Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued a fresh warning against marriage fraud amid a rising number of “cheating bride” contract marriage cases in Punjab.

The advisory comes amid reports of increasing incidents of alleged contract marriages involving cheating brides in Punjab.




In several cases, a groom who fails to meet the eligibility requirements for the IELTS examination reportedly finds a prospective bride who performs well in the test and pays for her education, travel and stay, with the expectation that she will later sponsor or facilitate his move to Canada on a spouse visa.

After reaching Canada, the woman allegedly cuts ties with the groom and his family, leading in some cases to litigation and police complaints in India.

The warning comes as Canadian authorities have intensified oversight of immigration programmes and visa applications.

In its message, the IRCC urged Canadians to exercise caution before sponsoring a spouse or partner for immigration, especially in situations where they have only recently met the person, are being pressured into a quick marriage, or when the individual has a history of multiple marriages or common-law relationships.

The department also advised people to be wary if a prospective partner is unwilling to share details about their family background or personal history.

“You don’t have to stay in an abusive relationship to keep your status in Canada,” the department said.

It added that spouses and partners of Canadian citizens or permanent residents have the right to seek help and do not need to continue living with an abusive sponsor to maintain their permanent resident status.