Press Archives

Monday 7 June 2004

The happiest day of your life - but do you want to make your vows to an immigration officer?

Wedding bells could turn into wedding hell for some would-be marrieds from black and minority ethnic groups if new government proposals expected to be debated in Parliament
next week become law, say immigration campaigners.

The JCWI (Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants) fear the proposals could put an unreasonable pressure on special new marriage registrars to inform the immigration
authorities of so-called "sham marriages" - and result in discrimination against couples where one or both partners is from black and minority groups.

Habib Rahman, JCWI Chief Executive, said:

"Turning Registry Offices into branches of the Home Office is inappropriate and smacks of desperation. "People from black and ethnic communities are going to be concerned that these measures could result in discrimination against them. We want to know from the Government why it has resort to this given all the existing immigration controls."

The Home Office is expected to put forward the proposals in amendments to the asylum bill which the Lords will debate on Tuesday. If the amendments become law couples where one of the partners is a foreign national will be able to apply to be married only to a designated marriage registrar. And the registrar will be able to refuse to marry the couple and inform the authorities if s/he suspects the motivation of the marriage is immigration.

JCWI is concerned that the proposals could

• result in discrimination against couples where one or both partners is from a blackor minority ethnic group
• could place a burden on marriage registrars that they will be unable to fulfil giventhe highly technical nature of immigration law
• and add to administrative delays given the potentially high numbers of people whocould be directed to apply to a designated marriage registrar in the UK's cities.