Produce reasons for need to raise marriage visa age: Keith Vaz

London, Nov 5 (PTI) British government should produce
more evidence for the need to raise marriage visa age from 18
to 21 years, Home Affairs Committee Chairman and MP, Keith Vaz
said.

Vaz said the committee's report on 'Domestic violence and
Forced Marriage' published in May this year had stated there
was no sufficient evidence for the marriage Visa age to be
raised from 18 to 21.

"The committee was clear that it did not feel that there
was enough evidence to raise the marriage visa age," he said
adding we have asked the government to provide more evidence
as to why this legislative change will be made at the end of
this month, which we have not received.

"There was no evidence and we felt that it may be a
divisive policy in many communities for no real benefit."

"We did believe that the statement of intention to marry
had some merits in the fight against forced marriage," he
said. PTI HSR
AM