Indo-Kuwait Friendship Society, a Kuwaiti based non-profit socio-cultural NRI association, conducted seminar related to “Problems related to NRI Marriages” on 11th April, 2014 at ECHO RESTAURANT Auditorium. The Panel discussion was inaugurated by Ashok.

Ashok said in his inaugural speech that IKFS has taken brave steps while conducting this seminar related to NRI Marriages, as there are tens of associations in Kuwait, they seldom take care and bear the responsibility towards community and ignore the creative works of associations in Kuwait. IKFS deserves all the respect while conducting this very interesting topic such as NRI marriage problems and solving The panel of experts and from the audience discussed various issues and types of problems may arise out of the NRI marriages if precautions and vigil is not taken into consideration.

Dr. Ghalib Al-Mashoor in his presidential speech defined who is an NRI? PIO & OCI.? Also he explained What type of problems may appear in NRI marriages? Woman married to NRI may be abandoned even before being taken to the foreign land where her husband resided. She may be moved to her husband’s home in other country only to be brutally, battered, assaulted, abused both mentally and physically, malnourished, confined and ill-treated by him in several other ways. She or her parents may be held for ransom to pay huge sums of money as dowry, both before and after the marriage and they may be coerced to bear the expenses of the travelling documents of the groom & bride for abroad and later paying heavy dowry for her stay and for her safety in her husband’s country of residence . She may be abandoned in the foreign country with absolutely no support or means of bare sustenance or escape and without even the legal permission to stay on in that country.

She may became victim of bigamy by her husband after finding that he was already married in the other country to another woman, whom he continued to live with. He may have married her due to pressure from his parents and to please them or sometimes even to use her as a domestic help or to extract dowry from her parents.

She may found later on that her NRI husband had given false information about his job, immigration status, earning, property, marital status and other material particulars, just to cheat her to perform marriage. Her husband, taking advantage of more lenient divorce grounds in other legal systems, may obtain ex-parte decree of divorce in that country through fraudulent representations and/ or behind her back, without her knowledge, after she is sent or forced to go back to India or even while she was still there.

She may be denied maintenance in India on the pretext that the marriage had already been dissolved by the court in another country. She may be coaxed to travel to the foreign country of the man’s residence and get married in that country, who later on discovers that Indian courts have even more limited jurisdiction in such cases. She may be forced to fight horrible legal battles for custody of her children and for child support, and to bring them back with her after she is divorced or forced to leave, sometimes even facing charges of illegally abducting her own children.

Speakers identified with so many questions and answered some of the points:-.Marriage between Indian woman from India and an Indian man residing in another country (NRI-nonresident Indian), either as Indian citizen or as citizen of that other country (when he would legally be a PIO-person of Indian origin) is generally called NRI marriage. How we can remedy of solving the problems? Which are the documents required to be checked carefully by the bride before going abroad? First of all, Stamping the passport: The lady’s passport has to be stamped with the name of the person whom she has married and details of when and where the marriage was solemnized; only this will provide her the legal sanctity in any country and the method of verifying the facts about the Groom? Keep a Photostat copy/scanned copy of the Important documents of the Groom for her verification.

Also panel discussed about the main points to be followed by the parents of the girl before fixing the marriage to an NRI?

Insist on a registered marriage along with the religious marriage to be solemnized in India with adequate proof like photographs etc, Avoid hasty and secret proceedings and blind faith on match makers such as middleman, matrimonial, advertisement etc., Avoid tech-marriages through phones and e-mails.

Equip the woman with knowledge of the laws of the foreign country and the rights she can enjoy there, especially against any form of abuse or neglect, including domestic violence. She should try to get residence permit and other protections as a victim of domestic violence or abuse.

Also to insure that have a bank account exclusively in her name near her residence (in the foreign land) that she can use in case of any emergency. Leave photocopies/scanned copy of all important documents of married couple i.e., Passport, visa, bank and property documents, marriage certificate and other essential papers and phone numbers with parents or other trustworthy people in India or abroad.

Advocate Sayid Nizar, IKFS Vice President added in the panel discussions that the it is better to avoid to perform marriage in a in foreign country. Parents should try to keep a photocopy of husband’s personal details including passport, visa, property details, license number, social security number, voter or alien registration card, among others. Also to check with his Marital status: if he is single, divorced or separated? Immigration status, type of visa, eligibility to take spouse to the other country, Medical Reports, Financial status such as properties said to be owned by him in India. Permanent residence address and Family background. Criminal antecedents, if any. Adv. Nizar advised that to check the Professional Details of the groom also, Educational qualification, Post and salary, Address of office and Employer and their credentials.

The seminar recommended to start a NRI Matrimonial site with the intention no profit as well as to open a website for Public Grievances related to NRI marriage and other issues. Iftekhar Ahamed, IKFS Treasurer expressed vote of thanks said that in any case, the Bride should not to be coerced into acceding to dowry or any other unreasonable demand made by or on behalf of Groom in order to end the marriage by desertion or if being forced to do so. In this case then it should be reported immediately to the officials. Omniyya Ayyoub, recited the holy Quran verses while AzizuRahman, newly joined IKFS Secretary welcomed and introduced the guests. Many of the IKFS family members and outsiders attended the interesting session followed by light dinner. eat