How to apply for a marriage certificate in Mumbai, Maharashtra

Marriage Certificate in Mumbai

The marriage certificate is the document issued by government officials as an official statement that two applicants are legally married.

The marriage certificate is the legal evidence of the marriage. Additionally, it also provides the authenticity of relationships and social security to married women. It is an essential document — perhaps not immediately after marriage, but eventually. Moreover, it is a must if you’re looking to take the last name of your spouse, for obtaining a passport and much else. In Mumbai, it takes anywhere from 15 days to 60 days to process.

What are the benefits of having a marriage certificate?

There are many more benefits of the marriage certificate. They are as follows:

1. Helpful in getting a visa/passport for the spouse. In many cases, a change in maiden name is required while applying for the visa. Marriage is the legal document needed to submit.
2. It helps claim the property, savings, life insurance claims after the death of a partner.
3. For legal cases such as divorce, alimony, and child custody, it is an important document; the court may ask to submit.
4. To apply for a loan, to buy a property, you will need a marriage certificate.
5. In many cases, such as second marriages, it is the most persuasive evidence.

Considering the above benefits, still many couples don’t get their marriage registered. It is because they are unaware of the procedure to get the marriage certificate.

In this article, we will go through all the related information required to apply for the marriage certificate.

What are the eligibility criteria to apply for a marriage certificate?

1. Either of the applicants should be a citizen of India.
2. The age of the bride should be 18years or more, whereas the age of the groom should be 21years or more.
3. In the case of the second marriage, the applicant shouldn’t have a living spouse or should be legally separated, at the time of the wedding to be registered.

Applicants fulfilling the above criteria can apply for the marriage certificate online or offline.

What all documents are required to apply for a marriage certificate?

1. Duly filled and signed application form by both applicants.
2. Invitation card of the wedding, wedding hall receipt, or wedding priest affidavit.
3. Wedding photograph.
4. ID proof (Aadhaar card/ ration card/ PAN card/ passport/driving license).
5. Proof of age (birth certificate/school leaving certificate/passport).
6. Address proof (electricity bill/rent agreement/ ownership documents/ passport).
7. Passport size photographs
8. ID and address proof of three witnesses and the priest.

How to apply for a marriage certificate in Mumbai ‘offline’:

1. Visit your nearest BMC ward office or Marriage registrar office to get the application form.
2. Fill up the application form carefully and paste passport size photographs in provided boxes.
3. Further, submit the duly filled application form along with attested documents to the respective officer. After verification of your documents, the BMC ward officer (or Registrar of marriage) will allocate a date for you to come with your spouse and three witnesses and sign the registered certificate.
4. On the allotted date, you, your spouse, and three witnesses need to be present at the respective office. Additionally, after signing and stamping in the presence of the officer, you will be issued an original, stamped marriage certificate in 10-15 days.
5. Please note, availability of the date for registration depends on how busy your ward is for the process.

Some people may find this process tedious, for the ‘online’ method is also available.

How to apply ‘online’ for a marriage certificate in Mumbai Online

Before proceeding, please note that the entire process of getting a marriage certificate is not online. You will need to visit the BMC office or marriage registrar office to sign and stamp the certificate. Follow the procedure to apply online:

1. Visit the site and click on the path online services → marriage registration → apply here.
2. Additionally, you will be get into FORM D. Fill out the form online carefully and upload the required documents.
3. Further, make the necessary payments to complete the procedure.
4. After payment you will be able to download your duly filled Form D. Additionally, you will get with a date to visit the BMC ward office and sign the documents.
5. On the issued date, reach the office with your spouse and three witnesses. Moreover, carry a print out of Form D and other documents.
6. Sign all the provided documents and certificates in the presence of a BMC ward officer or Registrar of marriage. Further, you will need to pay for the registration process too.
7. After verification, the authority will issue the marriage registration. You will receive it within 10-15 days.

Few points to remember:

• As mentioned earlier, the process is not online entirely. You will not get an online copy of your certificate in any format. You will either receive it by post or handed over physically at the respective office.
• In case, you need to submit an affidavit, consult advocates. They are equipped with all the necessary formats for the affidavit.
• Additionally, check the availability of the witnesses for an issued date. Keep reminding them of the same.
• Always keep all the documents ready and reach the respective office on time to avoid further delays.