# marriage certificate question



## pt1988 (Oct 28, 2012)

I would like to ask if the marriage certificate from india is valid in the uk, if not do we have to do civil marriage in the UK?

please post thanks


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## pt1988 (Oct 28, 2012)

Anyone from india on a spouse visa been in my shoes please advice?


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## RyanP (Jul 24, 2012)

Hi,

I'm not in India or Indian, but me (from the UK) and my wife (from Russia) got married in Finland.

Is your marriage certificate properly registered in India? I know things can be a bit different with marriages in India, it can't just be a religious one, but also recognised in law, too.

For such a document to be recognised abroad (assuming it's valid in India), it will need an Apostille (provided by a government department). Enquire on your government's website about which department provides this (there will be one in India as it's a member of the Apostille convention).


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## dref (Mar 1, 2013)

My wife is from Pakistan we got married in Pakistan according to Pakistani law. Marriage certificate is acceptable to home office as long as it's been translated in English.

I think foreign marriage certificate is acceptable to home office as long as it has been translated into English verified and tested.


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## ahidges (Mar 20, 2013)

Hi 


I am getting married in india and we are going through a court marriage which will make our marriage legal in the UK. I had to get a non impediment certificate from my local borough and will produce this to the British high commission in india, before Marraige and then all these documents I will give to a Marraige registrar who will register our Marraige for us. 

We have to have arya samej - this is the phere but I think this is the second part which makes it legal in the UK. 

You could google it?


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## mm2 (Apr 2, 2013)

I had a civil ceremony in India under the India's Special Marriage Act 1954, at a District Court. As long as your marriage is legal in the country of issue for your marriage certificate, then it is legal in the UK.


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## ahidges (Mar 20, 2013)

Hey mm2 how's things? Just out of curiosity did you have to declare your marriage for 30 days and why was it under the special Marraige act and not the Hindu act? 

As far as I know Hindu act means you don't need to declare 30 days but special Marraige act you do need to declare ur plans for 30 days in case anybody objects.

I am British Hindu by birth and my partner is Buddhist indian and we plan to have a court Marraige with no notice under the Hindu act.


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## mm2 (Apr 2, 2013)

ahidges said:


> Hey mm2 how's things? Just out of curiosity did you have to declare your marriage for 30 days and why was it under the special Marraige act and not the Hindu act?
> 
> As far as I know Hindu act means you don't need to declare 30 days but special Marraige act you do need to declare ur plans for 30 days in case anybody objects.
> 
> I am British Hindu by birth and my partner is Buddhist indian and we plan to have a court Marraige with no notice under the Hindu act.


Hi ahidges! Things are good, just counting the days, waiting for a visa decision.. how about you? We did have to declare that we intended to marry at the District court in Delhi 30 days prior to getting marriage. We got married under the special marriage act because we were advised as I am Muslim and my wife is Hindu, we could only legally get married in a secular civil ceremony under the special marriage act.

EDIT: As your partner is Buddhist, it is right that you would go under the Hindu Act, as it covers Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism.


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## RyanP (Jul 24, 2012)

ahidges said:


> I had to get a non impediment certificate from my local borough


Did you get an Apostille?


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## ahidges (Mar 20, 2013)

Hi mm2 - great to hear we are both on the right track  then 

What is an appolstille?


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## mm2 (Apr 2, 2013)

RyanP said:


> Did you get an Apostille?


Hi, just to say I didn't get my Non-Impediment Certificate authenticated, as it was an original and signed by the Deputy Superintendent Registrar from my local borough's office. I gave this to the District Court in delhi and all was good... I'm married woohoo!


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## RyanP (Jul 24, 2012)

ahidges said:


> Hi mm2 - great to hear we are both on the right track  then
> 
> What is an appolstille?


It "legalises" (confirms the document as genuine by the government) a document for use outside of the country. So, if you got your CNI in the UK, you need to send it to the FCO for an Apostille.

https://www.gov.uk/get-document-legalised

It doesn't take long.


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## ahidges (Mar 20, 2013)

I think that's the equivalent to taking my non impediment certificate to the British high commission who convert it into a non objection certificate which allows me to marry in india


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## RyanP (Jul 24, 2012)

mm2 said:


> Hi, just to say I didn't get my Non-Impediment Certificate authenticated, as it was an original and signed by the Deputy Superintendent Registrar from my local borough's office. I gave this to the District Court in delhi and all was good... I'm married woohoo!


Congratulations!

There seems to be a bit less red tape to get married in India.


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