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Growing Trend of Marriages Over Skype Causing Concern About ‘Willy Nilly’ Unions and Marriage Fraud

Mar. 6, 2013 9:35pm Liz Klimas

A story in Tuesday’s New York Times sets the familiar scene of a bride and groom tying the knot as guests looked upon them. The very unfamiliar part though is that it was all being done over Skype while the bride, an American citizen, was in Queens, New York, and the groom in Bangladesh.

Proxy Marriages A Growing Among Immigrants

(Photo: Shutterstock.com)

According to the Times’ report, this “proxy marriage,” one where the bride and/or groom is physically absent, is part of a growing trend among immigrants, and it’s causing concern among some as it raises the potential of marriage fraud.

One company established seven years ago conducts 400 to 500 proxy weddings each year, according to the Times. Operations manager for the North Carolina-based company Proxy Marriage Now, George Andrews, told the Times it has seen a 12 to 15 percent increase in business each year. Some of these proxy marriages are for members of the military, but the Times reported the company saying non-military proxy marriages being up 40 percent.

With the potential for such a system to be abused, some are concerned about fraud from those seeking citizenship through marriage. The Times reported officials from the Department of Homeland Security saying a marriage over the Internet would most likely be flagged as suspicious in a citizenship review.

Still, Michigan State University College of Law professor Adam Candeub told the Times not having people physically present might negate the purpose of making sure both parties are entering into the union freely.

“There are some problems with willy-nilly allowing anyone around the world to marry,” he said.

Only a few states in America allow proxy marriages — California, Colorado, Texas and Montana. The marriage described by the Times is technically registered in Bangladesh because it is not legal in New York

Read more about the trend of proxy marriages taking place, especially in the Islamic culture, through Skype or Google hangouts in the New York Times’ article here.

(H/T: Daily Mail)

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Comments (12)

sizzlinsexybeckster
Posted on March 7, 2013 at 10:52pm
This is ridiculous and shallow. I’m sure the next window on their computer they will open will be on how to get a quicky divorce.

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Cavallo
Posted on March 7, 2013 at 3:30pm
Any man that gets married in this day in age is looking for trouble.

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battles
Posted on March 7, 2013 at 8:54am
Is there any way to kiss the bride over skype?

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satman40
Posted on March 7, 2013 at 1:04am
With gay marriage that numeber can double..

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S.O.S
Posted on March 6, 2013 at 10:52pm
especially in the Islamic culture,
====================================================
Don’t you think that statement alone should send up a few red flags

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- bigdaddyt46
  Posted on March 7, 2013 at 3:37am
  yesw it does. this is going to be a huge boost to the child sicko peds to be able to “marry” a 6 year old in gualalampore. sick sick sick
  
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Tomorrows_Thought
Posted on March 6, 2013 at 10:08pm
If a United Nations marriage treaty exist (probably will if not already)…Thank a progressive idiot for this insanity…They need to understand what they are doing to our society…

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media-bias-steals-elections
Posted on March 6, 2013 at 10:01pm
In my view they should not be legal, neither should there be any reason why the law should be bent because people are not patient. Keep your pants zipped up and don’t mess with the locals and knock them up with babies? It also means the IRS will have unlimited powers in foreign countries to go after the assets of any previous marriages conducted this way?

Why do we complicate our lives like this, do you think people won’t figure this out eventually?

Stop this please?

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gauge
Posted on March 6, 2013 at 10:01pm
The Times reported officials from the Department of Homeland Security saying a marriage over the Internet would most likely be flagged as suspicious in a citizenship review.

Yah, but encourage and let them cross over the border illegally, and that is fine with DHS.

This from the same people I predict in 5 yeas will make marriage between you and your pet legal

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M13
Posted on March 6, 2013 at 9:49pm
Does this mean Encinom’s marriage to his pet ewe is illegal?

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- hatchetjob
  Posted on March 6, 2013 at 10:51pm
  Yes it is, but that won’t stop Enema.
  
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- nesmond
  Posted on March 6, 2013 at 10:58pm
  Ewe? you meant ram, right? Encinoms’ a catcher, not a pitcher.
  
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