Every year thousands of couples in Delhi marry before a Marriage Officer instead of, or in addition to, a religious ceremony: inter-faith couples, couples whose families object, NRIs and foreign nationals, and couples who simply want a quick, legally clean marriage with an official certificate. This guide explains the law behind a "court marriage" in Delhi: who can marry under the Special Marriage Act, how the 30-day notice and objection process works, the documents and witnesses needed, how the e-District system and the SDM offices handle it, the difference between court marriage and registering a Hindu or Arya Samaj marriage, the effect on inheritance, protection for couples facing threats, and the pending Delhi High Court challenge to the public notice requirement. When you are ready to proceed, Mara Vakil's court marriage service handles the booking.
A court marriage in Delhi is a marriage solemnised before the Marriage Officer, usually the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, under the Special Marriage Act, 1954. Any two persons can marry under it, whatever their religion, if the man is at least 21, the woman at least 18, neither has a living spouse, both can give valid consent and they are not within prohibited degrees of relationship. At least one partner must have lived in the Marriage Officer\'s district for 30 days before giving notice. The notice of intended marriage is filed online through Delhi\'s e-District system and displayed for 30 days for objections; if there is no valid objection, the marriage is solemnised in the presence of three witnesses and a marriage certificate is issued. The whole process usually takes 30 to 45 days. Couples already married by religious rites, such as Hindu or Arya Samaj ceremonies, register their marriage instead, which in Delhi is compulsory within 60 days of the marriage.
"Court marriage" is a popular expression rather than a legal term. No judge marries anyone in a courtroom. What people mean is a civil marriage solemnised before a Marriage Officer appointed under the Special Marriage Act, 1954 (SMA), or, loosely, the registration of a marriage already performed by religious rites. In Delhi, Marriage Officers are generally the Sub-Divisional Magistrates of the revenue sub-divisions, working from SDM offices across the city, and marriage registration is handled through the same revenue machinery.
The SMA was enacted so that people of any religion, or no religion, could marry without religious ceremonies and without either partner converting. It is the natural route for inter-faith couples, but many couples of the same religion also choose it for its simplicity, its uniform certificate, and its acceptance by embassies, banks and government offices.
| Point | Court marriage (SMA, sections 4 to 14) | Registration of an existing marriage |
|---|---|---|
| Who uses it | Couples who have not married yet, of any religion | Couples already married by religious rites (Hindu, Sikh, Arya Samaj, Muslim nikah, church) or under the SMA's section 15 |
| Law | Special Marriage Act, 1954 | Hindu Marriage Act section 8 and Delhi rules, or SMA section 15, plus the Delhi Compulsory Registration of Marriage Order, 2014 |
| Notice period | 30 days' public notice inviting objections | No 30-day notice for Hindu marriage registration; SMA section 15 registration involves notice |
| Ceremony | Declaration before the Marriage Officer and three witnesses | None at the office; the ceremony has already taken place |
| Time | Usually 30 to 45 days | Often a few days to weeks after application |
| Effect on succession | Indian Succession Act generally applies (with exceptions for two Hindus) | The couple's personal law continues to apply |
Section 4 of the SMA lays down the conditions. At the time of marriage:
Religion is irrelevant. A Hindu and a Muslim, a Sikh and a Christian, two Hindus, two people with no religion, or an Indian and a foreign national can all marry under the SMA. Neither partner needs to convert.
In Supriyo Chakraborty v. Union of India (October 2023), five judges of the Supreme Court ruled that marriage is not a fundamental right as such and declined to read the SMA as permitting same-sex marriages, leaving any change to Parliament. As of October 2026, same-sex couples cannot marry under the SMA, though the Court recognised their right to cohabit and directed steps to prevent discrimination.
Section 5 requires that at least one of the parties has resided in the district of the Marriage Officer for at least 30 days immediately before the date of the notice. In Delhi, this means the notice is given to the Marriage Officer of the district or sub-division where one partner lives, supported by proof of residence. Couples sometimes try to use a temporary address to marry in Delhi; Marriage Officers check residence proof, and false declarations can create serious problems later.
The marriage must be solemnised within three calendar months from the date of the notice. If it is not, the notice lapses and a fresh notice must be given, with a fresh 30-day period.
The Act does not provide for waiving the 30-day period. Couples in urgent situations sometimes ask courts to shorten it, but courts have generally been reluctant, since the period is a statutory safeguard. Plan for at least 30 days from the notice.
Requirements are set by the Delhi Government's revenue department and can be updated, so check the current list on e-District before applying. Commonly required:
| For | Documents |
|---|---|
| Both partners | Identity proof (Aadhaar, PAN, passport, voter ID or driving licence); date of birth proof (birth certificate, school certificate, passport); residence proof showing at least 30 days' residence in the district; passport-size photographs |
| Affidavits | Affidavits of each partner, on e-stamp paper and notarised, in the prescribed format, declaring date of birth, marital status, nationality and that the parties are not within prohibited degrees |
| Previously married | Certified copy of the final divorce decree, or death certificate of the former spouse |
| Foreign national | Passport and visa, proof of 30 days' stay, and a certificate of marital status or no-objection from the embassy, as required |
| Witnesses | Identity and address proof of three witnesses, and their presence on the day of solemnisation |
Mara Vakil's affidavit and notary service can prepare the affidavits, and the court marriage service team confirms the full document list on a call.
Sections 5 to 8 of the SMA require the notice of intended marriage to be published and kept open for 30 days so that anyone who knows of a legal bar, such as an existing marriage, under-age party or prohibited relationship, can object. The objection must relate to the conditions in section 4; disapproval of the match, caste, religion or family opposition is not a valid ground.
If an objection is received, the Marriage Officer must not solemnise the marriage until the objection is inquired into, and must decide it within 30 days of receipt. If the objection is upheld, either party can appeal to the district court within 30 days. A person who makes an objection that is not reasonable and not in good faith can be ordered to pay costs and compensation.
Publishing the names, addresses and photographs of couples has exposed many inter-faith and inter-caste couples to harassment, threats and violence. A petition by an inter-faith couple challenging sections 6 and 7 of the SMA, on the ground that the public notice and objection process violate privacy and endanger life and liberty, has been pending before the Delhi High Court, which issued notice in October 2020. In December 2023, the Supreme Court dismissed the Union Law Ministry's request to transfer the challenge to itself, clearing the way for the Delhi High Court to decide it, as reported in December 2025. Some other High Courts have made publication of the notice optional at the couple's request. Until the Delhi High Court rules, couples in Delhi should expect the notice to be published in the usual way and should plan for their safety accordingly.
Many couples marry first by religious rites and then "do court marriage" in the sense of registering the marriage. In Delhi, this matters for passports, visas, bank accounts, insurance, property and many government services.
Delhi's 2014 order on compulsory marriage registration requires marriages performed in the city to be registered, ordinarily within 60 days of the marriage, with a late fee or penalty for delay. The Supreme Court, in Seema v. Ashwani Kumar (2006), had directed states to make registration of marriages compulsory for all citizens, and Delhi's order implements that direction.
A marriage between two Hindus (including Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists) performed with the customary rites and ceremonies of either party, such as saptapadi where it is part of the rites, is valid under section 7 of the Hindu Marriage Act. Registration under section 8 and the Delhi rules records it. Registration does not make a marriage valid if the ceremonies were not performed, and failure to register does not make a valid marriage invalid. The couple applies through e-District with proof of the ceremony (wedding photographs, invitation card, priest's or temple certificate), identity and age proofs, affidavits and witnesses, and appears before the registrar on the appointment date.
Muslim, Christian and other marriages performed under personal law can be registered under the Delhi order. Alternatively, a couple married in any form can register under section 15 of the SMA, which then brings the marriage under the SMA for some purposes; section 15 registration involves a 30-day notice.
Mara Vakil's marriage registration service helps couples complete the application.
Arya Samaj mandirs in Delhi perform Vedic marriages, often within a day, for Hindu couples and for couples where the non-Hindu partner undergoes shuddhi, a conversion or re-conversion ceremony. Such a marriage is governed by the Hindu Marriage Act, and the Arya Marriage Validation Act, 1937 confirms the validity of marriages between Arya Samajists. The ceremony is valid if performed according to the Act's requirements by eligible parties.
Two points are important. First, the certificate issued by the Arya Samaj or a temple is evidence that a ceremony took place, but it is not a government marriage certificate. The Supreme Court remarked in 2022 that it is not the business of Arya Samaj to issue marriage certificates, in a case where the age of the girl was disputed. Couples should register the marriage with the Delhi registrar to obtain an official certificate. Second, a conversion done only to marry, without genuine belief, can raise legal questions, and inter-faith couples who do not wish to convert can instead marry under the SMA.
Sikh couples may register Anand Karaj marriages under the Anand Marriage Act where rules permit, or under the Hindu Marriage Act. Our Arya Samaj marriage service explains the booking process.
Under section 21 of the SMA, succession to the property of a person whose marriage is solemnised under the Act, and of their children, is governed by the Indian Succession Act rather than personal law. Section 21A creates an exception: where both parties are Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs or Jains, the Hindu Succession Act continues to apply. This matters for inter-faith couples, whose children will inherit under the Indian Succession Act's rules.
Section 19 says that a member of an undivided Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh or Jain family who marries under the SMA a person outside those religions is deemed to be severed from the joint family. Section 21A protects marriages between two Hindus from this consequence. The practical effect on joint family property can be significant and deserves advice where there is substantial ancestral property.
Marriages under the SMA are dissolved under the SMA itself: divorce on grounds in section 27, or by mutual consent under section 28 after living separately for one year, with a second motion after six months that courts can waive in suitable cases, as with Hindu marriages. Maintenance and alimony are available under sections 36 and 37, and custody under section 38. These cases go to the Delhi family courts. Mara Vakil's mutual divorce service covers both Hindu and SMA marriages.
Children of a marriage under the SMA are legitimate, and section 26 protects the legitimacy of children even of void or voidable marriages.
Marrying under the SMA does not change either partner's religion. Each continues to practise their own faith, and the couple can also hold religious ceremonies of their choice, before or after, without affecting the civil marriage.
A wife or husband who wishes to change surname after marriage can do so through an affidavit, a newspaper advertisement and, where needed, a Gazette notification; see the name change after marriage service.
Every adult in India is constitutionally free to choose whom to marry. The Supreme Court in Lata Singh v. State of U.P. (2006) told the police to shield couples marrying across caste or religion from harassment and violence, and in Shakti Vahini v. Union of India (2018) laid down detailed preventive, remedial and punitive measures against honour crimes and khap interference, including safe houses and special cells. In Shafin Jahan v. Asokan K.M. (2018), the Court held that the choice of a life partner is part of personal liberty under Article 21.
Families sometimes file false complaints of kidnapping against the partner. Where both are adults and the woman confirms she married voluntarily, courts usually quash such cases or close them. If a complaint is filed, see our guide on anticipatory bail in Delhi.
The SMA allows marriages in India where one or both partners are foreign nationals, subject to the residence requirement and documents. In practice:
Indian citizens marrying abroad can use the Foreign Marriage Act, 1969 before Indian diplomatic officers, or the local law of that country followed by registration as required. NRIs who married in India by religious rites should register the marriage in Delhi before travelling, since foreign embassies almost always ask for a government certificate.
| Myth | Reality |
|---|---|
| "Court marriage can be done in one day." | A marriage under the SMA needs a 30-day notice period. One-day marriages are religious ceremonies, which should then be registered. |
| "Parents' consent is needed." | Adults do not need parental consent. |
| "The notice is sent to parents." | The notice is displayed at the office and sent to the other district's Marriage Officer if a party lives elsewhere; it is not posted to parents, though in practice families sometimes learn of it. |
| "One partner must convert." | No conversion is needed under the SMA. |
| "Arya Samaj certificate is a marriage certificate." | It is evidence of the ceremony; registration gives the official certificate. |
| "Any address works." | One partner must actually have lived in the district for 30 days. |
| "Court marriage and registration are the same." | Court marriage is solemnisation under the SMA; registration records a marriage already performed. |
The couples below are invented examples drawn from common situations.
A Hindu woman of 26 and a Muslim man of 28 decide to marry without conversion. The woman has lived in Lajpat Nagar for years, so they file the SMA notice through e-District for her sub-division. They keep their plans quiet, inform a lawyer, and when the man's family hears of the notice and threatens them, they write to the DCP and, when nothing happens, file a protection petition in the Delhi High Court, which directs police protection. After 30 days without valid objection, they marry before the SDM with three friends as witnesses.
A couple marries at an Arya Samaj mandir in one day and receives the mandir's certificate. They then apply through e-District to register the marriage under the Hindu Marriage Act within 60 days, with photographs, the mandir certificate and witnesses, and receive the government certificate for their passport and visa applications.
A Delhi man and a German woman plan a court marriage. She arrives in Delhi and stays at his family home for 30 days before they file notice; her embassy issues a certificate of no impediment. After the notice period, they marry before the Marriage Officer and get the certificate apostilled for use in Germany.
A woman whose divorce decree was passed four months ago wants to remarry. Her advocate confirms that no appeal was filed and the decree has attained finality, and the couple files an SMA notice with a certified copy of the decree.
Many couples manage the SMA process themselves, but help is useful when documents are complicated, a partner is a foreign national, a previous marriage needs careful handling, or the families are hostile. To book assistance, use Mara Vakil's court marriage service, where booking is free and the team confirms documents and costs on a call before any work starts. For an already-performed marriage, use the marriage registration service; for a Vedic ceremony, the Arya Samaj marriage service; and for threats, the protection petition service.
For legal advice rather than a booking, fill in the form above and a Delhi advocate with verified enrolment can call you; there is no charge for the introduction. You can also browse family lawyers in Delhi or read how to choose an advocate.
| Your situation | Usual route |
|---|---|
| Two Hindus who want a religious wedding | Hindu ceremony (home, temple or Arya Samaj), then registration under the Hindu Marriage Act within 60 days |
| Two Hindus who want only a civil marriage | Court marriage under the SMA; Hindu succession law continues to apply |
| Inter-faith couple, no conversion | Court marriage under the SMA |
| Inter-faith couple, one partner willing to convert | Religious marriage under the converted partner's new faith, then registration, or still the SMA; consider conversion laws in the states where you live |
| Already married by religious rites | Registration of marriage, not a fresh court marriage |
| Indian marrying a foreign national in Delhi | Court marriage under the SMA with embassy documents |
| Couple facing serious family threats | SMA or religious marriage with registration, plus police and High Court protection as needed |
| Need a certificate urgently for travel | If already married by rites, registration is quickest; the SMA takes at least 30 days from notice |
A marriage certificate is the key document for updating records:
| Record | What to do |
|---|---|
| Passport | Apply to add the spouse's name or change surname, with the marriage certificate |
| Aadhaar | Update name or address with supporting documents |
| PAN | Update name if changed |
| Bank accounts and insurance | Update name, add nominee or spouse details |
| Employer records | Update for medical cover, nominations and benefits |
| Voter ID and ration card | Update name and address as needed |
| Visa and immigration | Use the certificate, apostilled if required, for spouse visas |
If a surname change is involved, the name change after marriage service covers the affidavit, advertisement and Gazette steps.
Delhi does not have a state law regulating religious conversion of the kind adopted by several other states. But couples where one partner lives in, or comes from, a state with such a law, such as Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana or others, should be aware that conversion for the purpose of marriage may require prior notice to authorities or attract penalties in those states. Marrying under the SMA without conversion avoids most of these issues.
Because the Indian Succession Act applies to most SMA marriages between partners of different religions, inheritance rules for the couple and their children differ from personal law. Making wills soon after marriage gives clarity; see our will and probate guide.
The law does not require children of an SMA marriage to follow either parent's religion. Parents may raise them in either faith, both, or neither. Disputes about religion can arise in custody cases, where courts look to the child's welfare.
Section 19 of the SMA deems a Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh or Jain who marries outside those faiths under the SMA to be severed from the joint family, which can affect rights in ancestral property managed as a joint family. Individual inheritance rights from parents are not lost, but the position should be checked where significant joint family property exists.
A marriage under the SMA is monogamous and is dissolved only under the SMA, regardless of either party's religion. Personal law provisions on polygamy or talaq do not apply to an SMA marriage.
For couples marrying by Hindu rites, including at Arya Samaj, the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 governs. Section 5 sets the conditions: neither party should have a living spouse, both must be capable of valid consent, the bridegroom must be at least 21 and the bride at least 18, the parties must not be within prohibited degrees of relationship or sapindas of each other, unless custom permits. Section 7 says the marriage may be solemnised according to the customary rites and ceremonies of either party, and where saptapadi is part of the rites, the marriage becomes complete and binding when the seventh step is taken.
A marriage in breach of the bigamy, prohibited degrees or sapinda conditions is void under section 11. A marriage may be voidable under section 12 for reasons such as impotence, consent obtained by force or fraud, or pre-marriage pregnancy by another person concealed from the husband. In Dolly Rani v. Manish Kumar Chanchal (2024), the Supreme Court emphasised that a Hindu marriage requires the performance of the rites and ceremonies, and that a registration certificate alone, without a valid ceremony, does not create a valid Hindu marriage.
Many Delhi marriages involve a partner from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar, Rajasthan or elsewhere. The SMA handles this through its residence and notice rules:
If both partners live outside Delhi, they should give notice where one of them lives, not in Delhi, unless one has genuinely resided in Delhi for 30 days.
Adult couples who leave their family homes to marry often face pressure, police enquiries prompted by family complaints, and threats. Keep identity and age documents, inform the police in writing that you are adults living together by choice, and seek legal help early. Courts consistently protect the liberty of adults to live and marry as they choose.
If the woman is under 18 or the man under 21, the couple cannot marry under the SMA, and religious marriages below the legal age attract the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act. Sexual relations with a person under 18 are an offence under the POCSO Act and the BNS regardless of consent or marriage. Couples should wait until both meet the legal age.
Adults may live together without marriage, and the Supreme Court has recognised the legality of such relationships. Women in relationships in the nature of marriage have protection under the DV Act; see our DV guide. A live-in couple can marry under the SMA at any time if they meet its conditions.
Pregnancy does not bar a marriage under the SMA or Hindu law, but concealment of a pregnancy by another person is a ground for annulment of a Hindu marriage at the husband's option, so honesty between partners matters.
A court marriage is as strong as any other marriage, and ending it requires the same legal process. Divorce, judicial separation, annulment, maintenance and custody for SMA marriages are decided by the family courts under the SMA. Mutual consent divorce is available after one year of separation. Our guides to maintenance, child custody and the Delhi family courts explain these proceedings, and the mutual divorce service handles agreed separations.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Marriage Officer | The official appointed under the SMA to receive notices and solemnise marriages; in Delhi, usually the SDM |
| Notice of intended marriage | The formal notice in the prescribed form that starts an SMA marriage |
| Marriage Notice Book | The register in which notices are entered and which is open for inspection |
| Solemnisation | The act of performing the marriage before the Marriage Officer and witnesses |
| Marriage Certificate Book | The register in which the solemnised marriage is recorded |
| Prohibited degrees | Close relationships within which marriage is barred |
| Sapinda | Close blood relationship under Hindu law barring marriage unless custom permits |
| Saptapadi | The seven steps around the sacred fire in Hindu ceremonies |
| Shuddhi | A ceremony of conversion or re-conversion performed by Arya Samaj |
| Apostille | Certification of a document for use in countries party to the Hague Apostille Convention |
Whether through a court marriage or registration, a government marriage certificate pays for itself many times over:
When everything is in place, the court marriage service can take it forward.
Civil marriage in India began with the Special Marriage Act of 1872, which allowed marriage outside religious law only for those who declared that they did not profess any of the major religions. That requirement forced many couples to renounce their faith on paper in order to marry. The Special Marriage Act, 1954 removed it, allowing people of any religion to marry while keeping their faith, and added the option of registering marriages celebrated in other forms. Over the following decades, Parliament and the courts added protections for couples, from the Hindu Succession Act exception in section 21A to the Supreme Court's directions on police protection and compulsory registration. The current debate over public notice and privacy, pending in the Delhi High Court, is the latest chapter in making civil marriage both secure and safe for couples who choose it.
A civil marriage solemnised before a Marriage Officer under the Special Marriage Act, 1954, without religious ceremonies.
Generally the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of the revenue sub-division.
Usually 30 to 45 days, because of the mandatory 30-day notice period.
No. The SMA requires a 30-day notice; one-day marriages are religious ceremonies to be registered later.
21 for the man and 18 for the woman.
No. Adults can marry without parental consent.
Yes. The SMA allows marriage regardless of religion, without conversion.
No, not under the SMA.
Yes, and the Hindu Succession Act will still apply to them under section 21A.
No. The Supreme Court in Supriyo (2023) left any change to Parliament.
At least one partner must have lived in the Marriage Officer's district for 30 days before the notice.
Only if one partner has lived in a Delhi district for 30 days; otherwise apply in your own district.
Through the Delhi Government's e-District portal, followed by verification at the SDM office.
Identity, age and residence proofs, photographs, notarised affidavits, divorce or death documents if applicable, and witness IDs.
Three witnesses at the solemnisation under the SMA.
Adults with valid identity and address proof; Delhi's notices may specify further requirements.
A notice in the prescribed form given to the Marriage Officer, published for 30 days for objections.
At the Marriage Officer's office, and sent to the other district's Marriage Officer if a party lives elsewhere.
It is not posted to parents, but it is displayed publicly and may reach other districts.
Any person, but only on grounds that a condition in section 4 is violated.
No. Disapproval, caste or religion is not a valid objection.
The Marriage Officer inquires and decides within 30 days; an appeal lies to the district court within 30 days.
Yes. The Marriage Officer can impose costs and compensation for unreasonable, bad-faith objections.
The Act does not provide for waiver, and courts have generally been reluctant to shorten it.
The marriage must be solemnised within three months of the notice, or a fresh notice is needed.
Yes. A challenge to sections 6 and 7 of the SMA is pending in the Delhi High Court.
The couple and three witnesses sign declarations, exchange words of acceptance before the Officer, and the certificate is issued.
Yes. The certificate is conclusive evidence of the marriage.
Yes, before or after, without affecting the civil marriage.
Recording an already-performed marriage with the registrar to get an official certificate.
Yes, under the Delhi Compulsory Registration of Marriage Order, 2014, ordinarily within 60 days.
Late registration is possible with a late fee or penalty.
No. A valid marriage remains valid, but registration provides proof.
No. The marriage must meet the legal requirements.
Through e-District under section 8 of the Hindu Marriage Act and Delhi rules, with ceremony proof and witnesses.
Photographs, invitation card, and a priest's or temple certificate, as required.
Yes, if performed according to the Hindu Marriage Act's requirements between eligible parties.
No. It is evidence of the ceremony; register the marriage for the official certificate.
Usually after a shuddhi ceremony; couples who do not wish to convert can marry under the SMA.
Yes, under the Delhi compulsory registration order or section 15 of the SMA.
It allows registration under the SMA of marriages celebrated in other forms, with a notice process.
Yes, under applicable law and rules, including the Hindu Marriage Act or the Anand Marriage Act where rules permit.
Yes. The Indian Succession Act generally applies, except where both parties are Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs or Jains.
Section 19 deems severance, except in marriages between two Hindus protected by section 21A.
Under the SMA itself: contested divorce under section 27 or mutual consent under section 28.
Yes, after one year of living separately, with a second motion that courts may waive in suitable cases.
Yes, and the Act protects legitimacy even in void or voidable marriages.
No. Each partner keeps their own religion.
Yes, through affidavit, newspaper advertisement and Gazette notification if needed.
Call 112, inform police in writing and the DCP, and seek a protection order from the High Court if needed.
Yes. The Delhi High Court regularly grants protection to adult couples facing threats.
A 2006 Supreme Court direction that police protect couples marrying across caste or religion.
It laid down measures against honour crimes, including safe houses and special cells.
Yes. Shafin Jahan (2018) held it is part of personal liberty under Article 21.
If both are adults and you married voluntarily, courts usually quash such cases; take legal advice quickly.
Yes, under the SMA, with 30 days' residence and embassy documents as required.
At least 30 days before notice, then the 30-day notice period, so often about two months in total.
An embassy document confirming a foreign national is free to marry.
For use abroad, many countries require apostille through the Ministry of External Affairs.
Yes, under the Foreign Marriage Act before Indian diplomatic officers, or under local law.
Yes, before travelling, since embassies require a government certificate.
Yes, after the divorce decree becomes final.
After the appeal period expires without appeal, or when an appeal is decided.
Yes, with the former spouse's death certificate.
Correct them or explain with an affidavit before applying.
Yes, typically with a registered rent agreement or utility bills.
Yes. Notarised affidavits on e-stamp paper in the prescribed format are usually required.
Yes. Mara Vakil offers a paid affidavit and notary service.
Through the court marriage service page; booking is free and the team calls you to confirm details.
Government fees are modest; total cost depends on documents and help needed. The Mara Vakil team confirms costs on a call.
No. It is an online platform that arranges services and introduces independent advocates.
Yes, the certificate is entered and issued at solemnisation, subject to office procedure.
No, if the man is under 21; the woman must be at least 18.
A marriage below the legal age is voidable at the option of the minor party under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, and can attract penalties.
Close relationships listed in the Act, such as siblings or uncle and niece, within which marriage is barred unless custom allows.
Some cousin relationships fall within prohibited degrees; check the schedule and any applicable custom.
Only if capable of valid consent and not suffering from a disorder making them unfit, as section 4 provides.
The notice is tied to the district where it was given; changing requires a fresh notice.
The SMA allows solemnisation at another place within reasonable distance on payment of additional fees, as rules provide.
Delhi's notices have referred to Delhi resident witnesses; check current requirements.
Yes, adult relatives or friends can be witnesses.
The solemnisation needs three witnesses; arrange substitutes with valid ID.
Yes, certified copies can be obtained from the Marriage Officer's records.
Some documents need physical verification at the SDM office even for online applications.
Not legally, but help is useful for complex documents, foreign partners or hostile families.
Yes, if they meet the conditions.
It can be declared void or annulled only on legal grounds, such as an existing spouse or under-age party.
Maintenance is available under the SMA and section 144 BNSS like other marriages.
The family courts in Delhi's district court complexes.
Yes. Describe your situation in the form and a verified advocate can call you, free of charge for the introduction.
A Hindu ceremony followed by registration, or a court marriage under the SMA if they prefer a civil marriage.
No. They should register the existing marriage.
If already married by rites, registration is quicker than the SMA's 30-day notice.
Originals and copies of identity, age, residence and other documents for both partners and witnesses.
No. The 30-day notice is statutory; avoid touts.
Apply to the passport office with the marriage certificate.
If your name or address changes, update it with supporting documents.
Delhi does not have a state conversion law like some other states.
They can, if a partner lives in or is from such a state; the SMA avoids conversion issues.
Yes. The law does not dictate children's religion.
No. SMA marriages are monogamous regardless of religion.
No. SMA marriages are dissolved only under the SMA.
Performance of customary rites; where saptapadi is part of them, completion of the seventh step.
No. Dolly Rani (2024) held a valid ceremony is essential for a Hindu marriage.
If there is a living spouse, or the parties are within prohibited degrees or sapindas without permitting custom.
For reasons like impotence, force or fraud in consent, or concealed pre-marriage pregnancy by another person.
Close blood relationships within specified generations, which bar Hindu marriage unless custom permits.
No. Both must be Hindus for the HMA; they can marry under the SMA.
Yes, a couple can solemnise a marriage under the SMA if they meet its conditions.
It is wise, because the Indian Succession Act may apply to them and their children.
Give notice in the Delhi district where one of you has lived 30 days; a copy may go to the other district's Marriage Officer.
Yes, throughout India.
No, unless one of you has actually resided in a Delhi district for 30 days.
Keep age and ID documents, inform police in writing that you are adults, and seek legal help early.
No. The man must be at least 21.
Yes. Sexual relations with a person under 18 are an offence regardless of marriage.
Yes, between adults, and women in relationships like marriage have DV Act protection.
Yes, at any time if they meet the conditions.
No, pregnancy is not a bar to marriage.
Through divorce, annulment or judicial separation under the SMA in the family court.
The register where SMA notices are entered and kept open for inspection.
The seven steps in Hindu ceremonies that complete the marriage where they form part of the rites.
An Arya Samaj ceremony of conversion or re-conversion.
Certification by the Ministry of External Affairs for use of documents in Hague Convention countries.
The SMA permits solemnisation at another place on payment of additional fees under the rules; check with the office.
Religious certificates are not standardised proof; a registered certificate is accepted for visas and immigration.
Yes. It makes proving the marriage simple.
It is much harder, since the record is official and conclusive under the SMA.
Often yes, especially for joint home loans.
Eligibility, earlier marriage ended, residence proof, matching documents, affidavits, witnesses and safety.
Yes, within three months of notice and after the 30-day period, subject to appointment availability.
No. Both parties must appear personally before the Marriage Officer.
No. Marriage requires personal appearance and consent.
No. It is a civil ceremony before the Marriage Officer.
Of course; social celebrations have no legal effect on the marriage.
With the Special Marriage Act of 1872, replaced by the more open Special Marriage Act of 1954.
Yes. The 1872 Act required parties to declare they did not profess major religions; the 1954 Act removed this.
Document mismatches and residence issues, followed by witness problems.
If families are hostile, discretion and safety planning are wise until the marriage is complete.
Marriage Offices work on working days; solemnisation is by appointment during office hours.
The Officer verifies identity, age, consent and eligibility; questions focus on legal conditions.
Only if a legal condition is not met; a refusal can be appealed to the district court.
Yes, to the district court within 30 days.
Yes, if the foreign divorce is valid and recognised in India; take advice.
This page gives general information based on the sources listed, as checked on 18 October 2026. Documents and office procedures change; confirm current requirements before applying. Mara Vakil is a technology platform, not a law firm, and does not give legal advice. Read our disclaimer.
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