In uk and america for instance, the police and local authorities are arresting many couples who enter sham marriages and the punishment is like 12 months, they arrest them on the day of the wedding or even before
for example one couple, the guy was a pakistani and girl was lithuanian and neither could speak each others language or english, and they were arrested of entering a sham marriage as mostly everyone does it for the right to stay in that country
other reasons they suspect them of sham marriages is that the couple dont know anything about each other such as each others date of birth or full name, the authorities say that how can it be a real marriage if you dont know anything about the other person
but… if you enter an arrange marriage, you hardly know each other, probably the only thing you might know is their first name, what happens if the authorities call ur marriage fake and send you both to prison for fraud?
Oh wow :S That would be pretty scary! Never heard of this issue before (could be because I don't live in the UK?)
But, to be completely honest, you should know the person before marriage. I understand that the parents may not be as willing, but be bold and ask, it's your future! Meet them at least once or twice with a parent or sibling's company. I know some girls who had the opportunity to talk to their future spouses before marriage, but chose not to because they wanted to look "proper". I don't quite understand that :S You should know who you're getting married to, whether it's arranged or not... But that's just my two cents. I suppose some girls have restraints from parents which is tough. What can you do..
1) In the "example" you gave, the "couple" were of two different nationalities and did not even speak the same language! It doesn't take a genious to figure out that two people who can not have a conversation with each other (b/c they don't speak a common language!) are not really "in love" with each other!
2) I've come across many arranged marriages(Personally and professionally). I have yet to see a arranged marriage where the couples only know each others first name!
3) You need to be familiar with the USCIS process. By the time a "couple" is called in for green card interview, they've been (or should've been) living together for a while as husband and wife. And if you're really living together as husband and wife......then you have nothing to fear. Most USCIS interviews are simple, straight forward. If they suspect something, they will usually separate the couple ask simple questions relating to your daily activities....which a "real couple" should not have any problem answering.
A "real couple" really doesn't have much to fear in a USCIS interview. USCIS agents aren't *that*stupid. They're trained in detecting when someone in lying AND they see liars all the time. So a "real couple" should just go in with a lawyer, relax, and answer all questions truthfully....and they shouldn't have anything to worry about.
Oh and also, in most cases...if the USCIS doesn't think the marraige is real...they'll usually just deny the application. Only in obvious cases like the example you gave or in other extreme circumstances will they pursue jail time.
In an arranged marriage atleast you'll know his full name. You'll have a common language... you'll know birthdays etc!
OMG!! hope it never happens to anyone.
If the girl and boy are not allowed to talk and speak to each other before marriage, you hardly know anything about them...
And in cases where visa is to be applied to countries like USA, nikah usually takes place before the actual marriage (rukhsati) and then the visa is applied... How can the husband and wife know about each other in an arranged marriage just after nikah without having lived together so that they are able to satisfy the interviewers that it is NOT a sham/ fake marriage?
but.... if you enter an arrange marriage, you hardly know each other, probably the only thing you might know is their first name, what happens if the authorities call ur marriage fake and send you both to prison for fraud?
The way some desis abuse the system, they sure as hell should!
Bogus marriage is a sham, but you can;t blam desis, jese pakistan ke halaat hain, everyone is desperate to leave the country!
Bogus marriage is a sham
But you can't blam
Them desis
They got coke by the gram
And before the slammer goes slam
Bam!
They're rollin' back in Gujrat ma'am
Marriage is not a life sentence. You can always out of it. If someone is willing to have a "sham" marriage with you then why not really marry her? Aik teer shay no shikar.;)
Actually this is a serious Issue… I had to attend a meeting a few years back with the UK home Secretary Jaqui Smith… (Nasty Piece of work that one…)
She seemed to have no understanding of the matter but wanted to adress community leaders about the key issues affecting society and one of the many issues raised was Arranged Marraiges.
This is just a quick summary of the sorts of things I had to explain to the then Home Secretary.
Basically there is absolutely nothing wrong with an Arranged marriages… (get that out of your xenophobic head you stupid Home Secretary!) Becuase at the end of the day the Individual has complete choice and power to say no, and there must be by Islaimic and Uk Law a complete agreement by both parties and an Understanding the ceremony is ussually conducted with full co-operation of local authorities and is formally recorded not just in civil governemnt documemts but often in papers and County records too.
Forced Marriages are Illegal and as the name obviously suggest one of the Parties (ussually thye poor girl, though it has happened to a few unlucky/lucky chaps too) is forced against thier will to marry a partner they have no wish to be with. This is again a serious issue often forced marriages take place outside the EU and then the poor victim is dragged back to the UK with the what fellow anylists call the “Trojan horse” or Rogue operative… this is a favoured mehtod of criminal gangs and is not limited to the Desi peoples Italian and Eastern European gangs and Maffia’s work the same way… this was a major problem in the 1960’s.
Sham/Bogus Marraiges these are where one or both parties agree to a false marriage to gain some sort of Visa, inheritance… whatever other financial or political gambit thier playing for.
Bogus marraiges are agian a serious issue but tracking them and proving they are indeed bogus is a n absolute minefield these days any rich thug gang can hire a half decent lawyer to keep the authorities tied up while the numtials are sorted then broken and the matter is ussually digested before the Authorities can make a legal move… you see if the police jump in they run a risk that the bogus guys might claim it was not bogus and then make yet more money from the police… you see a civil marraige in the Uk requires a local representative of the Gopvernment at least at County Council level… but in some Religous or Cultural weddings the reprasentative is often not present so as not to offend sensibilities of the community and then the wedded couple are obliged to turn up to the local County to formally sign the documents of Marriage.
The first type of Marraige is perfectly legal and the vast majority of Uk marraiges are done that way… the next two are an increasing problem however the authorities require the help of the people to tackle these problems.
Most people have a very ignorant/backward view of the matter so the Law (I.E Police) have very little room to manouver, if they dont do something thier in trouble and if they barge in they get labbeled as insensitive racist brutes… so we all need to work together to not only break down barriers and stop stereotypes but also to help one another in the Community.
Hope that clears things up a little.
With regards to the OP’s poitn about Prison it’s highly unlikely that anything serious ever comes out from these sorts of proceedings often the issue like I have mentioned is beyond the average scope. Secondly its rare very rare for a Prosecution to go well and a sentence is very rare sad fact is majority of the scum who take part in this shamefull and illegal activity get away with it…
yeah sham marriages are totally wrong, it happens so much in the america, did not know it happened in the uk until my khala told me so
just like what ashy said, that in an arranged marriage you hardly know the person because parents might not let you speak to your parents before nikkah, it would be really hard to make the authorities believe that your wedding is genuine because the english authorities dont understand the concept that in arranged marriages the guy and girl hardly spoke to one another
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