Marriages of convenience, which are not based on love or establishing a loving relationship, have existed since ancient times. They can be entered into for social, economic, or legal reasons, such as concealing one’s sexuality or gaining citizenship. While becoming less common, some homosexual individuals still enter into such marriages for social or business purposes. However, marrying for financial reasons is still prevalent in many cultures. Sham marriages, where a citizen marries an illegal immigrant to establish residency, are illegal and punishable by law.
A marriage of convenience is considered any union that is neither based on love nor on the goal of establishing a loving relationship between partners. Marriages of convenience have been around since the beginning of time. In ancient times, royalty arranged marriages to forge political alliances with other countries. In ancient China, “heqin” was practiced, which involved a Chinese princess being married to an aggressor of China to dissuade the warrior from attacking. In modern times, a marriage of convenience can be entered into for social reasons, such as concealing one’s sexuality, for economic gain, or for the right to remain in a country.
While becoming less common, some homosexual men and women enter into such a marriage with a person of the opposite sex. This is typically for social or business purposes. In the United States, this is believed to be especially common in the military. Straight members of the military receive greater benefits and pay if they are married. Some homosexual members of the military marry a person of the opposite sex, often another homosexual member of the military, so they can enjoy the same benefits. As homosexuality continues to become more accepted in society, the instances of this type of marriage of convenience are decreasing.
Just like in ancient times, people often get married for financial reasons rather than for love. There are many civil rights granted to married couples in countries around the world. These can include tax breaks, social security benefits and inheritance rights. A marriage of convenience usually occurs to access these benefits. In some countries, for example, two families will arrange a marriage between their children to combine family assets. Unlike a traditional arranged marriage, this type of marriage of convenience is done without the expectation that the couple will ultimately fall in love. In many cases, the two people live in separate houses.
Perhaps the most frowned upon type of marriage of convenience is when a citizen of a country will marry an illegal immigrant to establish residence there. In most places, this is illegal and referred to as a sham marriage. In many countries, it is punishable by a heavy fine and imprisonment, as well as expulsion of the non-citizen. Due to the possibility of immigration fraud, those seeking to marry someone from another country typically must go through government checks, including interviews, home inspections, and background checks, and must provide documents from friends and family proving that the relationship is legitimate.
Most people marry for love or with the expectation of finding love. Marriages of convenience, however, are far more common than many might think. These types of marriages are not illegal and, in some cultures, are the norm.
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