How can one prevent a sham marriage?

Question

Silly question? Maybe, but its important.

Sham marriages.

They are on the news, on current affair shows and many court cases I've witnessed revolve around them. Usually women who are from other countries marry a western man for the sake of his pension, his benefits, and of course, that ever important visa or citizenship certificate.

And these marriages end in tears or anger when the "shammer" takes the property and disappears, or when the man dies and she is in a family provision legal battle with his family (first wife and adult children).

Its happened too many times and causes social and personal problems. It also affects racial issues indirectly, as it gives the race of these shammers a bad name.

Is there any way to prevent or foresee a sham marriage? What are some practical methods or policies that individuals and governments can take to protect their citizens from sham marriages?

Actually, I'm asking this question from a third party/observer point of view. I'm not worried about my inheritance (I have none) and the cases I have seen in my professional experience and observations involve Asian women. I live in Australia, so that may be why my perceptions differ from yours. This is not a personal question, merely an question of interest.

Barking lunchbox - it may be cruel, but I believe the ends justify the means. Your measures are practical.

ksoileau - I asked a valid question. If you can't answer it, please don't. Also, I don't believe it has a racist tinge to it - I am merely stating my observations. And I'm Asian myself.

Damn political correctness, I ask a question about sham marriages, and all racial topics under the sun get pulled in. Lets make things clear - I am Asian. I support interacial marriages. I don't support breaking the law. And I see sham marriage as an illegal act. Does the above make my question clear now?

Chris - that is an excellent and sensible suggestion. And you are right, any action the government takes may be seen as an infringement upon citizen's rights.

Rebel - excellent! You've considered issues I have not thought of, such as health implications.

Dao - your answer is so powerful, even I feel inclined to shut up now. Thank you so much!

Answer 1

It makes me wonder if the people here complaining about an inference of racism, are so inclined to evaluate their own. What is being stated here is a real and valid concern about the events as they are occurring now in many Western societies. Where people who reside in what we would commonly refer to as the Third World, are presenting themselves for marriage to men in countries where they believe they can receive citizenship. There is nothing racist about that. And neither is there anything wrong with a person of the same race as the perpetrators of unscrupulous actions, saying that they are offended by the actions of those alleged criminals. Such a concern is not something Whites in general will never have to be concerned about. Since being in the majority, there is no undue scrutiny placed upon them for the actions of a minority of their race. It's not like Whites are saying amongst themselves, "doesn't it just make us look bad, having these fools demeaning the perception of us as a race?

So most of you here criticizing the author of this question as being racist, are completely disingenuous in your statements. Whites don't typically make statements of bigotry against other Whites, unless if those other Whites are of an ethnic minority. Like the Irish and Italians once were, subjected to bigotry. And not being of either of those groups, I can realistically imagine concern expressed by many of them, witnessing the criminal actions of some of their peers.

But to the substance of this question, it is real and happening on a regular basis. In the United States, there have been shows produced by the likes of 60 Minutes (CBS) and Dateline (NBC), exposing how many financial scams are being perpetrated against the elderly (men and women), by those in foreign countries. And there was nothing racist about those programs either. Much of that criminal activity was coming from Nigeria. And when it became more publically recognized, those involved in those crimes simply changed their location for generating new scams. And I know, for how many emails I was constantly receiving attempting to get me to subscribe to some form of foolishness or another. And while I'm not Nigerian, I am an African American male. And I am fully aware of the attitudes generated against blacks of all origin, merely by the acts of a few.

So for some White person to tell any person of an ethnic minority, they have no right to be concerned about this, is a bunch of crap. Especially when the majority of those same Whites won't hesitate to have the very attitudes minorities find offensive. So if any of you sanctimonious self-righteous people want to preach about racism, make sure you have none yourself. And since that's impossible, shut up!

Shingoshi Dao

Answer 2

I suppose that it is hard to know if it is a sham if the shamming spouse is a really good actor.Maybe if the fiancee does a through background check like past lovers/spouses and all that but that will get expensive.And if he/she isn't a scammer might get offended by it.That is a good reason why the US govt. makes those who have been married less than 2 years and petition for residency hold a conditional green card.But a citizen to citizen marriage has no conditions see if the marriage is fake or not.Maybe if the govt. made a law that those who are married only a short time doesn't split the property in divorce or get the benefits when death occurs.or that those who think their marriage was a sham if they can prove it within reason that the shamming spouse give back or pay back any property or money taken.That's all I can think of.

Answer 3

This is an excellent question, btw. Of course it happens all the time, with "couples" from their same countries. I think many of the same policies/laws/rules that apply to prospective adoptive parents, should be mandated for those seeking "mail-order" marriages. This would include fingerprinting, background checks, home studies, and counseling.

Thank you, Shingoshi for recognizing that women are also victims of these sham marriages.

eta: I don't have a problem, though, with people from 2 different countries, who really are in love and have dated each other, getting married. That's not like illegal immigrants. I don't see anything "racist" about your question.

Answer 4

Sham marriages involve all sorts of races. I think that you get a lot of "Asian" ones in your line of work because a lot of Asians like to come to Australia (there aren't as many Americans, Canadians, Europeans in relation to Asians and Indians and Pakistanis and such have lower divorce rates as well as arranged marriages). Have you seen the reputation of Russian women or Filipino ones especially in relation to these cases?

Still, love can go in all sorts of directions. I know a girl who has never fallen in love with a guy her age. All her men are at least 20 years older than her. She's smart, good looking, independant, livings within her means and isn't looking for a sugar daddy in any aspect I've seen yet she loves guys that are at least old enough to be her father.

Sometimes there are clues. Usually they don't want to live in their home country. They try to pick up people on freebie websites. You may also insist that they try to get to your country on their merits alone and possibly live in their country for awhile.

Just be cautious, make sure all your paperwork is intact. And for goodness sake, sign a pre-nup.

Answer 5

Yeah because the bloody EU bill of human rights says those regulations are illegal . The solution is to leave the EU and not allow anyone to gain a passport through marriage . People who were born here should be able to claim temporary residency for a foreign spouse but only while the marriage last , if it fails they should be deported . If anyone who wasn't born here wants to marry a foreigner then they should go and live in the other country .

Answer 6

Not a silly question at all. Asking for solutions rather than merely complaining gets two thumbs up, two feet and a couple of hoots in my book! :)

The best a government can do is require a mandatory blood test to check diseases and maybe a few sessions of private therapy for such a couple. In the U.S. (the only place I may be qualified to have any clue about) Constitutional rights are held highest authority and may never ever be infringed upon by any court, gov. body or administrative agency (um...on the whole and in traditional theory). Choosing whom to marry definitely falls within the individual private privilege of these rights. It is a tough call to make, but these are adults we speak of. They are free to make there own mistakes and to choose their gambles of love at will.

Answer 7

prevent sham marriage

Answer 8

1) None of your business
2) Your question has a racist tinge to it, better watch that

Answer 9

Love always worth risk of pain .By the way ANY marriage could end in tears.
Immigrants do not become citizens automatically upon marriage to a citizen here and all the governmental proceedures are just intrusive enough.So they can't/and shouldn't prevent anything

Answer 10

simple. Stop making anyone that marries someone from this country an instant citizen.

Put them on probation for five years or so. And in the meantime, make sure that nobody gets to take advantage of government handouts, nor grant any of the spawn created in that five years to be birthed at state expense nor become instant citizens themselves. We could ask the same of a heap of our own citizens, but that's another answer for another time.

Stuff that works always involves cruelty.

Or what the press would percieve as such. I personally think it is cruel to have money that I sweated to make used to finance an invasion - that's right - an invasion of our country by people that have become cruelly adept at exploiting our weaknesses.

Piss on 'em.