Get Marriage Certificate Apostille in Kolkata | Apostille Stamp on Marriage Certificate
- UPDATED A MONTH AGO
Are you planning to move abroad with your spouse or apply for a dependent visa from Kolkata? Worried about the document authentication process? Don’t forget to get a marriage certificate apostille in Kolkata. Getting an apostille stamp on your marriage certificate is mandatory to legalize it in a foreign country. In this article, we will take you through the entire process of getting a marriage apostille in Kolkata, including the requirements,time frame and cost.
4 Simple steps to get MEA Apostille on your Documents
- Register on Apostille Portal
- Collect all Documents you want to Apostille
- Submit the Original / Photocopies of documents
- Receive Documents with Apostille Directly to your home
What is a Marriage Certificate Apostille?
A marriage certificate apostille is a stamp or certification issued by the ministry of external affairs to authenticate your Indian marriage in a foreign country that is a member of Hague apostille convention. Any document issued in a foreign authority requires an extra step of verification known as legalization. Among Hague Apostille countries, this legalization instrument is known as an apostille. However, legalization of marriage certificates in a non Hague country requires an embassy attestation.
India joined the Hague Apostille Convention in 2005. Thus, if you are submitting your marriage certificate in another Hague country, you need to get an apostille stamp on it. However, if your destination country is a non Hague country, regardless of India’s status as a Hague country you need to get embassy attestation.
Why Do You Need a Marriage Certificate Apostille in Kolkata?
An apostille stamp on marriage certificate is often required for the following reasons:
- Spouse visa or dependent visa
- Family reunification
- Residency or immigration processes
- Work permit applications
- Foreign university admissions (for married students)
- Divorce or separation proceedings abroad
- Inherit property of deceased spouse.
In these situations the apostille stamp on your marriage certificate proves that the document is genuine and original.
Requirements for Apostille Marriage Certificate in Kolkata
To get MEA Apostille for marriage certificate, you need to submit the following documents to Secure Apostille Services:
- Original government issued marriage certificate
- Photocopy of husband wife’s passports
- A document submission form to be filled online
Types of Marriages in Kolkata Usually Apostilled
- Hindu Marriage: If your marriage was as per the Hindu traditions at a temple in Kolkata, you will get a temple receipt of marriage. This marriage certificate may be valid inside India for legal proceedings. However, if you want to get an apostille this temple marriage certificate is not valid. You need to register your marriage with the nearest registrar and get a government issued marriage certificate.
- Muslim Marriage: If your marriage was at a Mosque as per islamic religious tradition, you will get a Nikah Nama from a West Bengal state Wakf board recognized Qasi. However, Nikah Nama is not eligible for an apostille. To apply for a marriage certificate apostille in kolkata, you need to visit the marriage registrar’s office and register your marriage. You will get a marriage certificate within a few days which can be used for the apostille process.
- Christian Marriage: If your marriage was at a christian church, you will get a marriage certificate from the church. This marriage certificate is considered as valid legal document inside India to prove your marital status. However, for an apostille stamp you need to get a government issued marriage certificate. Thus, you need to visit the office of registrar with your spouse, witnesses and supportive documents to register your marriage.
- Civil Marriages: If your marriage was a civil marriage where you registered under the special marriage act without any religious ceremonies, you will get a government issued marriage certificate within a few days. There is no requirement for further registration. You can use the marriage certificate for apostille.
How to Get A Marriage Certificate in Kolkata
If your marriage was a traditional religious marriage or marriage happened at an auditorium or home as per the traditional customs, you need to register your marriage with the marriage registrar from the place where one of the spouses is living.
In Kolkata, you can register your marriage under Hindu marriage act or special marriage act. You need to visit the registrar’s office with supportive documents and witnesses. The supportive documents usually required for marriage registration after the ceremony are:
Application form Available online on the West Bengal eDistrict portal or at the registrar’s office.
- Proof of marriage such as marriage invitation card and photograph
- Identity proof
- Address proof
- Date of birth proof
Alternatively, you can visit any one of the following portals to apply online. However, for the registration process you need to visit the registrar’s office personally.
- West Bengal eDistrict Portal : This portal facilitates citizen services such as marriage registration
- Registrar General of Marriages, West Bengal (RGMWB): This portal is under the law department dedicated to marriage registration.
Apostille for Marriage Certificate Affidavit in Kolkata
You can prepare a marriage certificate affidavit in Kolkata if:
- You have lost your marriage certificate
- You do not have a government issued Marriage certificate
MEA India accepts marriage certificate affidavits for an apostille and most of the countries accept it as a legal document. However, it is mandatory for the person preparing the affidavit to be present in India before a public notary to notarize the affidavit. Without a notary attestation, the marriage affidavit is not valid. You need to submit supporting documents to the notary to get an attestation. Supporting documents accepted for notarization process includes:
- Wedding invitation and wedding photo
- Govt issued ID card, preferably passport, where your spouse’s name is mentioned.
- Joint rental agreement, utility bills and bank account proving that both husband and wife have been staying together.
- Religious marriage certificate obtained from temple, church or mosque
- Photocopy of the lost marriage certificate.
Marriage Certificate Apostille in Kolkata: Methods
In India only the ministry of external affairs is authorized to provide an apostille stamp. However, the ministry cannot conduct the entire verification process. Thus, there are two commonly accepted methods of verification process for marriage certificate apostille. They are:
- State Attestation : In case of marriage certificate issued in Kolkata, it is West Bengal home department.
- SDM Attestation : Attestation and verification by a sub divisional magistrate.
The SDM method is widely used in the apostille process. However, some countries require an attestation from states to accept an apostille. In such cases, you should get a home department attestation for your marriage certificate.
Authorities involved in State Attestation Method
- public notary
- Section Officer, Home (Foreigners’& NRI’s) Department, Government of West Bengal, Kolkata or W.B.C.S (Exe), Joint Secretary, Home (Foreigners’& NRI’s) Department, Government of West Bengal, Kolkata.
- Under Secretary, CPV Division or MEA or Assistant Section Officer, CPV Division, MEA
Authorities involved in SDM Attestation Method
- A public notary
- Sub Divisional Magistrate
- Under Secretary, CPV Division or MEA or Assistant Section Officer, CPV Division, MEA
Step by Step Process to Get A Marriage Certificate Apostille in Kolkata
Given below are the steps Secure Apostille Services follows to get a MEA India apostille for marriage certificate in Kolkata:
- Notarization: A public notary is an official who can authenticate documents with an attestation. In this step, we will submit your marriage certificate to a public notary. The notary will check whether the signatures and seal in your marriage certificate is original or not. Then, the notary will attest on the backside of your marriage certificate with official seal and signature.
- SDM/State Attestation: in this step, we will submit your marriage certificate to either the SDM or West Bengal home department depending on your requirement. If it is an SDM method, the sub divisional magistrate will return your marriage certificate with attestation after the verification within 2 working days. If it is a state attestation method, the home department will delegate the verification to the authority of the district where the marriage was registered. The district authority will verify with the respective marriage registrar. The registrar will cross verify the certificate with the records of marriage. Once verified and ensured it is a genuine marriage certificate issued from that particular registrar’s office, he will report back to the district authority. The district authority will submit the report to the West Bengal home department. Finally, the home department will attest your marriage certificate with official seal and signature.
- MEA Attestation: In this stage, we will submit your marriage certificate with all the necessary attestations to the ministry of external affairs. The ministry will verify the document and attestations. Finally, the ministry will attest the marriage certificate and paste an apostille sticker on the backside of it. The name in the apostille sticker may be your spouse’s even if you are the applicant. The name is decided by the ministry at its own discretion and there is no strict rule for it. Thus, even if it mentioned your spouse’s name, you can use it for your personal purposes
MEA Apostille for Marriage Certificate in Kolkata: Processing Time
The typical time required for an apostille stamp for marriage certificate in Kolkata is from 3 to 14 days depending on the following factors:
- Verification method
- Service you choose
- Courier service you choose
However, we have same day apostille services where we can finish the attire attestation and apostille on the same day. In Kolkata, you will get same day apostille service for marriage certificate if,
- Want to get apostille for digital marriage certificate or photocopy
- Want digital apostille. ( We can deliver you the digital marriage certificate apostille the same day and we will courier you the apostilled soft copy.)
Marriage Certificate Attestation in Kolkata for Non Hague Countries
If you are travelling to a non Hague country, an apostille is not accepted as a legalization method. Thus, you need to get embassy attestation for your marriage certificate. This includes one more step after MEA attestation. Moreover, it involves authority from another country, though situated in India. For example, If you are travelling to Qatar, you need to get attestation from Qatar embassy in India. Following are the steps to get an embassy attestation for marriage certificate in Kolkata:
- Notarization
- SDM/Home attestation
- MEA Attestation(not apostille)
- Embassy Attestation
Whether you are planning to migrate to another country or applying for a spouse visa from Kolkata, getting a marriage certificate apostille in Kolkata is mandatory. Make sure your documents are in order and authenticated for use in that country. Take the help of an authorized apostille service provider in Kolkata to smoother documentation experience.
Register for Online MEA Apostille
Provide applicant details
Frequently asked questions
If the foreign country you are planning to travel to is a Hague country and they ask for a legalized marriage certificate an apostille is mandatory. Especially if you are travelling with a spouse or applying for a dependent visa from Kolkata.
No. You cannot directly get an apostille for your marriage certificate in Bengali language. Before starting the apostille process, you need to get a certified Bengali to English translation of your marriage certificate. Apostille will be pasted on the translated copy as MEA only provides apostille in English documents.
Yes. If your marriage certificate is a digitally signed marriage certificate issued by Kolkata Municipal corporation, you can get an apostille on it. We will process the printout of your marriage certificate immediately after getting your confirmation.
Yes. We have the same day apostille process where we finish all the attestations and apostille on the same day. If you want to process a digital marriage certificate, we can send back the apostilled copy the same day itself. It may take one or two days if you wish to get a physical copy depending on the courier time.
Yes. You can get an apostille for marriage certificates issued by the government authority no matter how old it is. However, if it is a handwritten document, you need to reissue your marriage certificate.
Yes. With the help of an authorized and trustworthy apostille service provider, you can apply for a marriage certificate apostille in Kolkata online. Secure Apostille Services will pick up your document at your doorstep anywhere in Kolkata and deliver back after apostille.
Fill the Apostille Application Form to get a direct call from an authorized apostille service provider near you in Kolkata for your marriage apostille.