CANADA Arranged marriages risk immigration scrutiny

[Rhonald]

TORONTO (CBC) - Proposed changes to Canada's immigration laws have some Canadians with roots in South Asia worried that arranged marriages will face increased scrutiny from immigration officials.

 
Citizenship and Immigration Canada officials want to crack down on marriages of convenience that adopt the guise of an arranged marriage. But a proposed change to the law could frustrate couples who decide to marry through such a union.


The tradition of an arranged marriage is a way for many to stay connected with the culture of their ancestors. Some matches may come from as far away as India, Sri Lanka or Pakistan.


One of the rights Canadian citizens have is the ability to sponsor a wife or husband for Canadian citizenship.


Monday marks the end of a 30-day consultation period of Section R4 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, which deals with so-called bad faith marriages.


Citizenship and Immigration Canada is concerned some people are taking advantage of the current system through marriages of convenience.


CIC has proposed amendments that would allow immigration officials to refuse visas to applicants if they suspect a marriage of convenience.


But opponents to the plan say that in a traditional arranged marriage, the relationship really begins after the marriage happens. In many arranged marriages, partners here are seen as a good match simply because they live in Canada and have successful lives.


Vaseeharam Sabaratanam and his wife Shaline Mohanadas were married two years ago in Malaysia, where Shaline is from.


"We were introduced by a friend over the phone," said Mohanadas. "We got to know each other for a few months over the phone, he proposed to me over the phone after knowing each other for about six months. So we never dated or anything such as that."


But it took two years before the couple could start a life together in Toronto, where Sabaratanam lives. Under the new rules, couples like them could have their applications subjected to more scrutiny or rejected outright. A spokesperson for Citizenship and Immigration said the amendment could come into effect within 18 months.


Imran Qayyum is the chair of the Canadian Migration Institute and represents about 1,750 immigration consultants and lawyers across the country.


He said because couples in arranged marriages often don't meet until they are married, such unions may falsely raise red flags with government officials.


"The visa officer could assume that the marriage was entered into primarily for immigration," said Qayyum. "And the visa officer could refuse it even though it might be a genuine marriage."


The Canadian Migration Institute has submitted objections to Ottawa, arguing that the proposal could also stop honest arranged marriages, especially from South Asia, where parents arrange 90 per cent of marriages and matches from the West are highly sought after.


Citizenship and Immigration Canada says the amendment could go into effect within 18 months

[David E]

Very interesting post Ron

Here in Aus "they" are going through the same review process. There appears to be strong evidence that some marriages are being "arranged" for the purpose of getting a resident visa for Aus.

Whether we, in the Western World accept the fact of "real" arranged marriages or not, the authorities who are paranoid about the whole wife/fiance/visa thing will put their own spin on it.

We all know here that our path for a foreign wife is always strewn with obstacles that make us feel like we are in the "Bride purchasing" Business and not here to find our true love....try explaining that concept to officialdom !!!!...who start off from the theory that we are getting married by mail-order.

Nevertheless, arranged marriages, however sucessful in their country of origin must represent something of a culture clash with our Western values....certainly the Womens Libbers and the radical minority would wish to see this practice eliminated.

As for the value or otherwise of arranged marriages for the "happy couple"....I dont have any facts to support it or otherwise. But something about arranged marriages doesnt sit well with my view of the world !!

But what does concern me, and should concern any Bro looking for a Foreign wife, is how the beaurocrats will finally decide what constitutes a "real" relationship. After all , most of us here will be planning a marriage after 1, 2 or maybe 3 visits with our prospective wife and therefore are not too far away from those arranged marriages where the couple only meet on the phone prior to the event.

Should some form of co-habitation creep in to the verification process, then we would have real problems. But as usual, they wont tell us which way they are thinking...just dump it on us !!

David

[Rhonald]

David my thoughts on posting the articule was - even though our marriages are not arranged - they do share some similar characteristics. Could be in time that the BIG BROTHER's more critical eye views any marriage to foriegners with undue harshness.

I have heard statistics on arranged marriages being happier ones. Of course since the measurment is used by survey questionaires, leaves a wide room for error. But the conclusion the surveys came up with was that if divorce is harder to come by, that couples accept it and work to make it the best that they can. Cultures that have arranged marriages also place a stigma on divorce so it is hard to say if the drive for a successful marriage is from the arrangement or the stigma of failure.

[David5o]

I have lived and worked in countries where arranged marriages are the norm. Don't let any survey tell you that such marriages are happier ones ...they are NOT!! Often the wife is treated as a domestic slave, and baby making machine. And yes, the norm in these countries means that getting divorced is difficult, if not impossible without the husbands agreement!!

The other thing, Why do western countries have to accommodate this type of marriages. Surely if they choose to live in a western country, they come being aware that this type of marriage does not sit well with the population as a whole and it's authorities!! So why do they expect that the country should change it's culture and rules in favour of theirs??

Over all the years i lived and worked abroad, it was expected that i abide by the laws, rules and customs of those countries... Is their any reason these immigrants can't do the same, when they choose to live in our countries??  

David....

[Rhonald]

This is a posting from a person whose wife failed her interview. I find it quite ironic that CIC will look more dubiously on arranged marriage yet one main reason for this couples failure was - I will let you read:

hey, i went to my wife's immigration interview on april 12 in new delhi. the lady who gave the interview said the visa will be denied. anyone going to new delhi for an interview please understand that the sponsor going to the interview plays no part at all in helping or hurting your case. my wife was taken in for her interview and asked questions for two hours. in that time lots of people were in and out, usually within twenty five minutes (there were maybe 8 interview rooms). i asked about four people, who had their sponsor with them, how the interview went and they didn't get the visa (add my wife to make five). two others were approved. one person without the sponsor present got approved and two without sponsor were denied (3/9 people asked were approved april 12 2010 new delhi between 8:45am and 10:45am). after my wife was interviewed i was interviewed for about half an hour. then we were both interviewed together for like forty five minutes. also understand the people giving the interview look at you as basically guilty until you prove your innocence. i will give the examples of the denial which were told to us:
1. our marriage was not traditional, as it was out of love not arranged 2. my wife does not wear make up or jewelry 3. i am younger than my brother and he isn't married 4. we had no engagement party (my wife, her friend, my brother and i went to the taj mahal and a few temples for celebration) 5. our marriage ceremony was too small, we must be hiding something (my mom and grandfather came, most of my family had work and business to run, most of my wife's family were against our relationship) 6. if we weren't hiding something we would have waited until my family had vacation time (not sure why the lady was set on us hiding something but  i barley managed to get my mom to come and i booked time off months early, is it more important that my other family members are at my wedding or me?) 7. i can't speak punjabi (i can, this lady had the weirdest accent) 8. age (i was 22 and my wife was 18 at the time of our mariage). hearing these made me angry and i started arguing with the lady conducting the interview. suggestion to everyone else don't lose your temper no matter what.

one very important thing i would like everyone to remember at any canadian government building, the charter of rights makes it mandatory that if you want to speak in english or french, you can not be denied the opportunity to speak in english or french. this was a big problem when i was interviewed. the lady asked if i speak in punjabi and i said i speak fine punjabi but i want to speak in english. she said no we will speak in punjabi. the lady had an unusual accent which was hard to understand (accents vary by region like english in canada, southern usa, or england). this made my replies to her questions make me sound really dumb. i am certain it compromised the outcome.
only after speaking to my consultant and lawyer after the interview did i realize my rights were stripped.
for my case i have had my lawyer contact the high commission in new delhi to see why this happened and what they will do about it. i also contacted my mp to let him know of the violation and he is looking into the matter while the immigration minister jason kenney hasn't replied to me. the lady who gave the interview was not an officer she was just someone in place to ask questions and advise the officer what course should be taken. i checked the cic website and it says decision made, so things don't look good. we are waiting for the letter or a response from new delhi.

this may not be the case for others, but know your rights, the person conducting the interview may be intimidating and they will push buttons, but there are limits to what they can say and do so you need to be informed before going in. if you want to know whats asked in the interview, it depends on how detailed your case is and where your interview is taking place. more information will mean more questions.

[maxx]

Rhonald wow they put this couple threw the ringer.In the U.S. that was not even a legal interview.I would be screaming bloody murder.If they had tried this with me or my wife.

[mustfocus]

If I just happen to be there for the interview, or if my lady goes in, I'm tempted to tell her or myself to bring a digital recorder...just in case...then again, with all the "verbal" he said she said things going on lately, I might have to do that sooner than later.