A foreigner who lives and works in India can get married to an Indian citizen. Under the Special Marriage Act of 1954, it is clearly stated that at least one of the potential couple must have stayed in India for a period of 30days before applying to get married.
The documentation required to get married in India will depend on the type of wedding you’re going to have. At a minimum, you’ll need the following documents in advance of your wedding day:
Proof of Residency and Address in India for at least 30 days prior to the application, for at least one of the parties
A valid passport for both parties
Original birth certificate for both parties
Visa or Ration Card for any foreign parties involved in the marriage that will last longer than 30 days, indicating your length of stay
Certificate of No Impediment/Single Status stating that you’re not already married
No Objection Letters stating that you willingly consent to the marriage, obtained through your home country’s embassy
Divorce Papers or Death Certificate if you’ve been previously married and divorced or widowed
Passport sized photographs
If you’re a foreigner marrying an Indian citizen, you’ll also need to visit a lawyer to create an affidavit confirming that you’re a willing party to the marriage. This is in the absence of the presence of parents who are there to ‘give you away.’
At the registry office, you’ll then sign three copies of your notice of intended marriage, and confirm your names and addresses to the registrar. If no one objects within the 30 day period before your wedding day, you can be legally married, again at the registrar. You’ll need three witnesses present, and several copies of the passports and proofs of address for all of your witnesses.
To obtain your marriage certificate, you should visit the local marriage registrar’s office which is generally in a court or municipal building. There’s a 30-day waiting period after your wedding, and then you can obtain your certificate which counts as legal proof that you’re married. In total, you should expect to spend at least 60 days in India, between both 30-day waiting periods before and after your wedding.