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Simple English definitions for legal terms
sham marriage
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A quick definition of sham marriage:
A sham marriage is when two people go through a wedding ceremony but don't really intend to live together as husband and wife. It's not a real marriage and can be ended without getting a divorce. This is different from a valid marriage, which is a legal union between two people who want to be together as husband and wife. There are also other types of marriages, like common-law marriage, where two people live together and act like they're married even if they didn't have a formal wedding ceremony.A more thorough explanation:
Definition: A sham marriage is a purported marriage in which all the formal requirements are met or seemingly met, but in which the parties go through the ceremony with no intent of living together as husband and wife.
Example: A U.S. citizen marries a foreign citizen solely for the purpose of allowing the foreign citizen to become a permanent U.S. resident. This is also known as a green-card marriage.
Explanation: The example illustrates a sham marriage because the parties do not intend to live together as husband and wife, but rather enter into the marriage for the sole purpose of obtaining immigration benefits. This type of marriage is illegal and can result in serious consequences for those involved.