Marriage registration is the legal process of officially recognizing a marriage under the laws of a country or state. In India, registering a marriage provides legal proof of the union, which is important for various purposes such as inheritance, applying for visas, social security, and ensuring legal rights in cases of divorce or separation.
In India, marriages can be registered under two major acts:
- Hindu Marriage Act, 1955: For Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs.
- Special Marriage Act, 1954: For inter-religious or inter-caste marriages and for people who do not wish to marry under religious laws.
Steps for Marriage Registration:
1. Eligibility:
- Age: The bride must be at least 18 years old, and the groom must be at least 21 years old.
- Consent: Both parties must voluntarily agree to the marriage.
- Monogamy: Neither party should have a living spouse at the time of marriage.
2. Documents Required:
The following documents are generally required for marriage registration:
- Application form: Signed by both the bride and groom.
- Age proof: Birth certificates, school leaving certificates, or any government-issued ID (e.g., Aadhar card, passport).
- Address proof: Documents like voter ID, Aadhar card, or utility bills.
- Photographs: Passport-sized photos of the bride and groom.
- Witnesses: Three witnesses are required, who also need to submit identity and address proofs.
- Marriage invitation card (optional in some states).
- Affidavit: Declaring the marriage, including marital status and nationality of both parties.
- Marriage certificate: If the marriage was already solemnized under religious rituals, a proof of the solemnized marriage may be required.
3. Procedure for Registration Under Hindu Marriage Act, 1955:
If the marriage has already been solemnized under religious rites, the steps to register the marriage are:
- Fill out the application form available at the sub-registrar’s office.
- Submit the application form along with the required documents, such as age proof, address proof, and photographs.
- Appear before the marriage registrar along with three witnesses.
- After verifying the documents and ensuring all conditions are met, the registrar will issue a marriage certificate.
4. Procedure for Registration Under Special Marriage Act, 1954:
For marriages under this act, there is a 30-day notice period before the marriage can be registered. Here are the steps:
- Submit a notice of intended marriage to the marriage officer (sub-registrar) in the jurisdiction where at least one party has resided for 30 days prior to submitting the notice.
- The notice is published on the notice board of the sub-registrar’s office for 30 days. If no objections are raised within this period, the marriage can proceed.
- After 30 days, both parties must appear before the marriage officer along with three witnesses for the marriage to be solemnized and registered.
- The registrar issues a marriage certificate after the solemnization of the marriage.