Marriage is the most sanctimonious union between two people; where two people vow to be together for their entire lives. Legally in India, marriage is governed by laws like the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 and the Special Marriage Act, 1954. When you get married, you would want to protect the sanctity of your marriage by every means including legally. Obviously, verbal statement won’t be the evidence. You need proof to support what you’re saying. For this, you need a marriage certificate which works as an evidence of the marriage as well as a notice of the marriage to the world. The judiciary of any country will approve it. In India it means there is a legal approval of your matrimony. If you would have asked for it before 2006, this kind of registration was optional. Now, it is mandatory for every couple who is getting married to get a marriage certificate.
Owing to the absence of clarity with respect to the procedure and records of marriage registration, couples often require different visits to the administration office. Furthermore, numerous couples approach registration agents who are neither dependable, nor financially savvy. During this conjugal euphoria, wouldn't you rather wish to invest your energy with your significant other as opposed to visiting government workplaces for getting your marriage registered?
Following is a breakdown of what all is needed and how and who to approach for a quick, easy and effective marriage registration;
Purpose of Marriage Certificate
A Marriage Certificate is basically an official document that establishes the conjugal/married status of a couple. It is very significant, and useful in giving legal married status to the couple as well as for allied purposes like acquiring a passport, opening a bank account, changing one's original last name, and applying for a salary certificate, in addition to other things. A marriage certificate is basically the lawful proof of marriage.
In India, a marriage can either be registered under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 or under the Special Marriage Act, 1954. The Hindu Marriage Act is relevant to Hindus, though the Special Marriage Act is pertinent to all residents of India independent of their religion. The Hindu Marriage Act accommodates enlistment of and as of now solemnized marriage, and does not accommodate solemnization of a marriage by a Marriage Registrar. Be that as it may, the Special Marriage Act accommodates solemnization of a marriage just as enlistment by a Marriage Officer. To be qualified for marriage in India, the minimum age is 21 years for males and 18 years for females.
Advantages of Marriage Certificate
For application of a passport or opening a bank account after wedding, a Marriage Certificate is required. It is also really supportive in acquiring visas for the couple. Sometimes government offices in India just as in nations outside India, don't perceive conventional marriages, the Marriage Certificate (Marriage Certificate Download) becomes mandatory for the couple to travel abroad utilizing a companion visa. Additionally, it empowers the spouse to get life insurance and access to the bank accounts of their partner in case of a death where no nominee has been chosen.
Who to approach for marriage enrolment?
For marriage registration, you need to approach the office of the Sub Divisional Magistrate, under whose locale the marriage occurred or where both of life partners remained for somewhere around a half year before the marriage.
Appointment
In the case of the Hindu marriage Act, the appointment must be fixed within 15 days of the request, and in the case of Special Marriage Act, it may take as long as 60 days.
Witness
Any individual who has shown up at the marriage registration of the couple can and will be the witness and must have a legitimate PAN Card and a Proof of residence.
Documents Required
You are expected to be ready with certain documents at your registration appointment. These are:
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Completely filled application structure marked by both couples, Proof of Address-Voter ID/Ration Card/Passport, Driving License
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Proof of Date of Birth of the couple
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Two passport-sized photographs
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1 marriage photo
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Separate Marriage Affidavits in endorsed group from Husband and Wife and an Aadhaar Card.
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Marriage Invitation Card
All reports must be properly self-attested (i.e. signed) by you and your spouse
Tatkal Marriage Registration
The process of getting a marriage certificate could be time-consuming; because of which people used to face delays in their joining in the USA or any place abroad. If you are in a hurry and you require your marriage certificate urgently and are on the spur of the moment, for example because of a call of a visa requirement or any legal claim, you can also register your marriage in Tatkal just like people book trains in Tatkal. Therefore, the Revenue Department of the Delhi government in 2014 became a competent authority to issue the certificate in an emergency. It takes just 24 hours to conduct a single-day authorization. The marriage registration is on top priority for it.
How much fee should you pay to register your marriage?
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Under the Hindu Marriage Act: The fee varies from place to place. Mostly, it takes just INR 100 for registering it.
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Under the Special Marriage Act: Presently, under the statute, the civic body charges INR 150 for issuing this certificate.
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Tatkal Marriage Registration: The revenue department charges INR 10,000 for the certificate to be delivered in a single day.
Online marriage registration
You can also register your marriage by applying for your marriage certificate online by following some very simple steps as following;
Select your district and continue ->Fill in husband’s details and choose “Registration of Marriage Certificate”->Fill in Marriage Certificate form and choose date of appointment->Click “Submit Application”
After registration, you would receive a number printed on the acknowledgement slip and the corresponding application form is complete. Take a printout of acknowledgement slip as well as the application form.
Inter-caste Marriage Registration
Special Marriage Act, 1954 is an act which facilitates for registering inter-caste marriages so if you and your spouse belong to different castes, you can approach this statute and requirements therein for obtaining your marriage certificate.
Persons belonging to different relations and faiths can have their marriages solemnized under this Act. Marriages performed under other forms can also be registered under this Act by following the below mentioned steps:
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The couple that wants to register their marriage needs to pull out a hard copy in Triplicate in structures under Section 5 to the marriage officer of the District where the marriage ceremony has taken place or where the couple lives, within 30 days of the ceremony.
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After the receipt of the notice, the marriage officer will enter a genuine duplicate and will distribute the notice and furthermore observe that the notice is distributed in the workplace of the marriage Register in whose District where the couple lives.
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After the expiry of 30 days of the notice, the Sub-Registrar will register the marriage after the Bridegroom and Bride sign a revelation in the presence of three witnesses and they should express in a known language that the other will be the legitimate spouse. The couple can pick something like trading the Garlands and observe the process.
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After this procedure the marriage is regarded to have been solemnized and the marriage officer will enter the marriage in the register of marriages mentioning the name of the couple and the witnesses.
Marriage registration after 5 years
There is no time bar for you to get your marriage registered. It can happen for you right after marriage or even after 5-10 years of getting hitched. The procedure remains the same. However it is advised to get it done as soon as possible to avoid any emergency situation that can occur in the future Also the documents like wedding invitation card etc. would be more handy if you opt for registration right after the marriage ceremony.
Conclusion
Getting a marriage certificate includes number of steps. It is a necessary and legally mandated process. There are some essential documents and formalities involved in it which are mentioned above. Law has tried to make this an encompassing process including inter-caste marriages and also have made it easy by including online registration process.
