February 19, 2006
WHY EVERYBODY LOVES LAWYERS
Migrants use gay marriage loophole (Robert Winnett, Ali Hussain and Claire Newel, The Times, February 19th, 2006)l
Lawyers are prepared to advise potential immigrants how to gain British citizenship by signing up for “gay marriages” even if they are heterosexual.Undercover reporters were told by six different firms of solicitors how to exploit a loophole in the civil partnership rules to get passports.
Immigrants face less rigorous tests if they seek to gain British citizenship through a civil partnership than through a heterosexual marriage.
Under laws that took effect last December, gay people have the same immigration rights as married people — and may secure a full passport after two years in the country.
However, while marriages have to be consummated to qualify there is no such requirement on couples in a civil partnership. It is thus not illegal for two heterosexual friends to form a civil partnership and then to “divorce” after two years once the foreigner has gained British citizenship.
Obviously the consummation requirement is an outrageous denial of the human rights of heterosexuals.
Posted by Peter Burnet at February 19, 2006 6:05 PMWhat evidence do you suppose is required for proof of consummation? Video?
Posted by: Brandon at February 19, 2006 8:01 PMHickeys?
Posted by: obc at February 19, 2006 9:50 PMThe bloodstained sheets. It's traditional.
Posted by: joe shropshire at February 19, 2006 10:41 PMI understand the NIMBY activists are against this loophole.
(Let's see which of you is wise and wily enough to get that!)
Posted by: obc at February 19, 2006 11:57 PMThese guys are pretty close to the edge. Whether or not they are over it depends on how the statutes intended to benefit homosexuals are phrased.
If, as is likely, unnatural relationships are clothed in ambiguous, equivocal language, it might be ethical to counsel clients on how best to present situations which meet the plain language of the statute.
Rules of law say what they say, not what "everybody" thinks they are supposed to say. Here the law is supposed to give perverts the same privileges as normal people. Apparently the law of civil partnership is sufficiently vague about "commited relationships" or some such euphemism, while remaining silent about other aspects of real marriage to make it possible for just good friends to take advantage of it.
Risky practice, though. One of the lawyers in the article is quoted as saying something like, "I'm not supposed to tell you this, but. . ." That wouldn't sound right on a tape played back t a jury.
Posted by: Lou Gots at February 20, 2006 4:57 AM