Documents Required for Marriage Registration in Delhi: The Complete Checklist

Most delays in Delhi marriage registration have nothing to do with the law and everything to do with documents: a missing proof, a mismatched name, a witness without the right ID. The good news is that the list of documents is fixed and knowable. This guide is the complete checklist, organised by person and by situation, with what each document proves, the alternatives accepted, and the mistakes to avoid. Use it before you apply, and again the night before your appointment.

What the documents have to prove

The Delhi (Compulsory Registration of Marriage) Order, 2014 requires an application with proof of age, solemnisation, identity, residence and citizenship, followed by a personal appearance with witnesses. Every document on this list proves one of those things:

What must be proved	Why it matters
Identity	That you are who you say you are
Age	That the groom was at least 21 and the bride at least 18 on the wedding date
Residence	That the office has jurisdiction
Solemnisation	That the marriage actually took place
Marital status	That neither had a living spouse
Citizenship	That at least one spouse is an Indian citizen
Witnesses’ identity and residence	That the witnesses are genuine and, typically, Delhi residents

Documents for each spouse

1. Identity proof

One of: Aadhaar card, PAN card, passport, voter ID, driving licence, photo ration card, or another government-issued photo ID.

Tip: use the same identity document’s spelling of your name everywhere else in the application.

2. Date of birth proof

One of: birth certificate, Class 10 (matriculation) certificate from a recognised board, passport, Aadhaar showing full date of birth, driving licence, or other accepted proof listed in district guidelines.

Tip: if your documents show different dates of birth, sort it out before applying. See age proof for marriage registration.

3. Address proof

One of: Aadhaar, passport, voter ID, ration card, driving licence, bank passbook, utility bill (electricity, water, gas, landline or postpaid phone), or a registered rent agreement.

Delhi district guidelines ask for address proof of the spouses, and in some cases proof of residence both before and after the marriage.

Tip: at least one spouse’s address must fall within the district you apply to, unless you are applying on the basis of where the marriage took place. See address proof for marriage registration in Delhi.

4. Affidavit

A separate affidavit from each spouse, notarised, on non-judicial e-stamp paper, in the format prescribed by the district guidelines. It typically states:

• the date and place of marriage;
• the deponent’s date of birth;
• marital status at the time of marriage (unmarried, divorced, widowed);
• that the spouses are not related within the prohibited degrees;
• nationality.

See marriage registration affidavit format and e-stamp paper for your affidavit.

5. Photographs

Passport-size photographs of each spouse. Delhi guidelines specify about 5 cm by 4.5 cm (or 2 by 1.75 inches), full face, front view, eyes open, showing the full head from the top of the hair to the shoulders, on a plain white or off-white background, without shadows, sunglasses or hats. See photo rules.

Proof of the marriage (joint)

The marriage officer must be satisfied that the marriage was solemnised. Provide as many of these as you have:

Proof	Notes
Certificate from the priest, temple, gurdwara, mosque (nikahnama), church or other officiant	Required by district guidelines if solemnised at a religious place
Wedding photographs	Showing both spouses during the ceremony
Invitation card	Date and venue
Venue booking receipt	Supports place of marriage

See the priest’s certificate, registration without a wedding card and without wedding photos.

Documents for witnesses

Each witness brings:

• original identity proof (Aadhaar, PAN, voter ID, passport or driving licence);
• original address proof, ideally showing a Delhi address;
• self-attested photocopies;
• passport-size photographs, if the office asks.

You need two witnesses for the Hindu Marriage Act and the Delhi 2014 Order, and three under the Special Marriage Act. See witnesses for marriage registration.

Special-situation documents

Situation	Additional document
A spouse is divorced	Certified copy of the final divorce decree or order
A spouse is widowed	Death certificate of the former spouse
A spouse is a foreign national	Passport, valid visa, and a certificate from the embassy on marital status and nationality
Marriage at a religious place	Certificate from the priest or religious authority
A spouse converted before the marriage	Conversion certificate from the officiating priest or organisation, where relevant
Names differ across documents	One-name affidavit explaining the variation
Court marriage (Special Marriage Act)	Proof of 30 days’ residence in the district for one partner

See documents for divorced applicants, widows and widowers and foreign nationals.

Documents by type of ceremony

The core documents are the same for everyone. What changes with the ceremony is mainly the proof of solemnisation:

Hindu, Jain and Buddhist ceremonies. A certificate from the priest or temple, ideally on letterhead with a stamp and the priest’s contact details, plus photographs of the key rituals such as the pheras around the sacred fire. If the wedding was at home or a banquet hall, ask the priest who conducted it for a signed certificate.

Sikh Anand Karaj. A certificate from the gurdwara naming both spouses, the date of the Anand Karaj and the granthi or official, with the gurdwara’s stamp. See Anand Karaj registration.

Muslim nikah. The nikahnama, which records the parties, the mehr, the witnesses and the qazi. Bring the original and a copy, with a translation if it is in Urdu or Arabic. See Muslim marriage registration.

Christian wedding. The church’s marriage certificate or the certificate issued under the Indian Christian Marriage Act. See Christian marriage registration.

Arya Samaj ceremony. The Arya Samaj mandir’s certificate and photographs. Remember it records the ceremony but is not itself a government registration. See is an Arya Samaj certificate enough?.

Court marriage. No proof of an earlier ceremony is needed, because the court marriage is the ceremony. Instead you need the notice of intended marriage and proof of 30 days’ residence in the district for one partner. See documents for court marriage.

Documents for NRI and foreign-national couples

When one spouse lives abroad or is a foreign citizen, a few documents need extra attention:

• Indian passport is usually the best single document for an NRI spouse, covering identity and date of birth.
• Address proof for an NRI spouse may show a foreign address; jurisdiction will then rest on the other spouse’s Delhi address or the place of marriage.
• A foreign national spouse needs a valid passport and visa, and a certificate from their embassy or consulate on their marital status and nationality, sometimes called a certificate of no impediment.
• Documents in a foreign language need a translation into English or Hindi.
• Documents issued abroad, such as a foreign divorce decree, may need to be apostilled or attested in the country of issue before Indian authorities accept them.

See NRI marriage registration in Delhi and documents when one partner is a foreign national.

How long documents take to obtain

Plan around the slowest document. Typical lead times:

Document	Typical time to obtain
Aadhaar download or reprint	Same day for download; longer for updates
Class 10 certificate duplicate	Weeks, depending on the board
Birth certificate (late or duplicate)	Days to weeks, depending on the municipal body
E-stamp paper and notarisation	Same day
Priest’s certificate	Usually on the wedding day, or within days
Certified copy of divorce decree	Days to weeks, depending on the court
Embassy certificate for a foreign spouse	Varies by embassy; can be weeks
Registered rent agreement	Days, through the sub-registrar process

If one of these is slow, start it first, before anything else.

If your documents are with your family

Sometimes a spouse’s original documents are with parents who do not support the marriage. Most can be replaced or obtained independently:

• Aadhaar: download an e-Aadhaar online with the registered mobile number.
• PAN: download an e-PAN or request a reprint.
• Passport: apply for reissue if the passport is lost or withheld, following the Passport Seva procedure.
• Class 10 certificate: apply to the board for a duplicate or a migration/marks document.
• Birth certificate: apply to the municipal body that registered the birth for a copy.

This can take time, so start early. If you face threats in the process, see police protection for couples.

Attestation: self-attested or gazetted?

Requirements on attestation have varied. Some Delhi district pages ask for identification of the couple and photographs to be attested by a gazetted officer, a PSU officer or another authorised person; others accept self-attested copies with originals for verification. To avoid problems:

• carry originals of everything;
• self-attest every copy (sign and write “self-attested”);
• check your district’s current guidelines, and if they ask for gazetted attestation, get it done in advance.

See attesting documents for marriage registration.

Scanning documents for the online application

• Scan in colour at a readable resolution.
• Include both sides of cards and every page of multi-page documents.
• Keep files within the size limit shown on e-District.
• Name files clearly: groom-age-proof.pdf, bride-address-proof.pdf.
• Open every file before uploading to confirm it is complete and legible.

The most common document mistakes

1. Name spelt differently across Aadhaar, the Class 10 certificate and the wedding card.
2. Different dates of birth on two documents.
3. Address proof in a different district from the one selected.
4. Affidavit not notarised, or on the wrong stamp paper.
5. Wedding date in the affidavit differs from the priest’s certificate.
6. Divorce decree not final, or only an interim order.
7. Witness brings a photocopy instead of the original ID.
8. Blurred phone photos uploaded instead of scans.

Checklist by situation

Standard Hindu Marriage Act or 2014 Order registration

• Identity, age and address proof for both spouses (originals + 2 self-attested sets)
• Two notarised affidavits
• Photographs of both spouses
• Priest’s certificate, wedding photos, invitation card
• Two witnesses with original identity and Delhi address proof
• e-District acknowledgement and fee receipt

Add for court marriage (Special Marriage Act)

• Signed notice of intended marriage
• Proof of 30 days’ residence in the district for one partner
• Third witness on the marriage day

Add for special situations

• Divorce decree / death certificate
• Foreign spouse’s passport, visa and embassy certificate
• One-name affidavit for name variations

A printable version is in our document checklist by situation.

How to organise your file for the appointment

Use a single folder:

1. e-District acknowledgement and fee receipts
2. Groom’s documents
3. Bride’s documents
4. Affidavits
5. Proof of marriage
6. Special-situation documents
7. Witness copies

Keep originals in a separate pouch. On the day, the official can see everything quickly, and nothing gets left behind.

Worked example: a complete file

Riya and Karthik married at a temple in Malviya Nagar. Riya’s documents: passport (identity and age) and Aadhaar with her new South Delhi address. Karthik’s documents: Class 10 certificate, PAN, and Aadhaar with the same address. They have the temple’s certificate on letterhead with a stamped photograph, two ceremony photographs and the invitation card. Both affidavits are notarised on e-stamp paper and give the same wedding date as the temple certificate. Their witnesses, a cousin and a neighbour, both have Aadhaar cards with South Delhi addresses. The appointment takes under an hour.

Worked example: a file that needed fixing

Sana’s Class 10 certificate gave her name as “Sana Parveen”, while her Aadhaar said “Sana Khan”. Her husband’s divorce decree from a previous marriage was an interim order, not the final decree. Before applying, they swore a one-name affidavit for Sana and obtained a certified copy of the final decree from the family court. With those added, their registration went through at the first appointment.

Key terms explained

• Self-attested copy: a photocopy you sign to confirm it is a true copy of your original.
• Notarised affidavit: a sworn statement signed before a notary, who attests it.
• E-stamp paper: non-judicial stamp paper issued electronically.
• Proof of solemnisation: evidence that the marriage ceremony took place.
• Final divorce decree: the court’s final order dissolving a marriage, as opposed to an interim order.

Get your documents checked before you apply

A document check takes minutes and saves weeks. WedProof reviews every document, flags mismatches and tells you exactly what to fix before you submit. Use the form on this page for a free check.