Marriage Registration Under the Hindu Marriage Act in Delhi

For most Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist couples in Delhi, the Hindu Marriage Act route is the simplest way to get a marriage certificate. It has no notice period and no objection window, and the paperwork is straightforward. It does, however, have firm eligibility rules, and choosing it when you do not qualify is a common reason for rejected applications.

What Section 8 of the Hindu Marriage Act says

Section 8 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 allows state governments to make rules for registering Hindu marriages, so that the marriage can be proved easily. The particulars of the marriage are entered in a Hindu Marriage Register, and certified extracts of that register are what most people call the marriage certificate.

Two features of Section 8 are often misunderstood:

1. Registration proves the marriage; it does not create it. A Hindu marriage comes into existence when the ceremonies are performed. Section 8(5) says that failing to register does not affect the validity of the marriage.
2. States can make registration compulsory. Delhi has done so through the Delhi (Compulsory Registration of Marriage) Order, 2014, which requires marriages solemnised in Delhi to be registered within 60 days.

So while your marriage is valid without registration, Delhi law still expects you to register it, and almost every practical use, from passports to visas, needs the certificate.

Who can register under the Hindu Marriage Act

You qualify if:

• Both spouses are Hindus in the legal sense. The Act covers Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs, and anyone who is not a Muslim, Christian, Parsi or Jew by religion, unless proved otherwise.
• The marriage was performed by the customary rites of either party. For most Hindu weddings this includes saptapadi, the seven steps around the sacred fire.
• The conditions in Section 5 were met on the wedding date. Neither had a living spouse, both could give valid consent, the groom was 21 and the bride 18, and the couple were not within prohibited degrees or sapindas of each other unless custom allowed it.
• You apply in the right district. In Delhi you apply to the marriage officer of the district where either spouse lives.

The Delhi guidelines also expect the couple to have been living together as husband and wife after the marriage.

If one spouse is Muslim, Christian, Parsi or Jewish, this route is not available. Use the Delhi 2014 Order or the Special Marriage Act instead; our inter-religion marriage guide explains which.

Documents for Hindu Marriage Act registration in Delhi

The district offices ask for:

Document	Notes
Application form signed by both spouses	Filled online on e-District
Date of birth proof for both	Birth certificate, Class 10 certificate or passport
Address proof for both	Aadhaar, voter ID, passport, driving licence, ration card or utility bill
Separate affidavits from husband and wife	Date and place of marriage, dates of birth, marital status, not within prohibited degrees, citizenship
Passport-size photographs	Two each, plain light background
Wedding photograph	Showing the ceremony with both spouses
Wedding invitation card	If available
Priest’s certificate	If the marriage was solemnised at a temple or religious place
Divorce decree or death certificate	If either spouse was previously married
Witness ID and address proof	For each of the two witnesses

Some offices ask for identification of the couple and photographs to be attested by a gazetted officer or another authorised person. Check the current requirement for your district. Our document checklist covers the alternatives for each item.

Step-by-step process

1. Confirm eligibility using the conditions above.
2. Prepare affidavits for both spouses on e-stamp paper and get them notarised.
3. Apply on the e-District portal, selecting registration under the Hindu Marriage Act and the district where either of you lives.
4. Upload documents and photographs, then pay the government fee.
5. Send the original affidavits to the SDM office with your application number, if you applied online.
6. Attend the appointment with both spouses, two witnesses and all originals.
7. Sign the register in front of the marriage officer once verification is complete.
8. Download the certificate from e-District after approval.

Because there is no notice period, the registration is usually completed on the appointment day itself once the officer is satisfied with the documents.

Witnesses

You need two adult witnesses who attended the wedding or can vouch for it. Each must bring original identity and address proof. Delhi offices commonly look for witnesses with a Delhi address, and some guidelines describe this as permanent Delhi residence. Friends, relatives or colleagues can all serve as witnesses. Parents can be witnesses too. See witnesses for marriage registration for details.

Fees and time

Delhi district offices have listed a fee of ₹100 for registration under the Hindu Marriage Act. Fee figures online vary, so rely on the amount shown on e-District at payment. If you need the certificate urgently, Delhi’s Tatkal facility prioritises your application for an additional fee; read Tatkal registration in Delhi.

If you apply after 60 days of the wedding, the Delhi 2014 Order’s late fee and penalty provisions may apply. See late registration.

Hindu Marriage Act versus the Delhi 2014 Order

Many Hindu couples could register under either. The practical differences are small:

Point	Hindu Marriage Act (Section 8)	Delhi 2014 Order
Who can use it	Both spouses Hindu, Sikh, Jain or Buddhist	Any couple married in Delhi
Where the marriage took place	Need not be in Delhi if you live there	Must be solemnised in Delhi
Witnesses	2	2
Waiting period	None	None
Typical use	Hindu couples living in Delhi	Couples of any religion married in Delhi

If your wedding happened outside Delhi but you live in Delhi, the Hindu Marriage Act route is usually the one that fits. See married outside Delhi.

Common problems and how to fix them

No wedding card or photographs. Neither is strictly essential. A priest’s certificate, affidavits and witnesses who attended the wedding can establish the marriage. See registration without a wedding card.

Different spellings across documents. Fix the source document if you can, or add a one-name affidavit explaining that both spellings refer to the same person. Read name mismatch in documents.

Arya Samaj certificate only. An Arya Samaj certificate records a ceremony; it is not a government registration. You still need to register the marriage with the SDM. See is an Arya Samaj certificate enough?.

Married years ago. You can still register under Section 8. Expect to provide stronger proof of the marriage, such as old photographs, children’s birth certificates listing both parents, or joint documents. See registering an old marriage.

One spouse converted before the wedding. If one spouse converted to Hinduism before the marriage, the office may ask for proof of conversion, such as a certificate from the officiating priest or organisation. Get legal advice if the conversion is recent or disputed.

Is the certificate enough to prove the marriage?

The certificate is strong evidence that the marriage was registered. Courts have made clear, however, that registration alone does not prove a valid Hindu marriage if the ceremonies were never performed. In 2024 the Supreme Court said that a Hindu marriage requires the customary rites, such as saptapadi where applicable, and a certificate issued without a ceremony does not create a marriage. This matters in disputes, not in ordinary registration, but it is a good reason to keep photographs and the priest’s certificate safely. Read saptapadi and a valid Hindu marriage.

What the certificate shows

A Delhi marriage certificate issued after Hindu Marriage Act registration records the names of both spouses, their ages or dates of birth, their addresses, the date and place of the marriage, the Act under which the marriage was registered, the registration number and the date of registration, with the marriage officer’s digital signature. Check each field the day you download it:

• Names should match your passports if you plan to travel or apply for a visa.
• The date of marriage should match your affidavits and wedding card, not the date of registration.
• The Act should read Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. Embassies sometimes ask under which law a marriage was registered.

If anything is wrong, apply for correction promptly through the same SDM office; see correcting a mistake on your Delhi marriage certificate.

Hindu Marriage Act registration for NRI couples

If one or both spouses live abroad, Section 8 registration in Delhi is still possible provided the residence and jurisdiction rules are met, for example because one spouse has a Delhi address. Both spouses normally need to appear in person, so plan the appointment around a visit to India. Once registered, a certificate for use abroad usually needs an apostille. See NRI marriage registration in Delhi and apostille for a Delhi marriage certificate.

Get it right the first time

The Hindu Marriage Act route is quick when your eligibility is clear and your documents match each other. WedProof checks your papers for free and tells you whether Section 8 or another route fits your situation before you book an appointment.