The Marriage Registration Document Checklist by Situation

This page is designed to be printed or saved on your phone and ticked off as you pack your folder. It brings together everything from our document guides into checklists by situation. Start with the core list, then add the section that matches your case.

Core checklist: every registration

For each spouse:

• Identity proof: Aadhaar, PAN, passport, voter ID or driving licence
• Date of birth proof: birth certificate, Class 10 certificate, passport, or Aadhaar with full date of birth
• Address proof matching the district: Aadhaar, passport, voter ID, utility bill, bank passbook or registered rent agreement
• Notarised affidavit on e-stamp paper
• Four passport-size photographs (plain white or off-white background)

Joint:

• e-District application acknowledgement
• Fee payment receipt
• Two self-attested sets of all copies

Witnesses (two, each):

• Original identity proof
• Original address proof, ideally showing a Delhi address
• Self-attested copies
• Two passport-size photographs (in case the office asks)

Add for registering a marriage that already took place

(Hindu Marriage Act or Delhi 2014 Order)

• Certificate from the priest, temple, gurdwara (Anand Karaj), mosque (nikahnama) or church
• One or two photographs of the ceremony showing both spouses
• Wedding invitation card, if available
• Venue receipt or other supporting proof, if useful

See how to register your marriage in Delhi.

Add for court marriage (Special Marriage Act)

Notice visit:

• Notice of intended marriage, signed by both
• Proof that one partner has lived in the district for at least 30 days
• Affidavits on marital status, age, nationality and prohibited degrees

Marriage day:

• Third witness (three in total), each with originals
• Notice acknowledgement and fee receipts
• Additional fee receipt if marrying outside the office

See documents for court marriage.

Add for Tatkal

Nothing extra. Tatkal uses the same documents. Make sure everything is ready before paying the Tatkal fee. See Tatkal documents.

Add if a spouse was divorced

• Certified copy of the final divorce decree
• Proof that the decree is final, if relevant
• Affidavit stating the court, case number and decree date

See documents for divorced applicants.

Add if a spouse was widowed

• Death certificate of the former spouse (original or certified copy)
• Affidavit stating the previous marriage and date of death

See documents for widows and widowers.

Add if a spouse is a foreign national

• Valid passport (original and copy)
• Valid Indian visa (copy)
• Embassy or consulate certificate of marital status and nationality
• Translations of non-English documents
• Authenticated foreign documents (apostille or consular attestation), if any

See documents when one partner is a foreign national.

Add if a spouse is an NRI

• Indian passport (identity and age)
• Overseas address proof, if relevant
• Travel plan allowing both spouses to attend in person
• Plan for apostille if the certificate will be used abroad

See NRI marriage registration in Delhi.

Add for an old marriage

• Any surviving wedding photographs
• Children’s birth certificates naming both parents
• Joint bank, property or rent documents
• Old documents listing the spouse (passport, ration card)
• Witnesses who attended or have long known you as a married couple

See registering an old marriage.

Add if names or dates differ across documents

• One-name affidavit explaining name variations
• Explanation of date-of-birth discrepancies in the affidavit
• Corrected documents, where possible

See name mismatch in documents.

The night-before check

• Witnesses confirmed, with photos of their packed originals
• Every original in a separate pouch
• Copies in a folder in this order: acknowledgement and receipts; groom; bride; affidavits; proof of marriage; special documents; witnesses
• Route and travel time to the SDM office planned
• Phone charged; water and snacks packed

How to use these checklists

1. Print the core checklist and the section for your situation.
2. Tick items as you collect them.
3. Lay out each document next to your affidavit and check that names and dates match.
4. Pack originals and copies separately.
5. Take the checklist with you to the appointment.

Why each core item is on the list

It helps to understand why each item is there, so that you can judge substitutes sensibly:

• Identity proof lets the officer confirm that the people standing in front of them are the people named in the application. Any government photo ID is acceptable; consistency of the name matters more than which card you use.
• Date of birth proof establishes that the groom was at least 21 and the bride at least 18 on the wedding date. A full date of birth is essential; a year alone is weak.
• Address proof decides which SDM office has jurisdiction. If none of your address proofs falls in the district you selected, the application can be rejected even if everything else is perfect.
• Affidavits are your sworn statements of the facts. They tie the other documents together into one story.
• Photographs identify you and, in the case of ceremony photos, show that the wedding took place.
• Proof of marriage (for registrations of existing marriages) shows the ceremony happened on the date and at the place you state.
• Witnesses confirm the marriage in person. Their documents prove who they are and, typically, that they live in Delhi.
• The acknowledgement and receipt let the office find your application and confirm payment.

Substitutes that usually work

If you lack	Use instead
Birth certificate	Class 10 certificate, passport or Aadhaar with full date of birth
Address proof in your name	Registered rent agreement, or your spouse’s address proof for jurisdiction
Wedding card	Priest’s certificate, photos, witnesses
Wedding photos	Priest’s certificate, witnesses who attended, supporting receipts
Original divorce decree	Certified copy from the court
Death certificate	Copy from the registrar of deaths

The three checks that matter most

Most delays come from three checks that a checklist alone cannot do:

1. Consistency. Do names, dates of birth and the wedding date match across every document?
2. Jurisdiction. Does at least one address proof fall in the district you selected, or does the place of marriage?
3. Eligibility. Did both spouses meet the age and other conditions on the wedding date?

If any answer is “not sure”, get the file checked before you apply.

Worked example

Kunal, previously divorced, is registering his marriage to Shalini under the Hindu Marriage Act. They use the core checklist, add the “registering a marriage that took place” section, and the “divorced” section for Kunal’s final decree. Shalini’s Aadhaar spells her name slightly differently from her Class 10 certificate, so they add a one-name affidavit. On the night before, they confirm both witnesses and pack the folder in order. The appointment is completed in under an hour.

After the appointment

Keep your folder together until you have downloaded and checked the certificate. If the office asks for anything further, you will have everything in one place. Once the certificate is issued, file the folder with your important papers; you may need the affidavits or proofs again for apostille, passport or visa applications.

One-line takeaway

Core documents for both spouses, proof of the marriage, two (or three) prepared witnesses, and the extras for your situation, all consistent with each other.

Key terms explained

• Self-attested set: a full set of photocopies you have signed as true copies.
• Acknowledgement: the e-District confirmation of your application, with its number.
• One-name affidavit: an affidavit linking variations of a name to the same person.
• Jurisdiction: the authority of the district office to register your marriage.

Get your checklist checked

WedProof reviews your documents against these checklists and the three critical checks, so your appointment is completed in one visit. Start with a free check using the form on this page.