Marrying Abroad: How Indian Citizens Can Ensure Legal Validity

If you're an Indian citizen and get married outside of India, it's not always recognized back home.

For it to be legal in India, the marriage needs to follow special rules.

You can either get married under the Foreign Marriage Act (FMA), which requires paperwork and a marriage officer, or the Special Marriage Act (SMA).

If you have a traditional wedding abroad, you might still need to register under the SMA in India.

Registering your marriage in India gives you a legal document and protection in case of problems like divorce.