A marriage certificate is important that two persons are married. In India, it can be registered under the Hindu Marriage Act or the Special Marriage Act of 1954. Therefore, for both types of marriages, it becomes evidence of Marriage for the person concerned. Marriage Certificate is issued when the bridegroom is 21 years of age and the bride is above 18 years of age. The Supreme Court made registration of Marriage compulsory in 2006 with the main objective of protecting the rights of women. Therefore, it will be highly useful in all ways after Marriage. Now, in the upcoming sections, we will come up with detailed information related to Marriage Certificate India. Some of the important aspects will be discussed along with eligibility criteria, necessary qualifications required for the list of marriage certificates in India, and processes both offline and online.
Why Obtain a Marriage Certificate in India?
There are many reasons why one should register their Marriage and get a marriage certificate. There are two ways to get this certificate. One is an online marriage certificate, and the second is an offline marriage certificate. This certificate works as proof of Marriage between the two persons. After marriage, there are many documents that you need to change. That is where it is going to help you out. A passport or a new bank account and a new surname usually demand a marriage certificate after she/he marries. Moreover, when travelling abroad or processing visas, most embassies need a copy of their marriage certificate. So, the certificate prevents couples from going abroad after Marriage.
Marriage Certificate Documents List in India
A marriage of a couple is valid, and a certificate of Marriage is evidence of the same. A detailed list of marriage certificate documents is given.
Application Form
First, submit an application form for a Marriage Certificate. It is a relatively straightforward form, asking about common details like names and addresses and the date of the wedding of the bride and groom in spite of other things. In addition to the application form, applicants would submit one of the documents enumerated below under marriage evidence.
Other Important Documents
- Marriage Evidence
- Marriage Invitation Card or
- Temple Marriage Receipts or
- The document evidencing that Marriage is performed
- Identity proof and also Residence
- Employee Identity Card or
- Ration Card or
- Driving License or
- Passport or Visa
- Age showing documents
- Birth certificate or
- School or college certificate or
- Passport or Visa
- Four passport-size photographs of the bride
- Four passport-size photographs of the bridegroom
All the documents prescribed above are needed to get the marriage certificate, either online or offline. It should be noted that the marriage certificate documents are place-bound. The collection of marriage certificate documents is a requirement for the marriage certificate. Much later, submission of the above-listed papers in time, along with error-free papers, may lead to the smooth delivery of marriage certificate papers.
The process to Apply for Marriage Certificate India
The following is the detailed process to apply for a marriage certificate in India:
- Eligibility Test: The parties to the Marriage usually need to fulfil the eligibility criteria prescribed by the authority. As normal, the bridegroom needs to be over 21 years old while the bride is over 18 years old.
- Documentation: The Groom's documents have to be mostly identity proof, residence and age proof, marriage invitation or proof of solemnization under the local authority, photo passport size, and the original passport.
- Application Form: The local Marriage registrar also provides forms to file an application for the marriage certificate. Fill in all the details with precision and intelligibility.
- Submit Information: Submission of all application forms and documents for acquisition of marriage certificate in India.
- Fee Charges: He/she will have to pay the charges as prescribed for the registration of marriage and issuance of marriage certificates in India. The fee is not standardized and varies from state or union territory.
- Marriage Registration: After cross-checking that all the documents are complete and duly filled in with all details, he would get the same registered and later issue a marriage certificate.
- Issuance of Certificate: The registrar's office shall forward the certificate at the prescribed time. It is considered a valid marriage if it is presented physically or electronically.
How to Get a Marriage Certificate Online in India?
The general steps and process for the registration process and obtaining a marriage certificate online in India are given below:
- Log in at the official website of the government portal of your state of residence, and you are concerned about marriage registration.
- Surf through website services or citizen-centric portals to look at the marriage registration form.
- Fill them correctly by using information according to guidelines regarding the personal details of both parties.
- Once all the entries are found right in the form, then must be submitted online
- The Marriage Registrar acknowledges the receipt of the registration form; later, he will arrange the date of meeting with the couple, and he checks their documents and gets everything registered.
- Both parties produce documents before the parties intended to appear as witnesses to prove that both parties are registered in the registrar's office for Marriage.
Under Which Laws of India is Marriage Registration Possible?
The procedures for applying for a marriage certificate in India are quite different, considering the legal status and culture of the country. Marriage can be registered in most countries through several acts in which the majority serves the need to meet certain religious or civil needs. Examples of marriage registration laws in India are as follows:
Hindu Marriage Act
The Hindu Marriage Act is legislation that deals with marriage and registration between Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs. It mandates a form to be filled out and attached with all the documents required for the marriage, such as age proof, residence proof, etc. Then, it is conducted according to Hindu rituals. After the marriage is performed, it should be registered with the local authority.
Muslim Marriage Act
A high percentage of these marriages have a personal law governing marriages amongst Muslims. Hence, there is no need for those to seek registration. They may, however, take legal recognition of the wedlock by getting formalised under the concerned act by submitting a Nikahnama and or marriage contract along with such personal I/D evidencing proof of identity to a registrable outside the local registry offices.
Special Marriage Act
The fundamental concept of this Act is that citizens belonging to other religions or nationals wish to get married under other personal laws without converting to any religion. It basically involves the procedure whereby a notice is issued prior to the local marriage registrar with an intention to get married in the presence of three witnesses, and then the statutory objection period is waited for before the registration is done.
Christian Marriage Act
This statute provides for the Marriage of persons who are adherents of the Muslim religion. This shall be solemnized in a mosque with the consent of an Imam or a muazzin. Upon the consummation of this religious marriage, the couple shall ensure that they register for the marriage by making a formal application to the local government office, which shall be supplemented by a marriage certificate from the mosque.
Different Marriage Registration Process under Different Laws
Mainly, the process is governed by the Hindu Marriage Act, which came into force in 1955, and the Special Marriage Act, which came into force in 1954, but they differ a little in the process and may differ from state to state as they have their rules and their online system. Hindu Marriage Act registration becomes possible in 15 days. However, under the Special Marriage Act, it takes almost 60 days. The one who attends the registration of the Marriage of these two shall be considered as a witness and must have every valid evidence of his/ her PAN Card and Proof of the residence of the individual.
Hindu Marriage Act, 1955
- Both have to be Hindus and meet eligibility through virtue of age and other qualifications.
- Collect all identity-proof documents, address-proof documents, and age-proof documents, which may even include a birth certificate, 10th certificate or even a passport. Marital photographs and wedding cards, as well as affidavits, mention the place, date of marriage, marital status, and nationality.
- Online Access marriage registration department of Official Site of State Click Get Registered and fill out the online registration Application form for the registration procedure
- Within seven working days after completion of the application, a scheduled appointment for both husband and wife would submit their forms to the registrar's office.
- Along with the original documents, visit the registrar's office during scheduled dates. Upon verification, award the marriage certificate.
Special Marriage Act, 1954
- The parties shall give notice of their intention to marry 30 days before the Marriage Registrar of the district in which at least one of them shall have been residing for at least 30 days before the date of the notice.
- Same type as above with this notice application form.
- If the state permits notice and paper documents, then these can be filed with a date scheduled to appear in person in front of both parties in the registrar's office after 30 days.
- Marriage Officer publishes public notice challenging objections, if any court within 30 days.
- Where there is an NOC, he shall make the declaration in the office of the Registrar with three witnesses present. The couple, as their wishes, can get the marriage ceremony performed according to his/ her religion
- After performing the Marriage ceremony, the officer makes all the entries in the Marriage register and issues certificates.
- All the procedures are taken in the country, but although all the procedures are taken online, at some times, they cannot go full-on, and they have to come out.
- So, keep the soft and scanned copies for one of the ways of uploading there. I will fill out every detail without being rejected via appointment.
Conclusion
Marriage should be legalized by the state with the help of a marriage certificate in India. It has already become a must to present this for all formal purposes, such as obtaining a passport, opening a bank account, or traveling to another country. It has paperwork for marriage certificates also, an identity card, age evidence, marriage proof, and photographs. Taking a light view of this, keeping in mind the Supreme Court's declarations regarding marriage registration so that the rights are not violated, especially on the part of women, cannot be done.
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