What is a Certificate of Absolute Divorce?
A Divorce Certificate or a Certificate of Absolute Divorce is a completely different document from a divorce decree. A Certificate of Absolute is not prepared by a court. Instead, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services issues the certificate. This is also the the same place where you get your birth and marriage certificate. Unlike a divorce decree issued by the court, a Certificate of Absolute Divorce is a simple document that shows:- You are divorced or marriage has been annulled
- The names of both former spouses
- The date of the divorce or annulment
- The place of the divorce or annulment
- Getting a name change
- Showing proof of a divorce or your annulment without revealing the details of the divorce
- Getting a passport, unless your name change is not on the certificate
- Inheritance purposes, to show you are single
- Getting married
- Anywhere you need to show proof of divorce or an annulment