Women’s Charter 1961 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 3 · Solemnisation of Marriages
11A. Avoidance of marriages of convenience
Feedback & supportLast amended by an amending law of 2016.
A marriage solemnised on or after 1 October 2016, whether in Singapore or elsewhere, is void if —
a party to the marriage contracts or otherwise enters into the marriage knowing or having reason to believe that the purpose of the marriage is to assist the party or the other party to the marriage to obtain an immigration advantage; and
any gratification, whether from a party to the marriage or another person, is offered, given or received as an inducement or reward to any party to the marriage for entering into the marriage.
However, a marriage is not void under subsection (1) if it is proved that both parties to the marriage believed on reasonable grounds, when contracting or entering into the marriage, that the marriage would result in a genuine marital relationship.
A marriage solemnised on or after 1 October 2016 is deemed to be void under subsection (1) if either party to the marriage is convicted of an offence under section 57C(1) of the Immigration Act 1959 in respect of the marriage.
In this section, “gratification” and “immigration advantage” have the meanings given by section 57C(6) of the Immigration Act 1959.