Photo Rules for Marriage Registration: Size and Format

Photographs seem like the easiest part of marriage registration, until one is rejected for a shadow, a smile or the wrong background. Delhi’s guidelines set out specific photo rules, and the marriage officer compares your photograph with your face and your identity documents. This guide sets out the passport-photo specifications, explains which wedding photographs to submit as proof of the ceremony, and gives practical tips for both printed and digital photos.

Two kinds of photographs

Marriage registration in Delhi uses two kinds of photographs:

1. Passport-size photographs of each spouse, used for identification and on the certificate record.
2. Wedding photographs, used as evidence that the marriage ceremony took place.

They have different purposes and different rules.

Passport-size photo specifications

Delhi district guidelines describe the photograph as follows:

Specification	Requirement
Size	Passport size, about 5 cm × 4.5 cm, or 2 × 1.75 inches
View	Full face, front view
Eyes	Open
Framing	Full head, from the top of the hair to the bottom of the shoulders
Background	Plain white or off-white
Shadows	None on the face or background
Expression	Natural, mouth closed
Not allowed	Sunglasses, hats

Tips for a photo that passes first time

• Use a studio that knows passport photo standards.
• Face the camera directly, shoulders square.
• Keep hair away from the eyes.
• Avoid heavy make-up or reflective jewellery that causes glare.
• Use even lighting to avoid shadows.
• Remove spectacles if the glass reflects light.
• Get recent photos, taken within the last few months, so they look like you.
• Order extra copies: at least four each.

Digital photos for e-District

For online applications, you upload digital photographs. Follow the format and file-size limits shown on e-District. Practical tips:

• Crop to head and shoulders, keeping the background plain.
• Keep the image sharp; do not over-compress.
• Upload a JPG unless the portal asks otherwise.
• Check the photo after upload to confirm it displays correctly.

If you apply through a Citizen Service Centre, the operator may take your photo there. Check it on the screen before it is uploaded. See registering through a Citizen Service Centre.

Wedding photographs as proof of the ceremony

District guidelines ask for photographs of the marriage ceremony, often attested in the same way as other photos. The aim is to show that the wedding took place with both of you present. Choose:

• one or two photos showing both spouses clearly during a key ritual, such as at the mandap, around the sacred fire, at the gurdwara during the laavan, or at the nikah;
• photos where both faces are visible;
• printed copies (postcard size works well) plus digital copies for upload.

Avoid group photos where the couple is hard to see, and reception photos that do not show the ceremony.

If you have no wedding photographs

Some couples, especially those who married quietly at a temple or years ago, have few or no photos. A priest’s certificate, affidavits and witnesses who attended can still establish the marriage. See registering without wedding photos.

Attestation of photographs

Some Delhi district pages ask for identification of the couple, with attested photographs, by a gazetted officer, a PSU officer or a person holding a PAN; others accept self-attested photos. Follow your district’s current guidelines. See attesting documents for marriage registration.

Common photo problems

Problem	Why it is rejected	Fix
Coloured or patterned background	Not plain white/off-white	Retake at a studio
Shadow behind head	Shadows not allowed	Even lighting
Smiling with teeth showing	Natural closed-mouth expression required	Retake
Sunglasses or tinted glasses	Not allowed	Remove
Cap or hat	Not allowed	Remove (religious head coverings that do not hide the face are usually fine)
Old photo	Does not look like you	Use a recent photo
Blurred digital upload	Cannot verify	Upload a sharper image

Taking your passport photo at home: a checklist

If you cannot get to a studio, you can take a usable photo at home, but be strict:

1. Stand in front of a plain white or off-white wall, about half a metre away from it, so your shadow does not fall on it.
2. Use soft daylight from a window in front of you, not behind you or overhead.
3. Ask someone to hold the phone at your eye level, about a metre away, and take the photo straight on.
4. Keep your face relaxed and mouth closed, eyes open, looking at the lens.
5. Crop so the head from the top of the hair to the shoulders fills most of the frame.
6. Print at the right size at a photo shop, matte or glossy, about 5 cm × 4.5 cm.

Compare the result with your passport photo. If it looks less clear, go to a studio; it costs little and avoids a rejection.

Wedding photos: what makes them useful as evidence

A good evidence photo answers three questions at a glance: Is this a wedding? Are both of these people the couple applying? Did it happen at the place and time claimed? So choose photos that show a recognisable ritual moment, both faces clearly, and ideally something that places the photo, such as the mandap, the gurdwara interior or the venue’s decoration. If your photographer’s files include date information, keep the original digital files; they can help if the date is ever questioned.

Photographs for witnesses

Some offices ask witnesses for passport-size photos as well. Ask your witnesses to carry two each, meeting the same rules.

Worked example

Meenal and Rohit had studio passport photos taken a week before their registration: white background, no glasses, natural expression, and four copies each. For proof of the ceremony, they printed two photos from the pheras where both faces were clear. They uploaded digital versions to e-District and carried the prints to the appointment. Nothing was questioned.

Photos for special cases

Foreign national spouse. The same specifications apply. If the spouse’s passport photo is recent and meets the rules, a print of the same photo is ideal for consistency.

Old marriages. Recent passport photos are needed for identification, even though the wedding photos will be old. Older wedding photos can be scanned rather than handed over in original.

Court marriage. Passport photos are needed at the notice stage and sometimes on the marriage day. There are no prior ceremony photos to submit, since the court marriage is the ceremony; many couples take photos at the office afterwards as a keepsake.

Key terms explained

• Passport-size photograph: an identification photo of about 5 cm × 4.5 cm.
• Proof of ceremony photograph: a photo showing both spouses during the wedding ritual.
• Attestation: signature and seal of an authorised person confirming a photo is of the applicant, where the district requires it.
• e-District upload: digital submission of photos for online applications.

Quick checklist

Plain white background, full face, eyes open, mouth closed, no sunglasses or hat, head and shoulders in frame, recent, four copies each, plus one or two clear ceremony photos.

Get it right the first time

Photo problems are small but can cost you a second visit. WedProof checks your photos and documents together before you apply. Start with a free check using the form on this page.