Marriage Certificate Attestation for Kuwait: How to Get It Done from India
Your spouse is in Kuwait, or you are moving there together, and someone has asked for an attested marriage certificate. Kuwait does not accept the apostille, so the certificate goes through four stamps in India before it travels. This guide explains each stamp, which certificate to send, and what is still left to do once it lands in Kuwait.

Marriage certificate attestation for Kuwait: quick answer
Marriage certificate attestation for Kuwait means getting your Indian marriage certificate notarised, attested by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) in Delhi, attested by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and then legalised by the Embassy of Kuwait in New Delhi. Kuwait is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so an MEA apostille on its own will be refused there.
INFINITYGRO handles the four Indian stages. Our MEA stage costs Rs 1,000–1,500 per certificate, all-inclusive; the Kuwait Embassy fee is extra and confirmed in your written quote. After the embassy stamp, the certificate still needs ratification by Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. That is done inside Kuwait by your spouse, sponsor or their PRO, not by us.
Why Kuwait asks for embassy attestation
An apostille works only between countries that have joined the Hague Apostille Convention. Kuwait is not on the HCCH status table, so Kuwaiti offices look for a different proof: the stamp of their own embassy in India, placed over the MEA attestation.
Stamped in India
Notary → SDM → MEA attestation → Embassy of Kuwait, New Delhi. We take care of all four.
Stamped in Kuwait
Ratification by Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and an Arabic translation if the receiving office wants one.
People usually need it for a spouse’s residence or family visa file, for adding a spouse to records held by a Kuwaiti employer, or for a child’s papers after a birth in Kuwait.
Which marriage certificate should you send?
Only a certificate issued by a government registrar can go through the chain. A wedding card or photographs will not be attested, and a religious certificate alone is often not enough.
Accepted for the chain
- Certificate of registration under the Hindu Marriage Act, issued by the Registrar
- Certificate issued under the Special Marriage Act
- A state’s marriage registration certificate with seal and signature
- A certified copy issued by the registrar’s office
Ask us first
- A nikahnama or church certificate without registration
- A certificate with a spelling that differs from either passport
- A laminated certificate
- A downloaded certificate with no signature or QR check
Marriage certificate attestation for Kuwait, step by step
- 1WhatsApp a photoSend the certificate and both passports’ front pages. We confirm the route and send a written quote with the embassy fee.
- 2Send the originalCourier it to our New Ashok Nagar office or drop it off in Delhi. There is no home pickup.
- 3Notary and SDMA notary attests a true copy and the SDM in Delhi authenticates the notary.
- 4MEA attestationWe file it through the MEA’s outsourced collection centre. The MEA does not accept documents from individuals at its own counter.
- 5Kuwait Embassy, New DelhiThe embassy legalises the MEA stamp. This is the last stamp issued in India.
- 6ReturnThe certificate comes back by Blue Dart or another secure courier, or you collect it from us.
What happens after the certificate reaches Kuwait
Kuwait’s Ministry of Justice lists, for marriage contracts issued outside Kuwait, ratification by the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs and an Arabic translation ratified by its translation department. So expect two more steps once the certificate arrives.
MOFA ratification
Your spouse, sponsor or the employer’s PRO takes the embassy-attested certificate to the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry. We cannot do this from India.
Arabic translation
Ask the receiving office whether it accepts a translation made in India. Some insist on a translation made or ratified in Kuwait.
Copies
Keep colour scans of every stamp before the original goes. Kuwaiti offices often keep a copy and return the original.
Mistakes that send a certificate back
| Apostille instead of attestation | Kuwait does not accept it. The certificate has to go through MEA attestation and the Kuwait Embassy. |
|---|---|
| Wife’s name changed after marriage | The certificate shows the maiden name. Send both passports so the notary can see the link. |
| Starting with the embassy | The embassy legalises only an MEA-attested paper, and the MEA needs the notary and SDM first. |
Marriage certificate attestation for Kuwait: fees and time
| MEA attestation stage, personal or educational document | Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per document, all-inclusive: notary, SDM attestation, the MEA fee and our service |
|---|---|
| Embassy legalisation fee | Extra; set by the embassy and confirmed in your written quote |
| Courier | Extra, both ways |
| Translation | Quoted by language and page |
The Indian stages usually take a few working days in Delhi; the Kuwait Embassy sets its own time, which we include in your written quote. MOFA Kuwait is paid and done in Kuwait.
All charges for this country, including any embassy fee, are on its own fee page.
Kuwait embassy attestation feesFAQs: Marriage Certificate Attestation for Kuwait: How to Get It Done from India
Can I use an apostilled marriage certificate in Kuwait?
No. Kuwait is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille has no legal effect there. The certificate needs MEA attestation and then legalisation by the Embassy of Kuwait in New Delhi, followed by ratification at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kuwait.
Do both husband and wife need to be present?
No. Neither of you has to visit any office in India. Send the original certificate and copies of both passports by courier, or drop them at our New Ashok Nagar office. We handle the notary, SDM, MEA and embassy stages.
My marriage was registered in another state. Can it still be attested in Delhi?
Usually yes. Our route uses the notary and SDM in Delhi before the MEA. If the checklist from Kuwait specifically names State Home Department attestation, tell us before sending, because that stage is done by the state department concerned, not by us.
How much does it cost?
Our MEA stage is Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per certificate, covering notary, SDM, MEA and our service. The Kuwait Embassy fee is extra and appears in your written quote. Courier both ways is extra, and translation is quoted by language and page.
Who completes the MOFA stamp in Kuwait?
Your spouse, the sponsor or the employer’s PRO, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kuwait. INFINITYGRO’s work ends with the Kuwait Embassy stamp in New Delhi. We send the certificate back to you, and you can forward it to Kuwait.
Do I need an Arabic translation?
Often, yes. Kuwait’s Ministry of Justice works with an Arabic translation ratified by its translation department. Ask the receiving office whether a translation made in India is acceptable. If it is, INFINITYGRO can translate the certificate into Arabic.
Can you attest a nikahnama for Kuwait?
Send a photo first. A nikahnama that is backed by a registration certificate from a government registrar is the safer document to attest. Where only the nikahnama exists, we tell you whether the notary and SDM will accept it before you courier it.
Can you get my marriage registered or the certificate corrected?
No. We do not register marriages, issue certificates or correct errors in them. The registrar’s office has to do that. Once you hold the correct certificate, send it to us and we take it through attestation.
Official sources
Get your marriage certificate attested for Kuwait
WhatsApp a photo of your document and the country it is for. We confirm the route, time and total in writing before you send anything.
Office: C – 5 A/2 New Ashok Nagar, Delhi – 110096 · Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM · office drop-off or courier, no home pickup
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Disclaimer: INFINITYGRO is a private document facilitation service, not a government office or embassy. Apostilles and attestations are issued only by the Ministry of External Affairs and the embassies concerned; we do not issue, correct or verify certificates. Rules and fees can change, so check the requirements of the authority that will receive your document.
Last reviewed: October 2026