Getting Married to an Indian Girl (in india?) - Advice needed

jonlwallis · Nov 1st, 2009, 21:27

Hi All,

I'm a 29 yr old UK male. My Indian girlfriend, who has been in the UK on a work Visa for the past 4 1/2 yrs, and i are planning on getting married.

All of her family are back home in Chennai and so we would like very much to have some kind of ceremony when we visit this coming January (2010) - for 2 weeks. We also then plan to have a second ceremony in the UK, later in the year, where we will continue to reside.

I've read a lot about the official marriage act and such like on other posts, and have read the act itself but am still a little confused

Am i right in thinking that if we simply have a religious ceremony the 30 day registration period is not necessary? And that our ceremony in the UK would then become the 'official' bit? in that case i'm assuming that we would not be officially married until our ceremony in the UK.

As we are planning to reside in the UK for the foreseeable future, i am assuming this would be the best course of action?

Any help on this would be much appreciated as it is now dawning on us how many additional things there are / may be to deal with than with a 'traditional' wedding!

Thanks.
Jon.

Nick-H · Nov 1st, 2009, 22:03

If you are just going to have a religious ceremony in India, you do not have to worry about Marriage Acts and formal stuff within India. although I suppose that, in India, you might be seen as having married under the relevant act for the religion.

I think you are right to do your "legal" marriage thing in the country in which you both intend to live, ie UK, but do remember that she will need a visa for UK that permits her to marry. Check with the UK Borders Agency site on this.

namaste_cat · Nov 1st, 2009, 22:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonlwallis

Am i right in thinking that if we simply have a religious ceremony the 30 day registration period is not necessary? And that our ceremony in the UK would then become the 'official' bit? in that case i'm assuming that we would not be officially married until our ceremony in the UK.

Yes, that's correct. Just have a nice albeit unofficial wedding ceremony in India so her relatives and friends can be a part of the process. And your official wedding date will be the one in the UK.

That's exactly how my husband and I did it though U.S., not UK. We had a Hindu ceremony, and the priest here in the U.S., sent me an official marriage certificate a few days later in the mail. Easy peasy w/ no notice, registration, no figuring out which Marriage Act, etc. The priest did all the work

jonlwallis · Nov 1st, 2009, 22:56

Thanks for your answers. It's helped clear up a lot of confusion!

Nov 1st, 2009, 21:27	#1
jonlwallis Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 2	Getting Married to an Indian Girl (in india?) - Advice needed Hi All, I'm a 29 yr old UK male. My Indian girlfriend, who has been in the UK on a work Visa for the past 4 1/2 yrs, and i are planning on getting married. All of her family are back home in Chennai and so we would like very much to have some kind of ceremony when we visit this coming January (2010) - for 2 weeks. We also then plan to have a second ceremony in the UK, later in the year, where we will continue to reside. I've read a lot about the official marriage act and such like on other posts, and have read the act itself but am still a little confused Am i right in thinking that if we simply have a religious ceremony the 30 day registration period is not necessary? And that our ceremony in the UK would then become the 'official' bit? in that case i'm assuming that we would not be officially married until our ceremony in the UK. As we are planning to reside in the UK for the foreseeable future, i am assuming this would be the best course of action? Any help on this would be much appreciated as it is now dawning on us how many additional things there are / may be to deal with than with a 'traditional' wedding! Thanks. Jon.

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Nov 1st, 2009, 22:03	#2
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,189	If you are just going to have a religious ceremony in India, you do not have to worry about Marriage Acts and formal stuff within India. although I suppose that, in India, you might be seen as having married under the relevant act for the religion. I think you are right to do your "legal" marriage thing in the country in which you both intend to live, ie UK, but do remember that she will need a visa for UK that permits her to marry. Check with the UK Borders Agency site on this.

Nov 1st, 2009, 22:56	#4
jonlwallis Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 2	Thanks for your answers. It's helped clear up a lot of confusion!