Marriage Certificate Apostille in India: Step-by-Step Guide for Couples Going Abroad

Why Your Marriage Certificate Needs Apostille

If you are including your spouse in a visa application, applying for dependent visas, or applying for PR in countries like Canada or Australia, your marriage certificate must be authenticated for international use.

Types of Marriage Certificates in India

1. Marriage Certificate under Hindu Marriage Act / Special Marriage Act

Issued by the Sub-Registrar's office. This is a civil marriage certificate and the most commonly used internationally.

2. Church Marriage Certificate

Issued by the church. For international use, church certificates typically need additional notarization before they can be attested.

3. Nikah Nama (Muslim Marriage)

The Islamic marriage contract. For international use, requires notarization and then the standard attestation/apostille chain.

The Attestation Chain for Marriage Certificates

For Hague countries (Europe, Canada, Australia, USA, UK):

• Notary Public


• Home Department of the state where the marriage was registered


• MEA Apostille

For GCC countries (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain):

• Notary Public


• Home Department


• MEA


• Embassy of the destination country

Certified Translation of Marriage Certificate

If your destination country requires the local language, the marriage certificate must be certified-translated after apostille:

• Italy: Italian translation (empanelled translator)


• Germany: German certified translation


• France: French certified translation


• Saudi Arabia / UAE / Qatar: Arabic translation

Marriage Certificate for Canada PR

For Canada Express Entry and PR applications, marriage certificate apostille is required for dependent spouse inclusion. WES also requires translated marriage certificates for ECA if names have changed.

If Your Marriage Was Not Registered

Many Indian couples have religious ceremonies but did not register their marriage. For international use, you need a formally registered marriage certificate. You can register a marriage even years after the ceremony at the local Sub-Registrar's office.