Delhi Marriage Registration: 30 Common Questions Answered

These are the questions our counsellors hear most often from couples planning to register their marriage in Delhi. Each answer is short, and links to a detailed guide where you need more.

The law

1. Is marriage registration compulsory in Delhi? Yes. The Delhi (Compulsory Registration of Marriage) Order, 2014 requires every marriage solemnised in Delhi to be registered, whatever the religion of the couple. It implements the Supreme Court’s 2006 direction in Seema v Ashwani Kumar. See the 2014 Order explained.

2. Is our marriage invalid if we do not register it? No. Registration records a marriage; it does not create it. A validly performed marriage remains valid without registration. But you will need the certificate for passports, visas, banks and many other purposes. See is an unregistered marriage valid?.

3. Which law do we register under? Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist couples who married by religious rites usually use the Hindu Marriage Act. Couples of any religion who married in Delhi can use the 2014 Order. Inter-faith couples who have not married, or who want a civil marriage, use the Special Marriage Act. See registration vs court marriage.

4. What is the difference between registration and court marriage? Registration records a marriage that already took place. Court marriage is a civil wedding by the marriage officer under the Special Marriage Act, with a 30-day notice and three witnesses.

Eligibility

5. What are the minimum ages? 21 for the groom and 18 for the bride, on the date of the wedding. See legal age for marriage.

6. Can we register if one of us is a foreign national? Yes, if the other is an Indian citizen and the other conditions are met. The foreign spouse usually needs a passport, visa and an embassy certificate on marital status. See documents for a foreign national spouse.

7. Can a divorced person register a new marriage? Yes, once the earlier marriage has ended by a final divorce decree. Bring a certified copy. See second marriage after divorce.

8. Do we need our parents’ consent? No, if you are both adults of legal marriageable age. See parents’ consent.

9. We married outside Delhi. Can we register in Delhi? Usually yes under the Hindu Marriage Act if one of you lives in a Delhi district; confirm with the district office. See married outside Delhi.

Documents

10. What documents do we need? Identity, age and address proof for both spouses, notarised affidavits from both, photographs, proof of the wedding (card, priest’s certificate, photos) and ID and address proof for the witnesses. See the full checklist.

11. Is a wedding card essential? No. A priest’s certificate, photographs, affidavits and witnesses can prove the marriage. See registration without a wedding card.

12. What if my name is spelt differently on different documents? Use the spelling on your main ID and explain the variation in an affidavit. See name mismatch.

13. What should the affidavit say? The date and place of marriage, your date of birth, your marital status at the time of the marriage, that you are not related within prohibited degrees, and your nationality. See the affidavit format.

14. What photograph size is needed? The Delhi guidelines specify a passport-size photo of about 5 cm by 4.5 cm, full face, plain white or off-white background. See photo rules.

Fees and timelines

15. What does registration cost? The 2014 Order sets a ₹200 application fee; Hindu Marriage Act and Special Marriage Act registrations have their own fees. Confirm the amount on e-District at payment. See fees in Delhi.

16. What happens if we are late? Between 61 and 120 days, an extra ₹500 applies under the 2014 Order; beyond that, a ₹1,000 penalty can be imposed and may be remitted for reasonable cause. See late registration.

17. What is Tatkal and what does it cost? Tatkal is priority registration for urgent cases, for an additional government fee of ₹10,000 under the 2014 Order. See Tatkal registration.

18. How long does registration take? Under the normal route, from a few days to a few weeks, depending mainly on appointment availability. Tatkal is usually one to three working days. Court marriage takes at least about a month because of the notice period.

Witnesses and the appointment

19. How many witnesses do we need? Two for the Hindu Marriage Act and the 2014 Order; three for the Special Marriage Act. See witnesses.

20. Can parents be witnesses? Yes, if they meet the requirements, including original ID and address proof.

21. Must witnesses live in Delhi? The 2014 Order describes witnesses who can prove permanent residence in Delhi, and Delhi offices commonly expect Delhi address proof. Choose Delhi-based witnesses where possible.

22. Do both spouses have to attend? Yes. Both spouses must appear in person before the marriage officer.

23. What happens at the appointment? Officials verify originals, the marriage officer may ask about the wedding, and the couple and witnesses sign the register. See appointment day.

Certificate

24. How do we get the certificate? Download it from e-District once the registration is approved. See downloading the certificate.

25. Is the downloaded certificate valid? Yes. It is digitally signed by the marriage officer. For use abroad you may need an apostille.

26. What if there is a mistake on the certificate? Apply to the SDM office for correction promptly. See correcting a certificate.

27. Does the certificate expire? No. It is valid permanently. Some foreign authorities ask for a recently attested copy.

28. We lost our certificate. What now? Download it again from e-District if you still have access, or apply for a duplicate. See duplicate certificate.

Special situations

29. One of us lives abroad. What can we do? Plan the appointment during a visit, since both spouses must appear. In exceptional cases courts have allowed video-conference registration. See one spouse abroad.

30. Do we have to change our surnames? No. Name change is a personal choice. If you do change your name, the certificate is the main supporting document. See name change after marriage.

Before you apply: a final checklist

If you have read this far, you probably have most of what you need. Before you start the online application, run through this list once more:

• We know which law we are registering under, and why.
• We know which district office has jurisdiction, and our address proof matches it.
• Every name and date is spelt and written the same way across our identity documents, age proofs, affidavits and wedding proof.
• Both affidavits are on e-stamp paper and notarised.
• We have clear colour scans of every document, named so we can upload them into the right slots.
• Two witnesses (three under the Special Marriage Act) have agreed to attend, have their original identity and address proof, and ideally show a Delhi address.
• If either of us was married before, we have the final divorce decree or the former spouse’s death certificate.
• If one of us is a foreign national, we have the passport, visa and embassy certificate on marital status.
• We have checked the current fee on the e-District payment screen.
• We have a plan for the appointment day: time off for everyone, transport and a reserve witness.

A clean file is the fastest route to a certificate. Most of the delays couples experience come from one item on this list being missed.

Still have a question?

If your question is not answered here, or your situation is unusual, use the form on this page for a free document check. A WedProof counsellor will answer within 30 minutes during working hours.