British government officials are accusing the Church of England of failing to take sufficient steps to prevent bogus marriages of foreigners to British citizens. Marriage gives the foreign spouse the right to stay in Britain and claim government benefits. Yesterday's London Telegraph reports that the number of Church marriages of foreigners to British citizens has nearly tripled since 2005 when new rules were adopted to require Home Office approval for marriages of foreigners in civil ceremonies, but not for marriages performed by the Church of England. (See prior related posting.)
