Sham marriages to carry stiffer penalties

[Windsorhai]

Sham marriages to carry stiffer penalties

AsiaOne
Tuesday, Jul 10, 2012

SINGAPORE - People who marry to get, or help someone else to get, an entry visa, permanent residency, a long-term social visit pass or any other immigration document may soon be fined up $10,000 and/or be jailed up to 10 years.

This is one of the proposed amendments to the Immigration Act introduced in Parliament on Monday by Second Minister for Home Affairs, S. Iswaran.

The proposed law will also apply to syndicates and middlemen who help people enter a sham marriage, or anyone who stands to gain from it.

Currently, anyone who is guilty of such an offence is charged with providing false information to get immigration facilities. They are then fined up to $4,000 and/or jailed for up to one year.

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) told The Straits Times that the change will prove to be a deterrent to those who plan cheat the system.

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