Republic of Mauritius- Zero-tolerance policy for marriages of convenience in Mauritius, says Prime Minister Jugnauth

This statement was made, today, in the National Assembly by the Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit, Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, in reply to a Parliamentary Question pertaining to fake marriages of non-citizens to citizens of Mauritius.

The marriages between non-citizens and citizens of Mauritius, he stated, are governed by section 19A of the Civil Status Act which, provides that no marriage shall take place between a non-citizen and a citizen of Mauritius unless-

(a)        publication (application and affixing of notice) of the intended marriage is made at the Central Civil Status Office in Port Louis;

(b)        the non-citizen has resided in Mauritius for a continuous period of at least 7 days before the first day of the publication; and

(c)        the non-citizen has produced, at the time of publication, all the relevant certificates related to the genuineness of the marriage.

He pointed out that a three – pronged approach has been put in place by the CSD, PIO and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to minimise any possibility of marriage of convenience between a non-citizen and a citizen of Mauritius.

At the level of the CSD, the Prime Minister said that, an extended list of mandatory documents, is required to be presented by the non-citizen for a marriage application. Thereafter, the publication is made and a copy of the notice of publication, along with relevant documents, is sent by the CSD to the PIO and PMO for clearance, he added. In case no objection is conveyed to the CSD, by the PMO, PIO or any other authority or party, within 10 days of the notice of publication, the application is deemed to be in order and the intended couple can proceed with the civil marriage, he indicated.

Additionally, he said, in case of objection, within the 10 days, same is conveyed to the CSD. Subsequently the publication, he indicated, is flagged on the CSD system and the civil marriage is suspended pending a hearing at the level of the CSD, in the presence of the intended couple and the objector/s.

It is to be noted that from January 2015 to 12 July 2019, 345 objections to marriage have been noted out of the 3,815 applications held between non-citizens and citizens of Mauritius. From January 2015 to date, four cases of marriage of convenience have been reported by the PIO and that appropriate action has been initiated in these cases in accordance with the provisions of the Immigration Act.