HC Deb 04 July 1986 vol 100 cc664-5W
Mr. Wheeler

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will amend the immigration rules to prevent men who come here as visitors and who then advertise for a bride being allowed to settle in the United Kingdom on the basis of marriage.

Mr. Hurd

No. The immigration rules already prevent marriage being used in this way as a device to obtain settlement. One of the requirements of the existing rules is that the Secretary of State must be satisfied that the marriage was not entered into primarily to obtain settlement here. A man who entered this country as a visitor and advertised for a bride would be most unlikely to be able to satisfy that requirement of the rules if he then applied to remain permanently on the basis of the marriage.

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