Report No. 270

g. The Foreign Marriage Act 1969

3.10 This Act was enacted to facilitate solemnisation of civil marriages by Indian citizens in foreign countries. Under section 3 of the Act, Marriage Officers are to be appointed by the Central Government for this purpose, in its Diplomatic Missions abroad. The Act provides that an Indian citizen may marry another Indian or a foreigner. Like in the Special Marriage Act 1954, under this Act to solemnisation and registration of marriages are parts of the same transaction.

The procedure for solemnisation and registration of such marriages is more or less the same as under the Special Marriage Act 1954. Marriage Certificate Books are to be maintained in all Diplomatic Missions. There is no provision in this Act for transmission of records to any general registry of the country. It also makes a provision for registration of pre-existing marriages solemnised in foreign countries under the laws of those countries.