Marriage Certificate Apostille in India: State-by-State Guide
Marriage certificate apostille makes your Indian marriage registration certificate valid for a spouse visa, residence permit or family matter abroad. Every state registers marriages under its own rules, so this guide links to a separate page for each state and union territory.
By the INFINITYGRO documentation teamUpdated Facts checked against MEA and HCCH
Marriage certificate attestation sample
How do you apostille a marriage certificate in India? Get the registered marriage certificate authenticated, either by Notary and SDM in Delhi or by the home department of the state that issued it. The Ministry of External Affairs then adds the Apostille. The MEA fee is ₹50, and by the Delhi route it usually takes 2 to 3 working days.
What marriage certificate apostille means
An apostille on a marriage certificate tells a foreign authority that the Indian document is genuine. The Ministry of External Affairs places it on the back of the certificate after an Indian officer has confirmed the registrar's signature.
You need it when you sponsor a spouse visa, apply for a dependant or residence permit, register your marriage again in another country, change a surname on documents abroad, or file a family matter in a foreign court.
The certificate itself comes from your state. Depending on where you married, it was issued by a Registrar of Marriages, a Sub-Registrar, a local body, an SDM or a marriage officer under the Special Marriage Act. That is why each state page below explains who issues the certificate there and which office authenticates it.
Key facts
| Who issues an Apostille in India | The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Consular, Passport and Visa (CPV) Division, New Delhi, and MEA branch secretariats. |
|---|---|
| India in the Apostille Convention | In force for India since 14 July 2005. |
| Countries that accept an Apostille | 130 contracting parties to the Hague Apostille Convention as of 30 June 2026. |
| First step before the MEA | Personal documents: state Home or General Administration Department. Educational: state Education department. Commercial: Chamber of Commerce. |
| What the MEA checks | The signature of the authenticating officer, not the contents of the document. Photocopies are not legalized. |
| MEA government fee | ₹50 per document for an Apostille. MEA normal attestation is free. Agency, embassy and courier charges are separate. |
| Countries that still need embassy legalization | Countries outside the convention, for example UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Egypt. |
| Exceptions for Indian documents | China: India objected to China's accession (8 September 2023), so an Apostille is not valid between them. Germany: objected to India's accession in 2005 and verifies Indian documents through its embassy instead. |
Two routes to a marriage certificate apostille
Notary, SDM, then MEA
- Works for marriage certificates issued in any state.
- Usually 2 to 3 working days.
- The route most spouse visa files use.
State home department, then MEA
- The issuing state's designated authority authenticates the certificate.
- Takes longer and depends on that office.
- Use it when the receiving office abroad asks for state verification.
Where a marriage certificate apostille is accepted
All Apostille Convention countries that have accepted India's accession recognise it, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, most of Europe, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain.
It is not accepted for the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt and other countries outside the convention, nor for China and Germany. For those, the marriage certificate needs embassy attestation instead. Spouse visas for the UAE are among our most common files, covered in the UAE attestation guide.
Check the destination first. Sending an apostilled certificate to an embassy-route country, or the reverse, means doing the file again. We confirm the route before you post anything.
Before you apply
- Use the registration certificate issued by the registrar, not only a religious certificate.
- Check that both names match the passports, or prepare a name affidavit.
- Keep the original unlaminated; the stamps go on the back.
- Send clear copies of both passports with the certificate.
- Ask if the destination needs a translation. Certificates in a regional language usually do; see translation.
If the marriage is not registered yet
The MEA cannot apostille a wedding card, photographs or a temple receipt. Register the marriage with the competent registrar in the state where it took place first. Each state page explains the local registering office and, where one exists, the online portal for applying or downloading a certified copy.
Marriage certificate apostille by state
Choose the state or union territory where the marriage was registered.
Cost and time for a marriage certificate
| MEA government fee | ₹50 per document |
|---|---|
| INFINITYGRO, Delhi route | ₹1,000 to ₹1,500 per document, all-inclusive |
| Usual time, Delhi route | About 2 to 3 working days |
| Courier | Extra, both ways |
| Translation | Quoted by language and pages |
Sending your certificate from another state
Most couples never visit our office. WhatsApp a photo of the certificate and the destination country, and we confirm the route and price. Then courier the original with both passport copies to New Ashok Nagar, Delhi. The apostilled certificate comes back to you by Blue Dart or a similar tracked courier.
What the finished stamps look like
Click to enlarge. Personal details are masked.
Marriage certificate apostille FAQs
What is marriage certificate apostille?
It is the MEA Apostille placed on an Indian marriage certificate so that authorities in Hague Apostille Convention countries accept it. Before the MEA step, an Indian authority confirms the signature on the certificate: Notary and SDM in Delhi, or the home department of the state that issued it.
Which marriage certificate can be apostilled?
The registration certificate issued by the marriage registrar, Sub-Registrar or marriage officer of your state, under the Hindu Marriage Act, the Special Marriage Act or the state's own registration law. A religious certificate from a temple, church or qazi on its own is usually not enough; register the marriage first.
How much does marriage certificate apostille cost?
The MEA's government fee is ₹50 per document. Through INFINITYGRO the all-inclusive charge by the Delhi route is ₹1,000 to ₹1,500 per document, covering notary, SDM, the MEA fee and our service. Courier and any translation are extra.
How long does it take?
By the Delhi route most marriage certificates are apostilled in about 2 to 3 working days after we receive them. The state route depends on the department of the issuing state.
Do both spouses need to be present?
No. Neither spouse has to come to Delhi. We need the original certificate and clear copies of both passports.
The names on the certificate and passport differ. What now?
Make a name affidavit that links both spellings before the notary step, or ask the registrar to correct the certificate. A mismatch is the most common reason a spouse visa file is questioned abroad.
Is apostille valid for a spouse visa to the UAE, Qatar or China?
No. These countries do not accept an Indian Apostille. Your marriage certificate needs MEA attestation and legalization at the country's embassy, which we also handle.
Send your marriage certificate details
WhatsApp a photo of the certificate and the destination country. We reply with the route and one total price.