Marriage Registration Certificate: How and Where to Get?

The Indian Marriage Certificate is an official document stating that two people are married. It is a very important document that you need to keep for the rest of your life.

The Supreme Court of India made the registration of marriages mandatory in 2006 — for the safety of women and the protection of their rights. Legal registration is usually carried out in addition to the solemn marriage, which is organized following the religious customs and rituals of the families. 

Unfortunately, due to the lack of awareness, many couples in India do not register their marriage. They do not understand how important a marriage certificate is from a legal point of view.

Why is it so important to register your marriage in India?

• According to the Supreme Court of India, marriage registration is obligatory. It is a guarantee that men cannot deny that he was married and cannot avoid child support if the marriage breaks up. 
• A marriage registration certificate may be needed in different situations: passport application, maiden name change, or visa application to visit a foreign country. 
• In case your partner has passed away, this certificate will be required to access his/her bank account and life insurance policy.

How to register a marriage in India?

There are some key points to take into account before planning a marriage:

• The groom must be at least 21 years old; the bride must be at least 18 years old.
• In India, you can register your marriage by the Hindu Marriage Act of 1955 or the Special Marriage Act of 1954.
• The Hindu Marriage Act allows you to register a marriage that has already been concluded following religious rituals. In this case, there is no need to marry in the presence of the registrar.
• The Special Marriage Act is different in that it requires the official registrars to take part.

Marriage step by step

1. To marry under the Hindu Marriage Act, you and your partner must be recognized as Hindus. 
2. Registration takes place after a solemn marriage.
3. The application process is quite simple. You have one month after your marriage to complete the procedure. First of all, you need to contact the subregister, under whose jurisdiction the marriage was concluded. Alternatively, you can contact the registrar where you or your spouse lived the last 6 months.
4. Fill out an application form and submit it along with various other documents, including identification documents. Besides, provide a certificate from the priest who registered your marriage as evidence that you are truly married.
5. Mention your previous marital status.
6. Finally, pay a nominal fee, which is 100 rupees. The receipt must be attached to the form.
7. Do not forget to provide a certificate of conversion if you or your spouse have converted to Hinduism.

After checking the documents, they will assign the date of your marriage registration. A marriage certificate will be issued on that day. This procedure usually takes about 2 weeks.

If you want to speed up the registration because of special circumstances, for instance, to apply for a visa, make a special request to the registrar.

In Delhi and some other states, you can even register your marriage online. You can apply through the marriage registration site in Delhi only if you are a resident of Delhi. 

Documents required for marriage registration

1. Filled and signed application form.
2. A true copy of Proof of Address (Voter ID, Aadhar Card, Ration Card, Passport or Driving License).
3. A true copy of any valid certificate with Date of Birth.
4. Two recent pass photos and one marriage photo.
5. A special marriage affidavit in the correct format by both husband and wife.
6. Marriage invitation card.

Special Marriage Act

The special marriage act applies to the solemn part of marriage and its legal registration. You will need all the documents listed above except the priest certificate.

After applying, a notification letter will be sent to both spouses by post. If within 30 days no objections arise, for example, from the side of the parents or ex-spouse, the marriage is registered. Otherwise, the marriage is registered after resolving all the contradictions.

This procedure costs 150 rupees.

Tatkal Marriage Certificate

If you need a marriage certificate within 24 hours, some states now offer a Tatkal Certificate service. It is, however, quite expensive – about 10,000 rupees. 

Marriage registration is an important legal procedure that will save you from many problems in the future!