The List of Court Marriage Documents That Will Be of Help to You

Court marriage is quite catching up with the couples of today, with the norm getting bigger preference than the traditional big fat Indian wedding celebrations that we all are accustomed to.

Call it being more thorough with the legalisation of marriage, or simply keeping the affair to a minimal, court marriage is getting considered left, right and centre. And just like any other government registration or engagement of sort, the process demands a list of documents that are a must to complete the procedure.

While the government tries to keep all the procedures easy to understand and simple to prepare for, there are times when the candidates still get consumed by confusion while making all the necessary arrangements. Hence, coming to your rescue, we have prepared a check-list that will help you get your court marriage documents list in order.

Follow the list right from the beginning till the end to help you be absolutely ready to get legally married in court.

Application Form

You can get a copy of the application form online, or you can visit the office of the district’s marriage officer to get a physical copy of the same. Fill up the copy very carefully and submit it with the officer, indicating an appeal that it is your partner's wish to get married in the court under Indian law. The application form submission is the first in the court marriage documents list and should be filled with all the correct details carefully.

As per the rules of the government, the notice of court marriage appeal needs to be submitted 30 days before the date of marriage to your local district marriage officer. Not just that, but it is also strictly to be followed that one of the partners should be present in the district and be staying there for a minimum of 30 days before the intended date of the court marriage. This formality shouldn’t be overlooked and arrangements should be made in advance for a hassle-free marriage experience.

Application Fee Receipt

When one makes an appeal for the court marriage, there is a certain fee charged for the application by the Government of India. A nominal fee that varies from district to district, is applicable for the registration. The receipt of this fee is of utmost importance on the court marriage documents list. The court marriage comes under the Special Marriage Act 1954, for which a couple of various religions can apply to be wedded in the court of law. The final cost of court marriage depends on factors like the provision under which the court marriage is being registered, the state and district where the appeal has been made and if you have any legal consultant hired to be the mediator for all the formalities.

Date Of Birth

Both the candidates need to make sure that they have included copies of their date of birth proofs on the court marriage documents list. You can include your birth certificate, a copy of your valid passport or your matriculation certificates on the court marriage documents list to be qualified for the court marriage application. Make sure that the copies are clear with the date of birth visible in full clarity. A waterproof black and white ink print is preferred over colour washable print outs while submitting the proofs. Make sure you have signed across these copies or have them attested by the gazetted officer so as to present a more authentic proof to the district marriage officer.

Evidence Of Stay

One of the most crucial paperwork on the court marriage documents list, proof of residing in the district for more than 30 days is very important for getting married in that particular district. As stated earlier, it is mandatory that one of the partners should be staying and present in the district for a minimum of 30 days before applying and being eligible for getting court married in that district. The proof can be your ration card, voter id card, Aadhar card, PAN Card or even electricity bill on your name and is considered a valid proof of residence that can be padded to the court marriage documents list.

Bride And Groom Individual Affidavits

Another set of individual paperwork will be added to the court marriage documents list consisting of personal details of both the bride and the groom. These personal details will include a copy of date-of-birth, current marital set (unmarried/divorcee/widower) and an affirmation that both the candidates are not related to each other as any of the prohibited relationships as defined under the Special Marriage Act. In case any of the candidates is a divorcee or a widower, proof of divorce or death certificate of the deceased spouse need also be included in the court marriage documents list while applying.

Information Of The Witnesses

A total of 3 witnesses should be present in court at the time of the court marriage. These witnesses also need to register as the ‘eyewitnesses’ for the said court marriage, along with a copy of the identifications. Usually, the government requests a copy of the PAN card along with current residential proof of all three witnesses to be eligible for being the eyewitnesses. Make sure that you acquire these documents from your eyewitnesses well in advance, with their signatures across their proof copies and add them to your file of court marriage documents list.

2 Passport Size Photographs

For the registration, two clear passport size photographs of both the bride and the groom need to be submitted along with the form for the marriage officer’s perusal. As far as the photograph documentation goes, the government requests for a front full face (till neck) photo with hair pulled and set behind both the ears and well-lit facial features. A randomly cropped image of your face will not be approved, so make sure that two latest passport size photos are available for usage.

Preparing a file all the contents of the court marriage documents list is the right thing to do to avoid any last minute hassles. Not just that, but given that marriage celebrations, big or small, come with their own share of hustle and bustle, it is best to get all the legal matters in order well in advance for a smooth court marriage experience.

Make sure that you connect with a qualified legal consultant in case you would like a mediator to take over to arrange for the court marriage on your behalf. But a physical appearance of both the bride and the groom along with the three witnesses on the date of court marriage is a must and it cannot be done via digital means of any sort. Getting married is a wonderful experience which when planned well in advance ensures a stress-free celebration time, be it over a destination ceremony or in court.  

Hope our court marriage documents list will help you prepare for the court marriage smoothly. Comment below in case you have any queries and we will be happy to answer.