5-1-2025 (SINGAPORE) Authorities in Singapore have reported an alarming increase in fraudulent marriages, with figures soaring eightfold in the first nine months of 2024 compared to the previous year. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has documented 32 cases of marriage fraud between January and September 2024, a stark contrast to merely four cases during the corresponding period in 2023.
These sham marriages, primarily orchestrated to circumvent immigration regulations, typically involve foreign nationals seeking to extend their residency or secure work permits in the affluent city-state.
Inspector Mark Chai from ICA’s intelligence division explains that information about such illegal arrangements often circulates through informal networks. “Some Singaporean men view this as a straightforward way to earn quick money,” he notes, highlighting the financial motivations behind these fraudulent unions.
The scheme commonly features foreign women, who offer payment to Singaporean men for arranging bogus marriages to maintain their presence in Singapore. However, the authorities have developed sophisticated methods to identify these fraudulent arrangements.
“While couples may attempt to conceal the true nature of their relationship, our officers are trained to identify distinctive indicators of fraudulent marriages,” says Superintendent Goh Wee Kiat, senior assistant director at ICA.
The gravity of these offences is reflected in Singapore’s legal framework, with perpetrators facing severe penalties including imprisonment terms of up to 10 years and fines reaching S$10,000.
A recent enforcement operation in December led to the discovery of a suspicious union between a Singaporean man and a Vietnamese woman. The investigation revealed discrepancies in their cohabitation claims, with the man’s mother notably testifying she had no knowledge of her son’s marriage.
In a significant breakthrough earlier this year, authorities charged 13 individuals in June 2024 for their alleged participation in an organised marriage fraud network. The group comprised seven Singaporean men and six Vietnamese women, highlighting the international dimension of such criminal enterprises.
