Lawyers flag fraud risks over domicile certificates

Questions over fraudulent documents and marriages of convenience have been raised following the introduction of certificates of domicile for foreign nationals married to Namibian citizens. Lawyers say the new system needs proper checks to ensure people do not use fake documents or enter marriages mainly to obtain legal status in Namibia. The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security started issuing the certificates yesterday. Lawyer Nafimane Halweendo has welcomed the introduction of domicile certificates for foreign nationals married in good faith to Namibian citizens. “Love is hard to find and if you can only find it in a foreigner and it is genuine, then definitely yes,” Halweendo says. Halweendo says the system is appropriate for genuine marriages between Namibians and foreign nationals, but questions remain over people who may marry to secure legal status in Namibia.

“The question is whether they are doing it for love or just doing it to get [legal status],” he says. Halweendo says concerns have previously been raised about vulnerable Namibians who could be exploited through marriages entered into for immigration purposes. He says there have been calls for stronger legal provisions to protect vulnerable people in such cases. According to Halweendo, some countries allow authorities to revoke a person’s status under certain circumstances. “Our law doesn’t make that provision. The moment [a person qualifies] for domicile, that’s the end of the matter,” he says. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS The new system replaces certificates of identity previously issued to foreign spouses of Namibian citizens under section 38 of the Immigration Control Act. “The certificate of domicile serves as proof that the holder is domiciled in Namibia by virtue of a marriage in…