E-Stamp Paper for Your Marriage Affidavit in Delhi

Every marriage registration affidavit in Delhi starts with a small but essential piece of paper: the e-stamp certificate. It shows that the stamp duty on the affidavit has been paid, and the marriage officer expects to see it. Buying one is easy, but couples still make avoidable mistakes, like buying the wrong value, buying one for both spouses, or writing the wrong name. This guide explains what e-stamp paper is, what value you need, where to buy it, and how to use it correctly.

What e-stamp paper is

Stamp duty is a tax paid on certain documents, including affidavits. Delhi collects non-judicial stamp duty through electronic stamping (e-stamping). Instead of the old printed stamp papers, you buy an e-stamp certificate, a computer-generated certificate with a unique number showing that duty has been paid. Your affidavit is then printed on, or attached to, this certificate.

What value you need

Delhi district guidelines for marriage registration refer to the affidavit being on ₹10 non-judicial e-stamp paper. Check your district’s current guidelines before buying. If in doubt, ask the notary, who handles these every day.

How many you need

You need one e-stamp per affidavit, and Delhi asks for separate affidavits from husband and wife. So buy two, one in each spouse’s name.

Where to buy

• Authorised e-stamp collection centres, often near courts, sub-registrar offices and notaries’ offices.
• Online, through Delhi’s official e-stamping system, where you pay and print the certificate yourself.
• Through your notary or a nearby vendor, who can arrange the certificate as part of the affidavit process.

Details to fill when buying

When buying an e-stamp for an affidavit, you will typically be asked for:

Field	What to enter
Purchaser	The spouse who will sign the affidavit
First party	The same spouse (the deponent)
Second party	Often left blank or “Not applicable” for an affidavit
Article / description	Affidavit
Purpose	Marriage registration
Stamp duty amount	As required (₹10 per guidelines)

Check spellings carefully; the name should match the deponent’s identity documents.

Printing the affidavit

The affidavit text is printed on the e-stamp certificate, or on plain paper attached to it, according to the notary’s practice. Make sure:

• the deponent’s name and details match the e-stamp certificate;
• the affidavit is complete before you sign;
• there are no handwritten corrections.

See marriage registration affidavit format.

Notarisation

Take the printed affidavit and your identity proof to a notary public. Sign the affidavit in the notary’s presence. The notary will attest it with their seal, signature and register entry. See attesting documents.

Online applications

For online applications on e-District, upload a scan of the notarised affidavit, including the e-stamp certificate, and send or hand in the original to the SDM office with your application number, as Delhi guidelines require.

Why stamp duty applies to an affidavit at all

Couples are sometimes surprised that a simple sworn statement attracts stamp duty. Under stamp law, many instruments, including affidavits, carry a small duty, and paying it is part of what makes the document acceptable to public offices. For a marriage registration affidavit the amount is small, but an affidavit without the right stamp may be returned. Paying the correct duty through an e-stamp certificate removes that risk at almost no cost.

How to check that an e-stamp certificate is genuine

Because e-stamp certificates carry a unique identification number, they can be verified. The official e-stamping system lets you check a certificate’s details using its number. If you bought the certificate from a vendor, take a minute to verify that the number, the amount and the names match what you asked for. Officials at the SDM office can also verify certificates, and a certificate that does not verify will create unnecessary delay.

Storing and sending the original

For online applications, the original notarised affidavit with its e-stamp certificate must reach the SDM office. Before you hand it in or post it:

• scan both pages in colour and keep the scans;
• write your application number on a covering note, not on the affidavit itself;
• if posting, use registered or speed post and keep the receipt and tracking number;
• if handing it in, ask for an acknowledgement or note the date and the official’s name.

E-stamp for court marriage affidavits

If your district asks for affidavits with a Special Marriage Act notice, the same principle applies: one e-stamp certificate per affidavit, in the deponent’s name, of the value required. The notice of intended marriage and the declaration on the marriage day are forms set out in the Act and are not themselves printed on e-stamp paper.

Common mistakes

• Buying one e-stamp for both spouses instead of one each.
• Wrong name on the e-stamp certificate.
• Wrong value of stamp duty.
• Using an old physical stamp paper.
• Signing the affidavit before reaching the notary.
• Handwritten corrections on the printed affidavit.

A step-by-step routine that works

Most couples find this routine smooth:

1. Draft both affidavits on a computer using the format in your district’s guidelines, with names, dates and addresses copied exactly from your documents.
2. Visit a notary’s office with both spouses and your identity documents. Many notaries’ offices sit near e-stamp vendors or arrange the certificate themselves.
3. Buy two e-stamp certificates of the required value, one in each spouse’s name, with “Affidavit” as the description.
4. Print each affidavit on or with its e-stamp certificate.
5. Read each one aloud to check for typing errors before signing.
6. Sign before the notary, who attests each affidavit.
7. Scan both for your online application and keep the originals safe for the SDM office.

The whole routine usually takes under an hour if your drafts are ready.

Cost

The stamp duty itself is small. Vendors and notaries may charge a modest service fee for arranging the certificate and printing. Notarisation fees vary between notaries. Ask for the total before you start and keep receipts.

Worked example

Riya and Abhishek buy two ₹10 e-stamp certificates at a centre near the Saket court complex, one in each name, with “Affidavit” as the description and “Marriage registration” as the purpose. The notary’s clerk prints their affidavits on the certificates. They sign before the notary, who attests them. They upload scans to e-District and hand the originals to the South Delhi SDM office the same day.

One-line takeaway

Two e-stamp certificates of the required value, one in each spouse’s name, each carrying a correctly worded affidavit signed before a notary.

Key terms explained

• Non-judicial stamp duty: stamp duty on documents other than court fees.
• E-stamp certificate: an electronic certificate showing stamp duty has been paid.
• Deponent: the person who swears the affidavit.
• Notary public: the official who attests the affidavit.

Let us handle the affidavits

WedProof drafts both affidavits to match your documents, arranges the e-stamp and coordinates notarisation, so the paperwork is right the first time.