A marriage of convenience, or “sham marriage” is one that it is entered solely to evade the numerical restrictions limiting immigration to the United States.

The United States Congress did not intend to provide foreign aliens with an easy means of getting around the quota system (availability of immigrant visas) by fake marriages in which neither party ever intended to enter into the marital relationship.

If the marriage is entered for the sole purpose of evading immigration laws, the immigration benefit conferred by the marriage is not available and constitutes a violation of the immigration laws and a crime punishable under the federal and state laws.