Numberspeak | Complaints by Indian Women Deserted by NRI Spouses Have Doubled Since 2015

Between January 1, 2020, and October 31, 2023, a total of 5,339 requests were received by the ministry, including missions and posts abroad, from estranged Indian women married to overseas Indians.

In 2023, between January and October 2023, the number of complaints received were 1,187. In the calendar year 2015, 796 complaints were received. During 2022, the highest number of complaints was received (1,669) — more than double of what it was in 2015.

Pending NRI Marriage Registration Bill

In February 2019, then Union minister late Sushma Swaraj tabled a bill in Rajya Sabha on Registration of Marriage of Non-Resident of India.

While presenting the Bill, she said there have been several reports of Indian women being trapped in fraudulent marriages with Non-Resident Indians (NRIs).

“This has indeed emphasised the persistent need to build safeguards in order to protect those spouses from such situations. Therefore, it is necessary that the marriage solemnised or otherwise in India or outside India shall be registered within a period of thirty days from the date of marriage. It has been decided to bring in legislation to provide for compulsory registration of marriage for better enforcement of rights of the deserted spouses under various family laws,” the Bill said.

The Bill also proposed amendment of the Passport Act, 1967, that empowers the passport authority to impound or revoke a passport or travel document of a NRI if they did not register the marriage within 30 days.

Now, as the complaints of Indian women deserted by NRI spouses are on the rise, the country awaits the passage of the Bill.

What is the Government Doing to Help?

As per the ministry, the Union government has adopted a multi-pronged approach to address the issues of abandonment, harassment and other matrimonial disputes faced by Indian women married to overseas Indians.

Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) is used to provide legal and financial assistance to distressed Indian women deserted or harassed by their spouses abroad.

As per the MEA data, Rs 25 lakh has been spent between 2020-2022 as assistance to Indian women deserted by overseas Indian/foreigner husbands. More than half of this amount was spent in the USA alone – Rs 13,00,200 – while the rest of the amount was spent in eight other countries.

Missions and posts abroad provide appropriate guidance and information to the aggrieved Indian women about legal procedures and mechanisms in such cases.

To enable Indian women in distress abroad to register their grievances, the government has provided various channels – MADAD portal, calls, walk-ins, e-mails, WhatsApp, social media and 24×7 helplines.

The MEA launched MADAD in February 2015 for online registration, tracking and resolution of grievances of Indians, including distressed Indian brides. Tracking and monitoring through MADAD has significantly strengthened the mechanism for addressing and resolving the grievances of overseas Indians.