Court Marriage: Procedure, Fees, Documents, Registration & Certification

In this article, we will discuss all the important points like court marriage fees, required documents, and process of court marriage.

What is a court marriage?

A court marriage means a marriage solemnized under the Special Marriage Act, of 1954 in India. A couple belonging to any caste, religion, or nationality can solemnize the court marriage in the presence of a marriage officer and 3 witnesses. It is a marriage solemnized according to Indian law. The bride and the bridegroom can directly fill up a court marriage application and submit it to the marriage officer to get their marriage certificate.

The couples intending to get married are required to give notice to the marriage registrar in the district, where the marriage is going to occur. The registrar then publishes a notice of marriage & then issues a certificate after 21 days if no objection is raised.

Court Marriage Fees:

• The parties have to pay the court marriage fees to the office of the marriage officer.
• The court marriage fees can differ from state to state.
• Generally, court marriage fees range between Rs.500 to Rs.1,000.

Court Marriage: Procedure

Step 1-Notice of marriage

The parties (bride and the bridegroom) must fill up the court marriage application form. It should be submitted to the marriage officer in whose area either party to the marriage has continuously lived for 30 days or more

Step 2-Publication of the notice

The marriage officer will publish the notice of the intended marriage submitted by the parties. After the publication of the notice, any person can object to the marriage within 30 days of its publication. If there is no objection, the marriage officer will perform the marriage after the expiry of 30 days of the notice publication.

Step 3- Declaration by parties and witnesses

The parties to the marriage and three witnesses are required to submit the declaration as specified in the third schedule of the Act in the presence of the marriage officer.

Step 4 – Place of Marriage

The marriage can take place at the office of the marriage officer or another place within a suitable distance which the parties choose.

Step 5- Certificate of marriage

The marriage officer will provide the marriage certificate after solemnizing the marriage. Both the parties to the marriage and three witnesses are required to sign the marriage certificate. The marriage certificate is proof of the marriage. The marriage details are added to the marriage certificate book by the marriage officer.

Documents Needed for Court Marriage:

The documents required to be submitted by the couple along with the court marriage application are as follows:

• Separate affidavits from the bride and bridegroom containing the following details: Date of birth ,Marital status – a widower/unmarried/divorcee,Affirmation that the couple is not related to one another within the degree of prohibited relationship
• Passport-size photographs of the bride and bridegroom
• Residential proof of the bride and bridegroom
• Proof of date of birth of the bride and bridegroom
• Copy of the notice of the intended marriage signed by the couple
• Copy of the divorce order, in the case of a divorcee and the death certificate of a spouse, in the case of a widower/widow

The documents required to be submitted by all the witnesses are as follows:

• Passport size photographs
• Copy of PAN card
• Copy of identity proof

Conclusion

In this article, we discussed the different important points regarding court marriage, like court marriage fees, its procedure, and different required documents needed for court marriage. To get more information contact Legal Air.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) about Court Marriage: