National Police in Huétor Tájar (Granada) have dismantled an immigration-fraud ring that arranged a bogus marriage between a Bolivian national and a Spanish woman so the foreigner could obtain a five-year residence-and-work permit. The investigation—triggered by a domestic-violence report—found that the groom was living with a different Bolivian partner while his supposed Spanish wife and her lawyer-turned-witness provided falsified statements. Officers from the Central Unit against Immigration Networks (UCRIF) carried out simultaneous searches at both homes, seizing documents that proved the relationship was fictitious. They arrested the groom, the Spanish bride and the lawyer on charges of document fraud and facilitating illegal immigration; all were released with charges pending. Police have asked the provincial foreigners’ office to revoke the residence permit. For HR teams handling mixed-nationality couples, the case reinforces Spain’s tougher scrutiny of family-reunification claims after several high-profile frauds. Marriage-based residence applications now face random interviews and unannounced home visits; employers sponsoring dependants should ensure genuine evidence of cohabitation and shared finances is available. The bust also signals heightened cooperation between gender-violence units and immigration investigators, meaning unrelated police call-outs can cascade into residence-status reviews. Mobility managers should brief expatriates on the importance of accurate civil-status filings and the penalties for misrepresentation.
Source: Europa Press
