20 October 2009: The Home Office has reiterated its stand against “fake marriages”; and has asserted sham marriages would be challenged. Any foreign national in the country illegally through such means would be removed.

The Regional Director of the UK Border Agency in the North West, Eddy Montgomery, said: 'We will not tolerate immigration abuse and will punish those who break our immigration laws. If we identify marriages that do not appear to be genuine, we will challenge them and remove any foreign national in the country illegally.'

The warning came after a Pakistani man was arrested at a Manchester registry office, as he was about to take part in what the UK Border Agency believes was a sham marriage.

Acting on intelligence, officers from the UK Border Agency carried out the operation at around 1400 on Thursday 15 October at Manchester Registry Office, Lloyd Street, Manchester, M2 5LE.

It is believed that the man was attempting to marry a Portuguese woman solely so he could remain in the United Kingdom after overstaying his visa.

The couple could not speak each other's native languages, and they did not have a common language in which they could communicate. An interpreter was also being used at the ceremony.

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