Marriage
Marriage in India
The procedure for an American citizen (or any non-Indian) to get married in India depends on whether the parties wish to participate in a religious ceremony or a civil ceremony. If the Indian government asks you for a “no objection letter”, please be aware that the U.S. Consulate cannot provide such a statement. You can, however, provide the Indian government with a copy of the handout below, which explains U.S. government regulations regarding these requests.
If you wish, you may also schedule an appointment at the U.S. Consulate to make an affidavit regarding your marital status and eligibility to marry. Appointments are required, and notary fees apply.
If after marrying, you are interested in obtaining an immigrant visa to the United States for your new spouse, please contact the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (previously known as “INS”) to obtain more information about filing an immigrant visa petition. Their website is http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis. Their office at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi can be reached by writing to ins.ndi@dhs.gov, or by calling 2419-8506 (begin by dialing 011-91-11- if calling from the United States).
Religious Ceremonies
In India, a religious marriage ceremony is considered a legal marriage. However, for Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists, the certificate issued by the temple or gurudwara may not be legally sufficient for all purposes. Rather, members of these religions may seek a formal marriage certificate from the Registrar of Marriages. If one of the parties is a U.S. citizen, the registrar may request a “no objection letter” from the U.S. Consulate in Chennai, and also may request proof of termination of any previous marriages, before a marriage certificate will be issued.
If the parties are married in a Christian, Muslim, Parsi, Jewish, Baha’i or other religious ceremony, the certificate issued by the religious authority (e.g., the church’s marriage certificate, the mosque’s nikah nama, etc.) generally is sufficient proof of marriage, and no certificate from the marriage registrar is necessary.
Civil Ceremonies
Parties who do not wish to marry in a religious ceremony can instead opt for a civil ceremony pursuant to the Special Marriage Act. Again the American citizen who wishes to participate in a civil marriage ceremony may be required to present to the marriage officer a “no objection letter” from the U.S. Consulate in Chennai, as well as proof of termination of any previous marriages. The parties generally are required to wait at least 30 days from the date of initial application to formalize the marriage so that the marriage officer can publish a newspaper ad allowing for the opportunity for any objections to the marriage to be voiced.
The marriage registrar’s office generally is located in a local community’s court complex or municipal building.
