FAQs

Court marriage in Nepal is available to:

• Nepali citizens (both parties)
• Nepali citizen + Foreign national
• Two foreign nationals

Both parties must be at least 20 years old, currently unmarried (single, divorced, or widowed), and must consent to the marriage voluntarily.

Required documents include:

• Citizenship certificate (Nepali) or Passport (foreigners)
• Single status certificate from Ward Office (Nepali) or No Objection Letter from embassy (foreigners)
• Passport-sized photographs (4 copies each)
• Citizenship/passport of two witnesses
• Temporary residence certificate (if applicable)
• Divorce decree (if previously married)

Professional legal fees are additional.

We recommend foreigners allocate 22-25 days to account for document processing and potential delays.

Yes, foreign nationals can legally register court marriage in Nepal. Requirements include:

• Minimum 15-day stay in Nepal
• No Objection Letter from their embassy
• Translated marriage law from home country
• Temporary residence certificate from Ward Office

Both foreign couples and Nepali-foreign couples can register at the District Court.

Yes, court marriage certificates from Nepal are internationally recognized. For use abroad—such as spouse visa, immigration, or foreign registration—you need:

1. Notarization at Rastriya Kitabkhana (National Archives)
2. Attestation from Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA)

This authenticated certificate is accepted by foreign governments and immigration authorities worldwide.

A lawyer is not legally mandatory. However, many couples—especially those involving foreign nationals—hire lawyers for:

• Document preparation and notarization
• Translation services
• Navigating court procedures
• Ensuring all requirements are correctly fulfilled

Legal assistance reduces errors and speeds up the process.

Court marriage can be registered at any of the 77 District Courts across Nepal. Most couples choose:

• Kathmandu District Court (most common)
• District Court of their citizenship district

If applying outside your citizenship district, you'll need a temporary residence certificate from the local Ward Office.

The process involves six steps:

1. Obtain single status certificate from Ward Office (or NOL from embassy for foreigners)
2. Prepare required documents (citizenship, photographs, witness documents)
3. Submit application at District Court
4. Appear before judge with both parties and witnesses
5. Sign deed of consent in presence of Marriage Registration Officer
6. Receive marriage certificate after judge's approval

For Nepali citizens, this completes in 2-3 working days.