Getting married in India (Foreigner + Indian)

blackeagle · Feb 29th, 2008, 09:10

Dear all,

Finally we're getting married!!!

But now the hard part

It's a bit difficult to find the correct information on the web about the exact procedure.

Let me explain our situation:

- She is Indian (23Y) and I'm a foreigner (Dutch)(25Y).
- We're living together in Pune since a month.
- I'm here on a employement visa (1y)
- We would like to get married in April (since my parents are here for vacation then).
- We would like to get married in court (official and register it)

I heared something about a notice period?
Does that mean we have to go twice to court?
Do the witnisses also have to attend both the times?
Which documents do i need? And she?

Please help me

squidward · Feb 29th, 2008, 09:52

You do need to give a notice 30 days before the court ceremony. You do not need witnesses for this, in fact you do not even need to attend yourself (although you do need to sign the forms). For my marriage notice we just signed the forms and a lawyer dropped it off at the courthouse. I highly recommend getting a lawyer if possible, the courthouse (at least in Mumbai) can be confusing is not very comfortable. We probably paid him around 2000rs and he did a great job, made sure we didn't wait in long lines and had everything done right the first time. As always in India, if you don't have someone who knows how to navigate things can end up taking forever.

There is a good explanation here
http://www.helplinelaw.com/docs/main.php3?id=RSMA1

blackeagle · Feb 29th, 2008, 10:12

Yep that is completely true.

Last week I registered myself (and without an officer I know it was impossible)

Thanks for the quick response.

Now the journey begins by finding a "honest" lawyer.

I'll let know how everything went.

Nick-H · Feb 29th, 2008, 10:15

In "court"?

At least in this state, the marriage officer' is the registrar for the district in which one of your is resident (for at least thirty days).

The process is very simple and there is no need to line the pockets of any third party lawyer or anything, although the officers/clerks may expect or demand some bribe (our registrar was strictly honest, the clerk asked for Rs.100).

It is also very unromantic.

That's a great link for giving all the forms.

Nick-H · Feb 29th, 2008, 10:18

Oh, welcome to the site!

Before you bother with the lawyer, find the local registrar for your district and go and make enquires. That should cost you nothing.

Various people offered to charge us Rs-thousands for organising it all; in the end we did it direct for very very little.

What is a lawyer going to add to this process? Cost!

blackeagle · Feb 29th, 2008, 10:23

The notice which we have to give.
Which documents (besides resident proof, passport(and the ones from that link)) do i need for that?

Nick-H · Feb 29th, 2008, 10:40

I think that will do.

I think these documents really come in at the wedding itself, but best to always have everything.

The one possible stumbling block is that the foreigner may be asked for proof that they are not married, and, in many countries, such a certificate simply does not exist. It is very simple of you are divorced, as the divorce papers will do nicely!

I made a 'statutory declaration' in London, and the registrar said she didn't want it; it was good enough for her that I said I was never married.

A visit to the registrar will clear these details up. That's what we did. You can call there just to enquire. They are busy places though; best to choose an 'inauspicious' day! Tuesdays might be a good start, but your wife should know this stuff or know who to ask. Avoid any day which is auspicious for registering property deals!

If you want to escape the unromantic, cattle-market atmosphere of the office, you can arrange with the registrar to have them attend your ceremony. I have no idea of the cost of this, probably 'negotiable'.

brownboy66 · Feb 29th, 2008, 13:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick-H

It is also very unromantic.

Well I hope you and Mrs N were able to remedy that! I think weddings are great - not to be missed (especially your own)

Oh....welcome to IM blackeagle!

Nick-H · Feb 29th, 2008, 18:50

Oh yes; we had our own ceremony, with traditional musical accompaniment, on the roof of our house that evening. That was wonderful.

The registration ---well, I've said it many times: imagine being married by a cattle auctioneer who does not interrupt the auction to marry you. We had to share the registrar's time with property disputes, searches, registrations.

When we had business at a UK registry office last year, Mrs N was curious about what I'd told her: separate room, space and chairs for guests (only witnesses allowed at our Chennai registration), so they showed us one of their wedding rooms.

Mrs N wanted to do it all over again in England she was so impressed!

moziaa · Jun 3rd, 2008, 06:15

Guys,
Nice to see lotsa help around, am Indian, planning to marry a Pakistani, my parents r skeptic abt Visa issues and am not sure how to proceed, any idea..if i wud b able to get a permanent Visa for my gf to stay wid me?

Munivar · Jun 3rd, 2008, 08:38

First off - please edit that post to normal English, instead of SMS lingo - before Nick comes...

Nick-H · Jun 3rd, 2008, 14:05

Exactly.

Moziaa... you want to marry your Pakistani lady and then live in USA? You need to be specific about what countries you are talking about when asking for advice. Also about your own citizenship status and origin.

mirjamd · Jun 3rd, 2008, 14:47

I don't know what it's like in the state you will register, but in Tamil Nadu we needed witnesses even at the announcement three months before the marriage. The same witnesses needed to sign at the marriage. They didn't have to be physically present, but we needed their signatures.

I am also Dutch, and I found out you have to register with the Dutch government if you want the marriage to be legal in the Netherlands as well. So make sure you do that within 6 months. I started a thread about it, there are more details there. Search for 'Legalising marriage'.

Enjoy the wedding preparations!

Nick-H · Jun 3rd, 2008, 16:06

We didn't need witnesses for our giving-notice, one month before Special Marriage Act wedding --- just for the wedding itself.

moziaa · Jun 3rd, 2008, 19:49

My Apologies for the confusion, Am an Indian, from Tamil Nadu, Madurai, Pachai Tamizhan !!
She is in Pakistan now and am in US, we are planning to get married and settle down in Madurai,Tamil Nadu, thats my home town.Kindly let me know, if its easy to get her the permanent Citizenship,and if we have any such couples?

Feb 29th, 2008, 09:10	#1
blackeagle Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Pune Posts: 3	Getting married in India (Foreigner + Indian) Dear all, Finally we're getting married!!! But now the hard part It's a bit difficult to find the correct information on the web about the exact procedure. Let me explain our situation: - She is Indian (23Y) and I'm a foreigner (Dutch)(25Y). - We're living together in Pune since a month. - I'm here on a employement visa (1y) - We would like to get married in April (since my parents are here for vacation then). - We would like to get married in court (official and register it) I heared something about a notice period? Does that mean we have to go twice to court? Do the witnisses also have to attend both the times? Which documents do i need? And she? Please help me

Feb 29th, 2008, 10:15	#4
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 25,528	In "court"? At least in this state, the marriage officer' is the registrar for the district in which one of your is resident (for at least thirty days). The process is very simple and there is no need to line the pockets of any third party lawyer or anything, although the officers/clerks may expect or demand some bribe (our registrar was strictly honest, the clerk asked for Rs.100). It is also very unromantic. That's a great link for giving all the forms. __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Jun 3rd, 2008, 06:15	#10
moziaa Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: USA Posts: 4	Helppppppppppppp!! Guys, Nice to see lotsa help around, am Indian, planning to marry a Pakistani, my parents r skeptic abt Visa issues and am not sure how to proceed, any idea..if i wud b able to get a permanent Visa for my gf to stay wid me?

Jun 3rd, 2008, 08:38	#11
Munivar Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Seattle Posts: 195	First off - please edit that post to normal English, instead of SMS lingo - before Nick comes... __________________ Yaadhum Oore Yaavarum Kaelir !!!

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Feb 29th, 2008, 09:52	#2
squidward Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Seattle, USA Posts: 22	You do need to give a notice 30 days before the court ceremony. You do not need witnesses for this, in fact you do not even need to attend yourself (although you do need to sign the forms). For my marriage notice we just signed the forms and a lawyer dropped it off at the courthouse. I highly recommend getting a lawyer if possible, the courthouse (at least in Mumbai) can be confusing is not very comfortable. We probably paid him around 2000rs and he did a great job, made sure we didn't wait in long lines and had everything done right the first time. As always in India, if you don't have someone who knows how to navigate things can end up taking forever. There is a good explanation here http://www.helplinelaw.com/docs/main.php3?id=RSMA1

Feb 29th, 2008, 10:12	#3
blackeagle Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Pune Posts: 3	Yep that is completely true. Last week I registered myself (and without an officer I know it was impossible) Thanks for the quick response. Now the journey begins by finding a "honest" lawyer. I'll let know how everything went.

Feb 29th, 2008, 10:18	#5
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 25,528	Oh, welcome to the site! Before you bother with the lawyer, find the local registrar for your district and go and make enquires. That should cost you nothing. Various people offered to charge us Rs-thousands for organising it all; in the end we did it direct for very very little. What is a lawyer going to add to this process? Cost!

Feb 29th, 2008, 10:23	#6
blackeagle Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Pune Posts: 3	The notice which we have to give. Which documents (besides resident proof, passport(and the ones from that link)) do i need for that?

Feb 29th, 2008, 10:40	#7
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 25,528	I think that will do. I think these documents really come in at the wedding itself, but best to always have everything. The one possible stumbling block is that the foreigner may be asked for proof that they are not married, and, in many countries, such a certificate simply does not exist. It is very simple of you are divorced, as the divorce papers will do nicely! I made a 'statutory declaration' in London, and the registrar said she didn't want it; it was good enough for her that I said I was never married. A visit to the registrar will clear these details up. That's what we did. You can call there just to enquire. They are busy places though; best to choose an 'inauspicious' day! Tuesdays might be a good start, but your wife should know this stuff or know who to ask. Avoid any day which is auspicious for registering property deals! If you want to escape the unromantic, cattle-market atmosphere of the office, you can arrange with the registrar to have them attend your ceremony. I have no idea of the cost of this, probably 'negotiable'.

Feb 29th, 2008, 18:50	#9
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 25,528	Oh yes; we had our own ceremony, with traditional musical accompaniment, on the roof of our house that evening. That was wonderful. The registration ---well, I've said it many times: imagine being married by a cattle auctioneer who does not interrupt the auction to marry you. We had to share the registrar's time with property disputes, searches, registrations. When we had business at a UK registry office last year, Mrs N was curious about what I'd told her: separate room, space and chairs for guests (only witnesses allowed at our Chennai registration), so they showed us one of their wedding rooms. Mrs N wanted to do it all over again in England she was so impressed!

Jun 3rd, 2008, 14:05	#12
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 25,528	Exactly. Moziaa... you want to marry your Pakistani lady and then live in USA? You need to be specific about what countries you are talking about when asking for advice. Also about your own citizenship status and origin.

Jun 3rd, 2008, 14:47	#13
mirjamd Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Zoetermeer, Netherlands Posts: 253	I don't know what it's like in the state you will register, but in Tamil Nadu we needed witnesses even at the announcement three months before the marriage. The same witnesses needed to sign at the marriage. They didn't have to be physically present, but we needed their signatures. I am also Dutch, and I found out you have to register with the Dutch government if you want the marriage to be legal in the Netherlands as well. So make sure you do that within 6 months. I started a thread about it, there are more details there. Search for 'Legalising marriage'. Enjoy the wedding preparations!

Jun 3rd, 2008, 16:06	#14
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 25,528	We didn't need witnesses for our giving-notice, one month before Special Marriage Act wedding --- just for the wedding itself.

Jun 3rd, 2008, 19:49	#15
moziaa Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: USA Posts: 4	My Apologies for the confusion, Am an Indian, from Tamil Nadu, Madurai, Pachai Tamizhan !! She is in Pakistan now and am in US, we are planning to get married and settle down in Madurai,Tamil Nadu, thats my home town.Kindly let me know, if its easy to get her the permanent Citizenship,and if we have any such couples?

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