Documents Required for Marriage Registration in India 2026

Note: This is general guidance for 2026, not legal advice. Marriage registration in India is governed by central Acts but administered state by state, so forms, fees and timelines vary. Always confirm the current process on the official state portal or with your local Sub-Registrar or Marriage Officer, and consult a lawyer for your specific situation.

The core checklist for both spouses

Across states and both Acts, each spouse typically provides:

• Proof of date of birth (age): passport, birth certificate, 10th-standard (matriculation) marksheet or certificate, or another accepted age document. The groom must be 21 and the bride 18.
• Proof of address: Aadhaar card, voter ID, passport, driving licence or a recent utility bill or rent agreement.
• Identity proof: Aadhaar, PAN, passport or voter ID.
• Passport-size photographs: usually two to four each, sometimes a joint photograph.
• Application or memorandum form, completed and signed.
• Affidavit stating date and place of marriage, marital status, nationality and that the parties are not within the prohibited degrees of relationship.

Extra documents for a Hindu Marriage Act registration

Because a religious wedding has taken place, registrars usually ask for proof of the ceremony:

• The wedding invitation card.
• A certificate from the priest or temple who solemnised the marriage.
• Sometimes wedding photographs.

See our Hindu Marriage Act registration guide for the full process.

Extra documents for a Special Marriage Act marriage

For a civil marriage under the Special Marriage Act 1954:

• Proof that one party has resided in the district for at least 30 days before filing the notice.
• The signed notice of intended marriage.
• Affidavits in the form the Marriage Officer requires.

No priest certificate is needed because there is no religious ceremony.

Witnesses

Witnesses must attend in person with their own documents. A Hindu Marriage Act registration usually needs two witnesses; a Special Marriage Act solemnisation needs three. Each witness brings a photo ID and address proof, and is often someone who attended the wedding. Arrange your witnesses early so the appointment is not delayed.

Documents for remarriage, NRIs and foreign nationals

If either party was previously married, add the divorce decree (final order) or the death certificate of the previous spouse. NRIs and foreign nationals add a valid passport and visa, proof of marital status from their country where required, and sometimes a no-objection or single-status certificate; documents issued abroad may need apostille or attestation. Our NRI marriage registration guide covers this in detail.

How documents differ by state

The central Acts are uniform, but each state prescribes its own forms, affidavit formats and accepted proofs, and some require self-attested copies plus originals for verification. Telangana, Maharashtra, Delhi and others publish the list on their portals. Check the current checklist for your state, linked from our marriage registration in India pillar and the state guides.

Tips to avoid delays

The most common reasons appointments are turned away are name spellings that do not match across documents, address proofs in an old address, missing the priest certificate for a Hindu marriage, and witnesses arriving without ID. Make a single folder with originals and two sets of self-attested copies, check that names and dates match exactly across every document, and confirm the office’s current list before you travel.

Formats, copies and self-attestation

Beyond which documents you need, how you present them matters. Most offices want the originals for verification plus one or two sets of self-attested photocopies that you sign across. Names, dates of birth and parentage should match exactly across every document; a mismatch between, say, your Aadhaar and your passport is one of the most common reasons an application is held up, and is best corrected before you apply. Photographs are usually recent passport-size, sometimes with a specific count and occasionally a joint photo of the couple. Affidavits must be on the correct stamp value and notarised. Documents in another language may need a certified translation, and documents issued abroad usually need apostille or attestation. Build a single folder with originals and copies in the order the office lists them, and you will move through verification quickly.

State registration guides

• marriage registration in Madhya Pradesh
• marriage registration in Bihar
• marriage registration in Odisha
• marriage registration in Himachal Pradesh
• marriage registration in Gujarat

Registration by state: read about registering a marriage in Haryana.

The master document matrix, by route

The core set is the same everywhere. What changes is the proof of ceremony, which depends
on the Act you are registering under.

The three document problems that cause most rejections

Name mismatches. The most common by a wide margin. Aadhaar says one thing,
the passport another, the matriculation certificate a third, or one document carries an
initial the others expand. Offices will not simply overlook this. Reconcile the documents
first, or carry an affidavit explaining the variation, and make sure the name you want on the
certificate is the one you can evidence.

Address proof that does not match the office. Jurisdiction follows the
address. A utility bill in a landlord’s name proves the landlord lives there, not you. A
rental agreement in your name, an Aadhaar with the current address, or a bank statement to
that address is what the counter wants.

Affidavits in the wrong format. Formats differ by state and sometimes by
office. A generic affidavit downloaded from the internet is frequently returned. Ask the
office, or the state portal, for the format it accepts before you pay a notary.

What to carry on the day

Originals plus one clear photocopy of every document, the photographs, your witnesses with
their own original ID, and the appointment confirmation. Offices generally keep the copies and
return the originals the same day. Do not assume there is a working copier on site, especially
outside the major cities.

Also on Velvet Knot: what marriage registration actually costs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What documents are required to register a marriage in India?

For both spouses: age proof, address proof, identity proof, passport-size photographs, an application form and an affidavit, plus witnesses with ID. A Hindu marriage adds proof of the wedding; a Special Marriage Act marriage adds proof of 30-day residence.

What age proof is accepted for marriage registration?

Commonly a passport, birth certificate, or 10th-standard marksheet or certificate. The groom must be 21 and the bride 18.

Do witnesses need documents?

Yes. Each witness must bring a valid photo identity and address proof and attend in person. A Hindu marriage usually needs two witnesses and a Special Marriage Act marriage needs three.

What extra documents do NRIs need to register a marriage?

A valid passport and visa, proof of marital status where required, and sometimes a single-status or no-objection certificate. Documents issued abroad may need apostille or attestation.

Do remarriages need extra documents?

Yes. Add the final divorce decree or the death certificate of the previous spouse to prove you are free to marry.

Is a priest’s certificate needed for marriage registration?

For a Hindu Marriage Act registration, most registrars ask for proof of the ceremony such as a priest or temple certificate and the invitation. It is not needed for a Special Marriage Act civil marriage.

Sources and further reading

• National Portal of India (india.gov.in)
• India Code: central Acts (Ministry of Law and Justice)
• Velvet Knot: Special Marriage Act 1954
• Velvet Knot: Hindu Marriage Act registration

Wedding paperwork: marriage registration online.