Sham Weddings are increasing.
Discussion
It appears this issue is still a massive problem in the UK, with the authorities claiming that 'in many boroughs in London up to 20 to 30% of marriages are actually for the avoidance of immigration control'.
And now fraudsters have starting using same sex marriages as part of the scam.
Same-sex marriages were made legal in March this year but within weeks of the legislation coming into effect, criminal gangs were touting sham gay weddings to those wanting to dodge immigration controls.
The number of suspect couples being referred annually to the Home Office has more than doubled in three years to 2,135 and the true figure is almost certainly far higher due to under-reporting, the Commons home affairs committee said.
A south-east London vicar presided over a "matrimonial conveyor belt" of sham weddings so foreign nationals could stay in the UK, a court has heard. The Reverend Nathan Ntege, 55, is accused of marrying almost 500 bogus couples at a church in Thornton Heath.
And now fraudsters have starting using same sex marriages as part of the scam.
Same-sex marriages were made legal in March this year but within weeks of the legislation coming into effect, criminal gangs were touting sham gay weddings to those wanting to dodge immigration controls.
The number of suspect couples being referred annually to the Home Office has more than doubled in three years to 2,135 and the true figure is almost certainly far higher due to under-reporting, the Commons home affairs committee said.
A south-east London vicar presided over a "matrimonial conveyor belt" of sham weddings so foreign nationals could stay in the UK, a court has heard. The Reverend Nathan Ntege, 55, is accused of marrying almost 500 bogus couples at a church in Thornton Heath.
The UK is an utter mess from just the illegal immigration side of things. The 'legal' side with sham marriages and people getting dodgy passports from other EU member countries and then simply being allowed is something just as worse but hardly talked about or counted.
I wonder how many of that 500 figure from that one church involved suffered any consequences for for the sham weddings. My bet is they all got away with it.
Even the most ardent Ph'er who turns up on every thread like this to simply imply racism at such threads must admit the total tenth rate state of immigration into the UK, I can't believe anyone could make a case for it being even broadly being OK.
I wonder how many of that 500 figure from that one church involved suffered any consequences for for the sham weddings. My bet is they all got away with it.
Even the most ardent Ph'er who turns up on every thread like this to simply imply racism at such threads must admit the total tenth rate state of immigration into the UK, I can't believe anyone could make a case for it being even broadly being OK.
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