📜 FEMA, registry, registration

The boring, important, easy-to-mess-up stuff. Forex Management Act (FEMA), Form 3520 reporting, Special Marriage Act, document apostille timing.

⚡ All wedding topics → 💰 Money hub →

💡 This is not legal advice. The thresholds and forms below are typical at time of writing — but tax laws change, and your specific situation may differ. Talk to a US-India CPA before the wedding (not after). The 12-month timeline budgets ~3 months for paperwork on purpose.

💸 Money & FEMA

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Bringing wedding funds into India

Use your NRE account (Non-Resident External) — fully repatriable, tax-free interest in India, INR-denominated. Wire from US/UK/UAE in foreign currency, INR converts on arrival, you spend from there. NRE outflows for vendor payments are clean under FEMA.

NRE = fully repatriableTax-free interest in IndiaFCNR for fixed-currency holds

Read: NRE vs NRO →

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FX timing — don't wire day-of

SWIFT transfers from US bank to NRE account take 1-3 working days. Fintech transfers (Wise, Remitly, BookMyForex) take hours but have daily limits. Plan vendor payment timing 2-4 weeks ahead. Many NRIs leave 60-70% of vendor payments to be made in INR by Indian-resident family member, settled later.

SWIFT: 1-3 daysWise/BookMyForex: hoursPlan 2-4 weeks ahead

Compare FX providers →

⚠️ Form 3520 trap (US tax filers): US-resident bride or groom receiving gifts from non-US-citizen relatives (parents, grandparents) totalling over $100,000 in a calendar year must file Form 3520 with the IRS. This includes wedding cash gifts, jewellery, gold. No tax owed if reported correctly — but missed reporting carries penalties up to 25% of the gift value. Apply this to total received in a calendar year, including pre-wedding "shagun." Talk to your CPA.

🎁 Wedding registry

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Why traditional Indian weddings don't have registries

Indian wedding gifting is cash, gold, or family heirlooms — not a Williams-Sonoma list. But NRI couples increasingly want a registry option for diaspora friends who won't be there in person, and don't want to mail cash. Three workable paths:

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Option 1 — Tata CliQ Luxury Registry

India's premium e-commerce registry. Decent for home/luxury items. Guests pay in INR; useful if half your guests are India-resident. International cards work but conversion fees apply.

India-side guests pay easilyInternational conversion fees

Tata CliQ Luxury →

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Option 2 — US-side registry (Crate & Barrel, Williams-Sonoma)

If you'll set up a US home post-wedding, register here. US guests gift easily, items ship to your US address after wedding. Doesn't help India-resident family — they may prefer cash anyway.

US guests gift easilyDoesn't include India family

⭐ Top pick for NRIs — combine cash + items

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Option 3 — Build your own gift / fund page

A custom page with a curated wishlist + an optional cash-towards-honeymoon-or-house fund. Guests pick what they want to contribute. Works for both US and India guests, no platform conversion fees, no awkward "where do I send this." We have a template.

Cash + items in one placeWorks for US + India guestsNo platform fees

Open template →

📋 Marriage registration

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Special Marriage Act (when one spouse is a foreign citizen)

If either spouse is a foreign citizen (US, UK, Canadian, Australian etc.), register under the Special Marriage Act, 1954 at the Indian Marriage Registrar — not the religion-specific Hindu Marriage Act / Christian Marriage Act. Requires 30-day notice posted at the registrar's office, both parties physically present, and standard ID/address proofs.

Spouse foreign-citizen → SMA30-day notice periodBoth parties present required

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Hindu Marriage Act (both spouses Indian-citizen Hindus)

Standard religious ceremony + post-wedding registration with sub-registrar. Faster, cheaper, fewer documents. The SMA route is only triggered if one spouse holds non-Indian citizenship at time of marriage. OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) status is treated as foreign-citizen for marriage law purposes.

OCI = foreign for marriage lawConfirm with local registrar

📑 Document apostille timing: If you live in the US/UK/Canada and need to use foreign documents (birth certificate, divorce decree, prior marriage certificate) for Indian marriage registration, those documents need apostille from the issuing country's Secretary of State / Foreign Office. Apostille from US/UK takes 4–6 weeks. Start at the 4-month mark, not the 1-month mark. Indian Embassy attestation takes another 1-2 weeks on top.

When to talk to which professional

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CPA / chartered accountant — at 6 months out

For Form 3520 thresholds, FBAR considerations on Indian bank accounts holding wedding funds, NRE/NRO planning, gift-tax mechanics on both sides.

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Indian lawyer — at 4 months out

For Special Marriage Act registration, prenup / postnup if applicable, document apostille routing.

📜 FEMA, registry, registration

💸 Money & FEMA

🎁 Wedding registry

📋 Marriage registration

When to talk to which professional

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