Macau | Legislators propose stricter penalty for middle persons providing fake marriage services

Macau (MNA) – Legislator Wong Kit Cheng has proposed that the current revision of the immigration law should also place emphasis on stricter penalties for agencies which provide fake marriage services.

The open-air debate, Macao Forum, held at the Areia Preta Park on Sunday discussed immigration matters including issues of recognisance forms, fake marriage and underage border crossings.

The Macau SAR Government proposes criminalising marriages undertaken with the purpose of obtaining Macau residency, with lawbreakers potentially being subjected to a penalty of two to eight years of imprisonment.

Meanwhile, legislator Song Pek Kei pointed out the difficulties of investigating potential fake marriages.

“It is true that there are difficulties to confirm whether the marriage of a couple is fake or not,” said legislator Song. “For instance, the husband works in Macau while his wife lives in mainland China, so how do you prove that they are not husband and wife, even if they are not living together?”

In response, Lau Ka Weng, an officer of the Immigration Investigation Department of the Public Security Police Force (CPSP) said investigation of fake marriages requires cooperation measures involving departments from other regions such as the Mainland and Hong Kong.

According to Mr. Lau, the CPSP cracked down some 150 cases that involved fake marriage last year.