Marriage visa age increased to 21 in bid to tackle forced marriageDecember 4th 2008 From 27 November both parties in a marriage have to be at least 21 â€" up from 18 â€" before a marriage visa can be granted. The move comes as part of Government efforts to crackdown on forced marriage and on those who attempt to abuse the marriage visa route. Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said "It is important that we protect vulnerable young people and this measure will help avoid exploitation." "We believe it is important to protect young people from being forced into relationships they do not want at a time in their lives when they could be establishing a degree of independence as an adult through further education or work." Chris Huhne, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, said "The increase in age limits for marriage visas is a welcome defence against abuses such as forced marriage. But we must also give more help to legitimate spouses to learn English so they can play a full part in society." Most forced marriages in Britain involve teenage girls from Pakistan and Bangladesh, most of whom are poorly educated and speak little English. At least 3,000 young women are the victims of forced marriages in Britain each year, with the scale of the problem far bigger than originally thought. The new rules came into effect on November 27, just days after the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act which allows anyone to demand an injunction against a wedding ceremony going ahead, if they believe it is going ahead under duress, or an intended bride or groom being taken overseas. If you are interested in UK Visas, contact Migration Expert for information and advice on which visa is best suited to you. You can also try our visa eligibility assessment to see if you are eligible to apply for a visa to the UK. Source: Migration Expert 4 December 2008 |