The Dutch government plans to introduce measures to stem the influx of foreign brides and grooms. Would-be marriage migrants will have to be at least 18, and marriages between cousins, aunts and uncles will no longer be allowed.

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Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin described the new policy on Friday as "strict but fair". "We want to prevent girls being brought to the Netherlands under duress," he said.

Having fallen for years, the number of import marriages rose by 30 percent in the past year to 15,000. "Society is coming under growing pressure," said Integration Minister Eberhard van der Laan.

‘Import bride’ is a term used in connection with marriages between Dutch residents of foreign origin – particularly from Turkey and Morocco, but increasingly also Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia – and people from their respective countries. There are concerns that such marriages are an obstacle to the integration of ethnic minorities into Dutch society.

Subservient
The new rules are meant for the protection both of Dutch society and the women themselves, said Van der Laan. Import brides often end up in a subservient and dependent position once in the Netherlands.

"Because of their lack of knowledge of the Dutch language, their low level of education and unfamiliarity with institutions there is a risk that these women will not be adequately able to bring up their children to be proper citizens," Van der Laan said. This in turn can lead to the children dropping out of school, causing nuisance, or in the worst case scenario, turning to crime, the minister said.

Under the new system, potential import brides and grooms will have to meet higher criteria for command of the Dutch language. The Civic Integration Exam, which would-be marriage migrants have to pass before being admitted to the Netherlands, is to be made more difficult. They will also have to participate in job training once in the Netherlands.

In other measures:

• Dutch nationals or residents wanting to bring their partners to the Netherlands will first have to take the integration exam themselves;
• marriages between first cousins and between aunts and nephews and uncles and nieces will no longer be allowed. A bill is being prepared to ban all marriages between blood relatives to the 4th degree;
• in order to prevent marriages of convenience, liaison officers from the immigration services will be stationed at the Dutch embassies of the countries of origin. They will simultaneously interview both partners if their is a suspicion of fraud;
• the cabinet is looking into ways to raise the minimum age for recognition in the Netherlands for marriages concluded abroad from 15 to 18.

Photo: flickr under Creative Commons Licence