Belgium introduces new measure against sham marriages

Belgium’s Interior minister Bernard Quintin has announced a new measure aimed at tackling sham marriages used to obtain residency rights.

Under the new rules, cases of fraudulent marriages identified by local authorities will now be recorded in the National Register. The government says this will make it easier for municipalities to detect repeat offenders who move to another town to avoid checks.

A sham marriage is defined as a marriage entered into mainly to secure a residence permit rather than to form a genuine relationship.

According to police figures, more than 1,000 cases linked to sham marriages have been recorded each year over the past three years.

Quintin said the new system will help authorities share information more effectively and strengthen efforts to combat residence fraud.

^{Illustration photo © BELGA PHOTO ERIC LALMAND}