NRI Marriages under the Scanner

By NRI Realty News Desk · February 3, 2026

The Indian Government is eager to start a round of discussions
to protect the interests of the harassed and exploited wives
of non-resident Indian husbands.These dialogues would be initiated
with the governments of countries where such cases abound, and
where NRIs take recourse to the favourable laws prevailing there.

As reported earlier, a legal sub-committee comprising members
from the Ministries of Law, Home Affairs, Women and Child Development,
and representatives from Andhra Pradesh and Punjab would take
up the issues.

The Minister of State for Women and Child Development,
Renuka Choudhury has indicated that changes in emigration laws
and inter-country agreements are likely to be made to check such
cases.

Divorce laws prevailing in most countries are often used
to advantage by NRI husbands to break up a relationship, and
the Indian Government is considering a move to have a divorce
order passed by a foreign court to be endorsed by an Indian court
before it is finally granted.

Another precaution that has been suggested by the Ministry
of Women and Child Development is to make it mandatory for the
husband’s passport number to be stamped on the wife’s passport – this would enable the government to trace a truant husband, in case the need arose.

A proposal to register all NRI marriages under the Special Marriage
Act has also been made, giving more power to the wife in case
of a disagreement.

The Punjab Government has moved in quickly to address the growing
number of cases by appointing a senior police officer to deal
with these issues.

The state government also plans to deal firmly with travel agents
and immigration consultants and marriage bureaus who engage in
surreptitious deals. Fast track courts would be handling NRI
marriage cases soon.

The Ministry of Overseas Affairs is likely to introduce the
scheme in USA , UK , Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Qatar,
Kuwait and Bahrain. In addition, Indian missions in these countries
would collaborate with Indian women’s
organisations and NGOs and assist them financially with approximately
USD1, 000 per case.

These organisations would also provide legal
and emotional support to the affected women.