How To Get A Duplicate Marriage Certificate In India

The trend of obtaining marriage certificates in India has now picked up its pace. It not only legalizes the marriage but helps when some changes in documentation are required. For instance, changing the maiden’s name after the marriage or linking the bank account.
At times in metro cities, the owners while looking for tenants for their apartments prefer to get a copy of the marriage certificate. This is to ensure that the couple is married and not fooling around.
Registering the marriage also has other advantages. Living in a country where women are easily left alone by their husbands, it is important to know the legal rights of the women as a wife. In case of any illegal affair from her husband’s end, the women can ask for her rights and demand compensation for herself and the child, if any.
Obtaining the marriage certificate is as important as registering the marriage.

How to obtain the marriage certificate?

Following is the procedure for applying for a marriage certificate under the Special Marriage Act of 1954

1. How to apply: Applicant has to apply in the prescribed form. The age limit for Bridegroom 21 years and Bride is 18 years
2. What are the documents that need to be attached :
Bride and Bridegroom age proof ( Leaving Certificate or Passport or Birth Certificate or Domicile Certificate or SSC Board Certificate)
Bride & Bridegroom residential proof ( Ration Card or Passport or Election card or Light bill and Telephone bill of own name)
Photograph of both Bride and Bridegroom
All above document along with original +1 attested Xerox copy
3. In case of Divorcees: Divorce Decree Certificate must be produced
4. In case of widow and widower: Municipal Death Certificate of the concerned person must be produced along with the address and ID proof

I have lost my marriage certificate, what should I do?

The marriage certificate is one of the most important things to preserve but if lost a copy of marriage certificate can be generated. Following is the procedure for obtaining the copy of the marriage certificate:
1. You need to obtain an appropriate application form of the duplicate marriage certificate. You can obtain the application form from municipal corporation office or marriage registration office.
2. Next, after getting the application form, you need to fill in it all details correctly. The application form should not contain any wrong information otherwise the application will be rejected.
3. Now you have to attach all documents with application form. The documents are required for applying for duplicate marriage certificate are given below.
4. Submit application form along with all documents. They provide you with a receipt which is used for future reference.
After this, you need to collect duplicate marriage certificate from office in which application is submitted.

List of Documents Required:

The documents are required at the time of applying for duplicate marriage certificate are as follows:
(a) Application Form Duplicate Marriage Certificate
(b) Proof of Marriage (copy of marriage certificate / receipt of registration / invitation card / photograph of marriage)
(c) Identity proof of both bride and bridegroom (voter id card/driving license/passport / Adhaar card)
(d) Two recent passport size photograph of bride and bridegroom
Don’t worry if your marriage certificate is lost. You can easily get a duplicate of it from either local registrar office local registrar office or online.