Hindu Marriage Act (HMA) vs Special Marriage Act (SMA), 30-day notice rules, e-District appointment & PDF download
Visit Official Portal →💡 A Marriage Certificate (Vivah Praman Patra) is an official statutory proof of legal union issued by the Sub-Registrar / SDM under the Hindu Marriage Act 1955 (for solemnized weddings with 2 witnesses) or the Special Marriage Act 1954 (for civil/court marriages requiring a 30-day notice and 3 witnesses). It has lifetime validity and can be downloaded online via state e-District portals or DigiLocker.
Hindu Marriage Act: 7–15 days | Special Marriage Act: 30–45 days (due to statutory 30-day public notice) | Tatkal Service: 24 hours (Delhi e-District)
Normal Registration: ₹50–₹250 (varies by state) | Tatkal Registration: ₹10,000 (statutory priority fee)
Groom must be minimum 21 years of age | Bride must be minimum 18 years of age | Marriage solemnized under religious rituals (Hindu/Muslim/Christian/Parsi personal laws) or civil court marriage under Special Marriage Act 1954
Married couples for joint bank accounts, spousal visa applications, adding spouse name in Passport, property co-ownership, life insurance claims, and family pension settlements
Choose Hindu Marriage Act (for Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists who already solemnized wedding rituals; requires 2 witnesses, no 30-day notice) or Special Marriage Act (for inter-faith/court marriages; requires 30-day public notice and 3 witnesses).
Log into your state's citizen services portal (e.g., e-District Delhi, IGRUP Uttar Pradesh, Aaple Sarkar Maharashtra, Kaveri Online Karnataka, Inspector General of Registration IGR portal).
Enter complete demographic coordinates, wedding date and venue, and witness identity details. Upload scanned supporting documents.
Pay the statutory fee online and book an appointment date at the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) / Sub-Registrar Office in the jurisdiction where the marriage was solemnized or where either spouse has resided for at least 30 days.
Both spouses and the required witnesses must physically appear before the Marriage Registrar with all original documents for live photo and biometric signature capture.
Once registered in the permanent marriage ledger, download the official digitally signed, QR-coded Marriage Certificate PDF from the state portal or link it to DigiLocker.
How to correct clerical errors (spelling of names, date of wedding) on an issued Marriage Certificate:
Approach the Marriage Registrar / SDM office where the certificate was originally registered.
Submit a correction form with a joint notarized affidavit from both husband and wife stating the clerical error.
Provide Class 10 marksheets and Aadhaar cards proving the correct spelling.
The Registrar makes a marginal correction in the permanent marriage register and issues an updated digital certificate.
Download an official digital Marriage Certificate PDF online:
Visit your state portal (e.g., edistrict.delhigovt.nic.in, igrup.gov.in, mahabhulekh/igrmaharashtra).
Enter your Marriage Registration Number and Acknowledgment ID.
Enter the OTP sent to the registered mobile number of the applicant.
Save and print the color PDF with official QR verification seal.
Track your marriage registration application or SDM appointment status online:
Visit your state e-District portal and click 'Track Application Status'.
Input the online application reference number.
Check whether your documents are verified, notice period is running (for SMA), or certificate is ready for download.
1) Hindu Marriage Act 1955: Applies to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists for registering an already solemnized religious wedding. It requires 2 adult witnesses and has NO mandatory waiting notice period. 2) Special Marriage Act 1954: A secular civil marriage law for any Indian citizen (especially inter-faith couples). It requires serving a mandatory 30-day public notice at the Marriage Officer's office for legal objections, followed by solemnization before 3 adult witnesses.
YES. Following the Supreme Court ruling in Seema vs. Ashwani Kumar, marriage registration is legally compulsory across all Indian states to safeguard women's rights, prevent bigamy, and enable legal rights to maintenance, inheritance, and spousal visas.
Yes. States like Delhi (via edistrict.delhigovt.nic.in) offer a dedicated 'Tatkal Marriage Registration' service. By paying a statutory priority fee of ₹10,000, couples can get an appointment within 24 hours and receive their verified certificate on the same day.
1) Visit your state e-District or Inspector General of Registration (IGR) portal (e.g., igrup.gov.in, edistrict.delhigovt.nic.in). 2) Go to 'Certificate Verification / Download'. 3) Enter the Marriage Registration Certificate Number and Date of Marriage. 4) Authenticate via OTP to download the official QR-coded PDF.
Yes. Most state revenue and registration departments issue digital certificates integrated with DigiLocker. Go to DigiLocker > Search 'Marriage Certificate' > Select your state department > Enter the Registration Number and download the digitally signed document.
Visit the official government portal to start your application
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