SHAM MARRIAGES..ARRESTS AT WEDDINGS IN THE UK

[HoneyBird]

Seems the UK is CRACKING down and was wondering if the Canadians have similar laws?/enforcements as well..

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Sheffield-Four-arrested-as-police.6597532.jp

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1323516/Sham-marriage-groom-Jorge-Mouchinho-forgets-bride-Falana-McKenzies-name.html#comments

 

[Baloo]

If there are no laws to cover this in Canada, there should be.

I think the comment "just the tip of the iceberg" sums it up.

 

[Canuky]

I think this is a violation of rights and freedom. Its definitely against the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in Canada. Cannot happen here, sorry! UK and the rest of Europe are becoming an uncivilized society.

 

[shawngt2]

How the hell do they know it's a sham marriage even before it happens? It's like a clock is ticking and they must stop the marriage, because once they are married, they are permanent residents! WTF Doesn't make sense. I guess there is no need for them to prove the marriage?

Bah

You're right Canuky, i believe in defending against illegal immigration, but that is just rediculous. I think further clarification as to why a marriage needs to be broken up before it completes is needed. Canada it's simple, prove the marriage, if they see it fake, marriage doesn't matter, you don't get access or you get your butt kicked as soon as they find you if you're already in the country. Simple.

 

[matthewc]

I don't quite get it - if the marriage is just for immigration purposes, then immigration rules should deal with it afterwards. It definitely doesn't seem right to interrupt a marriage while it's happening though.

Best take this with a pinch of salt, unless you can find other articles with more details - let's just say the daily mail isn't the UK's finest journalistic institution

 

[MandiF]

I suppose the thing is with the UK visa the proof is much much much less.

Before we started this lovely process my husband and I did the UK visa for him, and we literally had to fill in one on-line form and there was very little required in how you have to prove the relationship.

 

[angelbrat]

Whether the newspaper article is correct or not, every time something like this is reported, it makes it a little bit harder for every spousal application, no matter what Country it happens in.

Until there is a foolproof way, of detecting fake marriages, so deters those trying this fraud, then I am perfectly happy for the police to disrupt a wedding and charge those involved.

The report states the couple were found guilty and jailed, GOOD and I believe Canada too, should have this law in place. Why would any body in a genuine relationship be worried about such a law?

 

[Baloo]

Until there is a foolproof way, of detecting fake marriages, so deters those trying this fraud, then I am perfectly happy for the police to disrupt a wedding and charge those involved.

The report states the couple were found guilty and jailed, GOOD and I believe Canada too, should have this law in place. Why would any body in a genuine relationship be worried about such a law?

I certainly agree with your comments.
The key part for me is the word "Guilty", I don't think that this is just hearsay from some dubious newspaper, they were processed by a court and the evidence showed the marriage was a sham.
Maybe some of these reprobates will think twice before breaking the law.

Even if sham/fake marriages are just 2% of all applications, that is still a lot of people who should not be in the system.
Maybe processing honest couples would be a bit faster without the fake couples?

 

[HoneyBird]

well the groom could not remember the brides name....and it was later found that they met through an immigration agency...so that sounds fake to me!

 

[rjessome]

While I'm sure this type of marriage (of convenience for immigration purposes) DOES happen in Canada, I have never heard of marriage ceremonies being disrupted in this manner. Pretty sensational reading! Our laws regarding obtaining marriage licences, etc. vary significantly from the UK as well. But I wonder what CIC/CBSA/RCMP would do if they got a tip that an angency was doing the same thing? You know, I don't even know if the "city hall" type marriage even happens in Canada! In my whole life, I've never heard of a couple in Canada getting married at city hall, at least not in the US/UK type of thing where couples just show up at city hall on a random morning and everyone gets married. Does that even happen here?

 

[MandiF]

In my whole life, I've never heard of a couple in Canada getting married at city hall, at least not in the US/UK type of thing where couples just show up at city hall on a random morning and everyone gets married. Does that even happen here?

It doesn't happen like that in UK either, you have to go and fill in lots of forms and have an interview with the Registrar prior to getting married I think it is 10 clear days prior to the wedding.

 

[Baloo]

I believe that in Quebec the details of the wedding have to be posted for at least 20 days.

I guess that the high profile action of disrupting a wedding is so that more people will notice the intervention.
Let's face it, the rules about sham marriages are already stated in plenty of places. But "raiding" a wedding gets much more attention.

 

[KimJuliBC]

My 2 cent:

1) the Daily Mail newspaper is one for the "Far Rights". they are anti-foreigners, for sure.
2) UK, in contrast to Canada, is not an immigration country. They are selective.
3) To get married to someone there in UK, is not an automatic right to grant you a visa or to stay but it helps.
4) In Europe and UK, they are more civilized and less bold. They have own clear rules and laws (not random).
5) Canada is an amazing country with too many generosity and too many flaws. Canada is warm and friendly when you are already inside. But in my opinion, the Cnd airports, all post of entries, and visa points abroad are the most horrible. "people have abused the Cnd system in the past" is not an excuse". Sometimes, you even feel that you are dealing with a "lawless country". Example: the student visa for UK, is clear cut, black and white ( they call it point system). So, you apss the point and you enter the country or you fail from the start. Your rights are always reserved, if the immigration officer commited a human error. In Canada, you can meet all the requirement (including university approval for example, and also evidence of finance) but the officer is given the discretion and power to simply interrogate you, invade your family privacy etc etc and at the end simply, and heartlessly say "I refuse your application because you could NOT convince me that you will return after your study is finished". That is shame.
6) I believe the story of SHAM MARRIGES, is having more extensionS. There must be investigations going on and a court order for the arrest. There are more details to the story (stories) but the newspaper is known of its way of provocations.

 

[rjessome]

I never knew about the process in the UK or Quebec. In BC, to get the marriage license, only one party needs to show up at the Dept of Vital Stats to apply. You fill out the form, swear it's correct and pay the fee. Then they give you a license. I'm sure you have to show some form of ID but I can't remember. They would NEVER have a clue as to whether the marriage was real or not.

 

[BeShoo]

You know, I don't even know if the "city hall" type marriage even happens in Canada! In my whole life, I've never heard of a couple in Canada getting married at city hall, at least not in the US/UK type of thing where couples just show up at city hall on a random morning and everyone gets married. Does that even happen here?

I attended my friends wedding at Ottawa City Hall, so yes, it does happen. In Ontario, a marriage license can take up to 2 hours to get at some city halls, but the wedding can take place the same day. My friends had a church wedding in Portugal, but they also needed a civil ceremony to make it legal. Both being Canadian citizens, it was easier to do it here before they left for Portugal. They tried to book the chapel 3 weeks for the trip to Portugal but it was very booked up and they had to settle for noon the next day. I got a phone call just after 5 pm asking if I could attend their ceremony the following day.