An Insider Viewpoint on Cultural Norms for Marriage and Mate Selection Relevant to Immigration Fraud Detection in South Asian International Arranged Marriages

Abstract

South Asian immigrant families residing in Canada often seek spouses for their children from their home countries, and file applications to enable the foreign spouses to immigrate. Marriages of convenience for immigration pose a major threat to genuine international unions, as immigration officers evaluating marriage-based immigration applications must rule out fraudulent relations. Through focus groups with 27 cultural insiders, including South Asian religious and community leaders, this study identified subculture norms for marriage and mate selection that can directly inform immigration fraud detection: (a) intra-familial marriage practices among Pakistani Muslims and South Indians, (b) extra-familial marriage traditions among Hindus and Sikhs, and (c) exceptions to norms for widows and intergroup marriages. Implications for cultural education for immigration officers are discussed.