Documents Required for Court Marriage in Delhi

Court marriage paperwork is not complicated, but it is unforgiving. Every name, date and address is checked twice: once when you give notice and again on the day of marriage. A single mismatch can mean a fresh notice and another 30-day wait. This guide lists every document you need for a court marriage in Delhi under the Special Marriage Act, explains what each one proves, and covers the special cases that need extra papers.

What the documents have to prove

The marriage officer uses your documents to confirm five things:

1. Who you are — identity.
2. How old you are — the man at least 21, the woman at least 18.
3. Where you live — that at least one of you has lived in the district for 30 days before notice.
4. That you are free to marry — no living spouse, not within prohibited degrees.
5. Who your witnesses are — on the day of marriage.

Each document below answers one of these questions.

Core documents for both partners

Document	Purpose	Accepted examples
Notice of intended marriage	Starts the process	Form under the Second Schedule of the Act, signed by both
Identity proof	Who you are	Aadhaar, passport, voter ID, PAN card, driving licence
Age proof	Minimum age	Birth certificate, Class 10 certificate, passport; Aadhaar with full date of birth
Address proof	Residence and jurisdiction	Aadhaar, passport, voter ID, ration card, utility bill, bank passbook, registered rent agreement
Affidavit	Marital status, age, nationality, not within prohibited degrees	Notarised, on e-stamp paper
Passport-size photographs	Identification	Plain light background; usually 2–4 each

Bring originals and self-attested photocopies of everything.

Proving 30 days’ residence

At least one of you must have lived in the district for at least 30 days immediately before the notice. Your address proof should show an address in that district. If you have recently moved, a document dated more than 30 days ago at the new address helps, such as a registered rent agreement, a utility bill or a bank statement. If you cannot show 30 days in the new district, give notice in the district of your previous address, or wait until you can. See the 30-day residence rule.

The affidavits

Each partner signs a separate affidavit, typically stating:

• full name, parent’s name, age and address;
• date of birth, matching the age proof;
• present marital status: unmarried, divorced or widowed;
• that the partners are not related within the prohibited degrees of relationship;
• nationality;
• that the information in the notice is true.

Print on non-judicial e-stamp paper, sign before a notary and get it attested. See affidavit format for marriage registration and e-stamp paper for your marriage affidavit.

Documents for witnesses (day of marriage)

Three witnesses each bring:

• original identity proof;
• original address proof, commonly a Delhi address;
• self-attested photocopies;
• passport-size photographs if the office asks.

Witnesses are not needed at the notice stage. See witnesses for court marriage.

Special cases

If either partner was married before

• Divorced: a certified copy of the final divorce decree. If an appeal was possible, be ready to show that the appeal period has expired or no appeal is pending.
• Widowed: the death certificate of the former spouse.

See documents for divorced applicants and documents for widows and widowers.

If one partner is a foreign national

• valid passport;
• valid Indian visa;
• a certificate from their embassy or consulate on marital status (often called a certificate of no impediment or single-status certificate), with an English translation if needed;
• proof of address in India if the foreign partner is the one meeting the residence rule.

See marriage registration documents when one partner is a foreign national.

If one partner is an NRI

An NRI partner uses their Indian passport as identity and age proof. If the NRI partner does not live in Delhi, the other partner must meet the 30-day residence rule. See court marriage for NRIs.

If names differ across documents

Use the name on your main identity document consistently, and add a short affidavit explaining any variation. See name mismatch in documents.

Documents you do not need

• Wedding card or photographs — a court marriage is the wedding itself.
• Parental consent letters — not required for adults.
• Caste or religion certificates — the Special Marriage Act does not depend on religion.
• Conversion certificates — no conversion is needed.

Checklist by visit

Notice visit (both partners):

• Notice form signed by both
• Identity, age and address proof (originals + copies) for both
• Residence proof for 30 days in the district
• Notarised affidavits for both
• Photographs for both
• Divorce decree / death certificate if relevant
• Foreign partner’s passport, visa and embassy certificate if relevant
• Fee payment

Marriage day (both partners + three witnesses):

• All originals for both partners
• Notice acknowledgement and fee receipts
• Three witnesses with original identity and address proof
• Photographs
• Additional fee if marrying outside the office

How to organise your file

Use a single folder with clear plastic sleeves, in this order: notice acknowledgement, partner 1 documents, partner 2 documents, affidavits, special-case documents, witness copies, fee receipts. Put originals in a separate pouch. On the day, the official can see everything in a minute, and nothing gets left behind.

Scanning for online notice

If you give notice online through e-District, scan every document in colour, both sides where relevant, and keep each file within the size limit shown on the portal. Name files clearly. Blurred or cropped scans are a common cause of delay.

Worked example: a complete file

Priya, an Indian citizen living in Lajpat Nagar for two years, and Daniel, a British citizen on an employment visa, plan a court marriage in South East Delhi. Priya brings her passport (identity and age), Aadhaar (address) and a registered rent agreement for her flat. Daniel brings his passport and Indian visa, and a certificate of no impediment issued through the British authorities. Both bring notarised affidavits and photographs. Priya meets the residence rule, so they give notice at the South East Delhi office. A month later they return with three Delhi-based friends, each carrying Aadhaar and a voter ID card, and marry.

How each document is checked

It helps to know what the official is looking for when they pick up each document:

• Identity proof: that the photograph matches you, and that the name matches the notice exactly.
• Age proof: that the full date of birth is shown and that you met the minimum age on the date of notice and marriage.
• Address proof: that the address falls within the district, and that the date or other evidence supports at least 30 days’ residence for one partner.
• Affidavits: that they are on e-stamp paper, notarised, signed by the right person, and consistent with the notice and other documents.
• Divorce decree or death certificate: that it is a certified copy of the final decree, or an official death certificate, and that the names match.
• Foreign partner’s documents: that the passport and visa are valid and the embassy certificate confirms marital status.

If you check your own documents against this list before the visit, you will catch most problems the official would.

Common document mistakes

• Address proof in a different district from the one where notice is given.
• Age proof missing the full date of birth.
• Affidavit not notarised or not on e-stamp paper.
• Divorce decree that is not the final decree.
• Witness bringing a photocopy instead of the original ID.
• Different spellings of a name across documents.

Get your documents checked before notice

Fixing a document problem before notice costs you an afternoon. Fixing it after notice can cost you another 30 days. WedProof checks your complete court marriage file for free before you give notice.