Advice needed for victim of sham marriage

LibbiC

Please can anyone point me in the direction of an advice line or support group for victims of sham marriages? I ideally need an English-speaking solicitor that has knowledge of divorce in Senegal, West Africa (and isn't going to rob me blind) but any advice or support would be gratefully received.

(Sorry I haven't put the details on here, it's all a bit personal to post on the worldwide web!)

coolcait

"Sham marriage" usually means a marriage which is designed purely to get one of the people into the UK on a long-term basis, access to benefits etc. Both parties know what they are doing, and money often changes hands - including money to the person carrying out the wedding. Where is the victim?

If you're talking about a marriage where the bride or groom has ben duped into believing it's genuine, or if you're talking about a marriage where the bride or groom has been forced into it, those are different issues. Those cases have victims.

Can you clarify the kind of marriage you're talking about - without giving personal details.

Mankysteve

Are wedding in non EU Countries not recognised in the UK, Unless registered?

Kalama

Seconding what coolcait said - without more details as to the situation it will be hard to know what advice to give. You really do need to clarify the sort of marriage you are talking about - I think you probably mean a marriage of convenience where one party thought it was a genuine relationship but we need to be sure this is what you mean.

Can you provide the following details:

Where are the parties to the marriage (both in Senegal, both in UK, one in Africa one in UK?)

Is the marriage recognised in UK law (for example has the Senegalese party been issued a visa to join their spouse in the UK)?

balletshoes

Mankysteve wrote: »

Are wedding in non EU Countries not recognised in the UK, Unless registered?

you don't need to register your marriage in the UK for it to be recognised as legal in the UK - I married in a non-EU country, my marriage document from that country is an international document, I never registered my marriage in the UK, and I am legally married, a British citizen, and live in the UK.

elvis86

If you're not going to give people the juicy details, you can hardly expect them to help...:cool:

LibbiC

ok here goes...

I'm English. In 2005, my (now ex) fiance took me to Senegal to meet his family and we did what he explained to me was an engagement ceremony. it turns out it was a marriage. we signed paperwork at a town hall but didn't exchange vows. it all took place in french and he was interpreting (but obviously spinning it to suit him). he used a fake name and then went on to use this to apply for a UK visa. the first I knew about it being a marriage was when i was summoned to a visa appeal hearing and copies of all the "supporting evidence" was posted to me, including a 'certificat de marriage' which was issued the following day.

I don't know if I am married to him in the UK, if you need a religious bit added to make the marriage legal, if the fact he used a fake name means its nul and void, etc etc.

He also left me with lots of debt in my name which I'm slowly but surely paying off (thanks to the advice on this site). I've been going round in circles trying to get to the bottom of this for about 4 years. It's come to the point where I have to bite the bullet and get a solicitor involved but have been quoted £205 per hour (minimum total £2k) which I just don't have access to.

Also having difficulty tracking down the ex as he moves country and jobs regularly.

Heeeelllppppp!!!!

RAS

Your Senegalese marriage would legal in the UK in normal circumstances; if you were to marry here it would be bigamous.

Have you ever been into your local registry office and talked to the registrar, who may understand whether the use of a fake name render the marriage invalid? And also whether the fraud perpetrated on you renders the marriage void?

Have you also tried to get advice (possibly via your MP) from the Home Office on the international law?

I think you need to find someway of getting this marriage declared null and void rather than divorcing him, firstly here.

LibbiC

Forgot to say that he stayed in Africa after the ceremony (obvious now that he was applying for the visa) "taking care of his sick dad's business". I went over 5 months later for a holiday but haven't seen him since. So we haven't lived together as "man and wife".

Also didn't say that he was living and working in England when we met so I don't think he has a problem with living here but I'm not sure what the rules are on these things!

kazwookie

Is the fake name the same name as on his passport?

LibbiC

No, his passport has the name I knew him by. The fake name has a few letters added to his first and middle names and he's taken his maternal grandfather's surname. he had to go to lots of official offices to get a new ID card the day before the weding. a lot of money changes hands and it was all very shifty so I can only assume he was bribing them to produce the fake ID.