Marriage Registration in Dadra Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu

This Union Territory joins two former Portuguese areas with different legal histories. Daman and Diu share Goa’s Portuguese-era family law legacy, while the Hindu Marriage Act and Special Marriage Act were extended to Dadra and Nagar Haveli in the 1960s.

By TrueSaath · published 2026-10-22 · checked October 2026

One UT, two legal histories

Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu were merged into a single Union Territory on 26 January 2020. Both areas were Portuguese territories, but they came into India at different times and by different laws, and the merger did not change the family law that applied in each. Before you apply, check which part of the UT you are dealing with.

Daman and Diu: the Portuguese civil law legacy

Daman and Diu were governed with Goa after 1961. The Goa, Daman and Diu (Administration) Act, 1962 continued the laws in force there, and that is how the Portuguese Civil Code of 1867 and its family and civil registration laws survived in Goa. In Seema v. Ashwani Kumar (2006), the Supreme Court noted that the Law of Marriages in force in the territories of Goa, Daman and Diu from 1911 continues in force, with registration compulsory and proved by a certificate from the Civil Registrar.

How far that law governs a particular marriage in Daman or Diu today is not simple:

Commentators note that Portuguese decrees for the non-Christian inhabitants of Daman (1854) and Diu (1894) recognised marriages performed by religious rites and customs, so the position in these areas has not been identical to Goa’s.
In the same case Goa told the Court that the Hindu Marriage Act is not in force there, because neither the Goa, Daman and Diu Laws Regulations of 1962 nor those of 1963 extended it. Those regulations were made when Daman and Diu were part of the same territory, but we could not confirm from an official source how the Act stands in Daman and Diu today.
The 2020 merger did not, by itself, change which family law applies.

If you married in Daman or Diu, or you are a native of those areas with property or family there, ask the Civil Registrar or the Collectorate in Daman or Diu which law and register apply, and consider taking legal advice. Our Goa page explains the civil registration system there.

Dadra and Nagar Haveli: central laws since the 1960s

Dadra and Nagar Haveli came under Indian administration in 1954 and became a Union Territory in 1961. Many central Acts were extended there by regulation. The official text of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 records its extension to Dadra and Nagar Haveli by Regulation 6 of 1963, with effect from 1 July 1965, and the Special Marriage Act, 1954 records extension by the same regulation. So in Silvassa and the rest of Dadra and Nagar Haveli:

Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Sikh couples can register under the Hindu Marriage Act. Many residents belong to Scheduled Tribes, who are outside that Act unless the Centre directs otherwise, so ask the office about the right route.
Any couple can use the Special Marriage Act; see court marriage under the Special Marriage Act.
Sikh couples have been able to register under the Anand Marriage Act, which was reported as implemented in Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

Where to apply

We could not confirm an official online marriage registration service for the UT. Approach the Collectorate or Mamlatdar’s office of your district (Silvassa, Daman or Diu), or the Civil Registrar where the Portuguese-era registration system operates, and ask which officer registers marriages under the law that applies to you.

Documents

Expect age proof, address proof, photographs, proof of the ceremony, witnesses with identity proof and, where relevant, a divorce decree or death certificate. See the documents checklist.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws, forms and procedures change, so confirm the current steps with the registering office before you apply. For your own situation speak to a lawyer, or get free legal aid through your District Legal Services Authority; NALSA’s legal aid helpline is 15100.

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Questions people ask

Does the Portuguese Civil Code still apply in Daman and Diu?

Portuguese-era family and civil registration law was continued in Goa, Daman and Diu after 1961, but how it applies to a given marriage in Daman or Diu today needs checking with the Civil Registrar or a lawyer.

Does the Hindu Marriage Act apply in Dadra and Nagar Haveli?

Yes. The Act’s official text records its extension to Dadra and Nagar Haveli by Regulation 6 of 1963, with effect from 1 July 1965.

Did the 2020 merger change marriage law in Daman, Diu and Dadra?

The merger created one Union Territory but did not by itself change the family law that applied in each area.

Where do I register a marriage in Silvassa?

Ask at the Collectorate or Mamlatdar’s office in Dadra and Nagar Haveli which officer acts as Registrar under the Hindu Marriage Act or Marriage Officer under the Special Marriage Act.

Sources

Checked in October 2026. Rules, fees and portals change; confirm on the official site before you apply.

The national guides

Hindu Marriage Registration under Section 8 HMAhindu marriage registration Court Marriage under the Special Marriage Actcourt marriage process Documents for Marriage Registrationdocuments required for marriage registration Inter-Religion Marriage Registration in Indiainter religion marriage registration Marriage Certificate Onlinemarriage certificate online NRI Marriage Registration and Apostille in Indianri marriage registration Late Marriage Registrationlate marriage registration Name Change after Marriagename change after marriage

Other states

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