Nepal Court Marriage Process & Cost Calculator
नेपाल कोर्ट म्यारिज प्रक्रिया तथा खर्च क्यालकुलेटर
Verify legal marriage eligibility (Civil Code 2074, 20+ age limit), 15-day court notice timeline, court fees, ward un-married recommendation, and document checklist.
Verify legal marriage eligibility under National Civil Code 2074, calculate municipal & court fees, review the 15-day notice timeline, and access the document checklist.
महिला तथा पुरुष दुवैले कानूनी उमेर (२० वर्ष) पुरा गर्नुभएको छ।
- District Court Stamp Fee (अदालत निवेदन दस्तुर)
- Rs 500
- Ward Unmarried Certificate (वडा सिफारिस शुल्क)
- Rs 1,500
- Lawyer & Drafting Fee (वकिल तथा लेखन शुल्क)
- Rs 8,000
- Notary & Certified Translation (अनुवाद तथा नोटरी)
- Rs 0
- Total Estimated Cost (जम्मा खर्च)
- Rs 10,000
- Court Notice Waiting Period (अदालती सूचना अवधि)
- 15 दिन (दफा ७७ बमोजिम सार्वजनिक सूचना)
आवश्यक कागजातहरूको चेकलिस्ट (Required Documents):
- नागरिकताको सक्कल र प्रतिलिपि: Original national citizenship certificates and 2 sets of photocopies of both parties. (अनिवार्य)
- सम्बन्धित वडा कार्यालयबाट अविवाहित प्रमाणित सिफारिस पत्र: Official recommendation letter from local ward offices confirming bachelor/unmarried status. (अनिवार्य)
- हालसालै खिचिएको पासपोर्ट साइजको फोटो ४/४ प्रति: Recent photographs with clear ears and neutral expression. (अनिवार्य)
- नागरिकता सहित उपस्थित हुने २ जना साक्षी: Two adult witnesses (aged 20+) who must appear in court with original citizenship cards. (अनिवार्य)
- १५ दिन बसोबास गरेको अस्थायी सिफारिस (अर्को जिल्ला भएमा): Mandatory if applying in a District Court where you do not hold permanent citizenship address. (आवश्यकता अनुसार)
- विदेशी नागरिक भएमा दूतावासको No Objection Letter र राहदानी: NOC from respective embassy in Kathmandu, single status certificate and valid visa. (आवश्यकता अनुसार)
Court Marriage Law & Process in Nepal (मुलुकी देवानी संहिता २०७४)
Court marriage (अदालती विवाह वा दर्ता विवाह) in Nepal is governed by the National Civil Code 2074 (मुलुकी देवानी संहिता, २०७४) under Chapter 3 (Part 3), Sections 69 through 84. It offers a legally recognized, transparent, and binding civil marriage route for consenting adult couples, including inter-caste marriages, civil unions, and unions involving foreign nationals.
Legal Eligibility Criteria (Section 70 of the Civil Code)
Under Section 70(1), a marriage can only be legally solemnized if all the following conditions are strictly satisfied:
- Age Requirement (उमेर २० वर्ष पूरा): Both the male and female must have attained at least 20 years of age. Marriage under 20 is illegal in Nepal, considered void ab initio, and punishable under child marriage criminal statutes.
- Mutual Voluntary Consent (मञ्जुरी): The union must be completely free from duress, fraud, or coercion.
- Monogamy (एकल वैवाहिक स्थिति): Neither party can have a living spouse. If previously married, a certified decree of divorce (पारपाचुके) or death certificate of the deceased spouse is legally mandatory. Polygamy (बहुविवाह) is strictly illegal and criminalized.
- Prohibited Kinship (हाडनाता सम्बन्ध नभएको): The parties must not share prohibited blood kinship punishable under incest law, except where authorized by recognized ethnic customary practices.
- Sound Mind: Both parties must possess sound mental capacity to understand the nature and consequences of marriage.
Step-by-Step District Court Marriage Process (अदालती प्रक्रिया)
- Step 1 - Obtain Ward Recommendations (वडा कार्यालयको सिफारिस): Both the bride and groom must obtain an official Unmarried Recommendation Certificate (अविवाहित सिफारिस) and Temporary Residence Recommendation (अस्थायी बसोबास सिफारिस, if residing outside the permanent address for over 15 days) from their respective local ward offices.
- Step 2 - File Application at the District Court (जिल्ला अदालतमा निवेदन): Submit the joint marriage registration petition with passport-size photos, original citizenship cards, and ward documents to the relevant District Court (e.g. Kathmandu District Court, Lalitpur District Court).
- Step 3 - Mandatory 15-Day Public Notice Period (१५ दिने सार्वजनिक सूचना): Under Section 77, the court displays a public notice on its bulletin board for 15 days to allow legitimate objections (e.g., existing secret marriage or undisclosed minor status).
- Step 4 - Judicial Verification & Certificate Issuance (न्यायाधीश समक्ष उपस्थिति): After 15 days, both parties appear in front of the District Court Judge alongside two credible adult witnesses with original Nepali citizenship certificates. The judge confirms voluntary consent, both parties sign the official marriage ledger, and the court issues the formal Certificate of Registration of Marriage (विवाह दर्ताको प्रमाणपत्र).
Court Marriage Cost Breakdown in Nepal
The government court application fee is nominally NPR 500 plus minor revenue stamps and notary fees. Ward unmarried recommendations typically cost NPR 1,000 to 2,000 per person depending on local municipality bylaws. If you choose to hire an advocate or legal deed drafter (लेखापढी व्यवसायी) for petition typing, drafting affidavits, and hearing coordination, legal service fees usually range from NPR 2,000 to 8,000.