ACCORDING to marriage documents, a man living in a Bukit Batok flat had been married to a Vietnamese woman for several years and was living with her there. But the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) got word that it was a sham marriage.
On Dec 11, ICA officers raided the Singaporean man’s flat.
When they entered the room of the 33-year-old, they found no evidence of a married couple living there. There were no women’s clothes, and his mother told ICA officers that she did not know her son was married.
When queried, the man claimed his wife was living with him, and that her clothes were elsewhere.
He was arrested for allegedly making false declarations in immigration applications.
His wife, 31, was also arrested that morning during a raid at her residence in Potong Pasir.
Between January and September in 2024, there were 32 cases of marriage of convenience, up from four cases during the same period in 2023.
Inspector Mark Chai, deputy officer-in-charge of ICA’s intelligence division, said sham marriages in Singapore often involve a foreign woman paying a Singaporean man money for a union to be arranged, so she can get a permit to stay or work here.
Chai said the increase in such cases is concerning as it could lead to a social problem, where these foreigners could get involved in illicit activities.
He attributed the increase to more foreigners wanting to extend their visit passes to continue staying and working here.
“The idea of such marriages is often spread through word of mouth. And to some Singaporean men, it can be seen as easy money,” said Chai. “But it is illegal, and ICA is stepping up efforts to bust such arrangements.”
Those convicted for their involvement in a marriage of convenience can be jailed for up to 10 years, fined up to S$10,000 (RM32,800), or both.
In June 2024, 13 people – six Vietnamese women and seven Singaporean men – were charged over their alleged links to marriages of convenience. — The Straits Times/ANN
