that i can get faster to prove my single status? Any help or direction would be appreciated at this point!

Answers

These are the answers of some Facebook group members:

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“Go to a Notary and swear that you are single. Most countries do not have that specific paperwork that the Spanish have. Notary can do everything. Marriage or PdH. Good luck.”

“Not sure what you can do as a South African citizen, but Americans don’t have a document to state their single. What Americans do is go to a notary and have them draw up a document stating this.”


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author avatar
Bruno Bianchi CEO & Spain Immigration Expert
Bruno Bianchi is the founder and CEO of Spainguru, Spain's largest expat immigration community with 150,000+ members. Since 2014 he has helped thousands of people relocate to Spain through expert guides, webinars and vetted professional services covering visas, residency, taxes and life in Spain.