How to Get a Marriage Certificate in Odisha?

A marriage certificate is a crucial legal document that officially legalises Indian marriages. It provides key benefits, such as rights to inheritance, spousal privileges, support for visa applications and more. Thus, to streamline the process of availing one, the Odisha Government also enables individuals to apply for a marriage certificate both online and offline..

For couples looking to formalise their marriage and get other government benefits, understanding how to apply for a marriage certificate in Odisha is essential. Keep reading to learn more!

Online marriage registration is very popular nowadays because the process is easy, cost-effective, and saves time. Follow the steps mentioned below to register for marriage online:

Step 1: Visit the official website of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Step 2: Under ‘Services’, click on the 'e-Services' tab.

Step 3: Choose the ‘Apply Marriage Certificate’ option.

Step 8: Provide all the information carefully and upload the required documents.

Step 9: Pay the fees and click ‘Submit’.

Step 10: Check your SMS or email for confirmation or any additional steps.

Once you have submitted your application, the Marriage Registrar will book an appointment date and time with you. You, your partner, and two witnesses (one from each side) shall report to the Office of the Registrar on that specified date.

An additional officer will check the marriage's credibility and verify fingerprints. A marriage certificate will be provided if the marriage is genuine and the application is valid.

Here's a step-by-step guideline for obtaining your marriage certificate in person in Odisha:

Step 1: Navigate to the official Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) website.

Step 4: Complete the form with details of the bride and groom and both witnesses, such as names, dates of birth, addresses, and the date and place of marriage.

Step 5: Submit it at the Sub-Registrar's office where the marriage took place, based on whether you are registering under the Hindu Marriage Act or the Special Marriage Act.

Step 6: Furnish the necessary documents, including proof of marriage, age proof, address proof, and passport-size photographs.

Step 7: Pay the fee required for registration and wait for the first-round verification to complete.

Note - In the first step, the corporation must verify and approve the application details. If any remarks are made, the application has to be corrected and submitted again.

Step 8: Visit the Sub-Registrar's office on the provided date with your spouse and two witnesses for the second round of verification.

For marriages registered under the Special Marriage Act, a public notice is issued 30 days after the submission. If there are no objections within this period, the process continues. Once the registration is verified and completed, the official marriage certificate will be issued.

The charges for a Marriage Registration Certificate vary according to the law applicable to the marriage being registered in Odisha. For marriages registered under the Hindu Marriage Act of 1955, the fee includes a treasury challan fee and ULB registration fee (depending upon the area of residence-Urban local body).

The treasury challan fee is ₹17 for registration within a month or ₹42 after 30 days of the event. The ULB fee will be from ₹500 to ₹1000. This fee should be paid to the counter office or during the online registration.

Application for a marriage certificate in Odisha can be made online or by physically submitting the necessary documents. The verification process involves the Registrar scrutinising your application and in some cases, calling you and your partner for an interview.

It takes about 30 days to process your application and the associated verification process for it to be issued. Make sure that your documents are correct to avoid delays.

After the approval of the marriage certificate application form, you can download it in the following way:

Step 1: Go to the official citizen services portal and enter your login credentials.

Step 2: Enter the OTP and download the document.

To make the process easier, the Government of Odisha will send you a notification email or mobile phone when your marriage certificate is ready for collection. Once you get notified, you can access your certificate in the BMC office or download it from the portal.

The Marriage Certificate can be downloaded free of charge.

If you misplace the hard copy of the marriage certificate, you can download it from the official website by following the steps mentioned below:

Step 1: Visit the official website of the Bhubaneswar Citizen Services Portal.

If you lose your marriage certificate, you can obtain a duplicate copy using the following process:

Step 1: You can go to the Registrar's Office, where you registered your marriage.

Step 2: Ask for the process to reissue the marriage certificate and apply.

Step 3: Pay the required fees (if any) and collect the certificate on the appointed date.

The process for applying for a Muslim Marriage Certificate in Odisha is the same as a Hindu marriage, as it follows the Orissa Mohammedan Marriage and Divorce Registration Act of 1949. 

Here is the process to apply for a Muslim Marriage Certificate in Odisha:

Step 1: Go to the official website of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation.

Step 7: Enter all the information carefully and upload the required documents.

Step 8: Pay the required fees and click ‘Submit’.

Once you have submitted your application, the Marriage Registrar will book an appointment date and time with you. Now, the Odisha Government has a Mohammedan Registrar for Muslim marriages. Thus, when you get an appointment date, you need to enquire at the office whether there are any special criteria which you and your partner need to fulfil.

After the marriage’s credibility is checked by the officials, the certificate is issued within 30 days.

Following are the steps to apply for a post marriage certificate in Odisha:

Step 1: Visit the Sub-Registrar Office wherein your marriage has been registered.

Step 2: Complete the application form for the post-marriage certificate provided at the office appropriately.

Step 3: Submit the filled application form and the required documents to the officials.

Step 4: As per Urban Local Body (ULB), pay the application fee, which would be from ₹500 to ₹1000, to obtain a post-marriage certificate.

The certificate will be collected after marriage at the office or online through status checking (if available).

Now that you know how to apply for a marriage certificate in Odisha, there is something else that needs your attention. The time taken to receive your marriage certificate after application can get elongated due to several reasons. Thus, if you have any upcoming time-sensitive event like applying for a passport or filing a joint loan application, it is advisable that you apply for this document in advance to prevent any unnecessary setbacks.