For 7-band match, head to IELTS centre

Avneet Kaur

Jalandhar, September 17

“An IELTS-pass girl required for marriage, having 6 or 6.5 bands overall”, reads a post on Facebook, drawing response from users who suggest the names of various immigration companies or IELTS centres. “Are you searching for IELTS-clear girls in the band of 6, 6.5 and 7, contact ABC immigration,” says another advertisement on a website.

Such advertisements can be easily found on matrimonial websites or in various Facebook groups or pages where the boy’s side seeks recommendations for girls ready for either a contract or permanent marriage. And the IELTS institutes and immigration consultancies are acting as the mediator for all those boys, who are unable to crack IELTS, by introducing them to a 6.5 or 7-band girls.

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Posing as an IELTS-pass girl having a 7-band score, this correspondent with her mother visited a local immigration consultancy near the bus stand here to enquire whether they had any families in link who were ready for a contract or permanent marriage of their son and could sponsor the expenses of study visa.

In reply, the immigration consultant showed a listof such families. Theysaid there was a “huge demand for IELTS-pass girls in the market.”

He also said the immigration company would just act as a mediator until both parties (the girl and the boy side) don’t meet face-to-face. “Once the meeting has been conducted, the company has no role to play”, he said. He shared that the company would charge a commission which the boy’s side would pay.

When asked commission details, the consultant replied, “An amount of Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh is being charged, depending on various factors. We also get an agreement signed from both the parties stating that we are not responsible for any legal or personal issues after or before marriage.”

Sources said the trend was very popular in the state as a minimum score of 6 in IELTS was one of the major requirements for non-native English speakers. It is accepted by most academic institutions in the US, Australian, British, Canadian and New Zealand. Therefore, the boys, who are unable to crack IELTS but are crazy to go to Canada, this is the only option to go on a spouse visa.

“The girl and the boy first get the marriage registered in a court and afterwards in the presence of family and friends they hold a small gathering in gurdwara and conduct the marriage as per religious norms. Pictures of the wedding and marriage certificate are two major requirements for getting a spouse visa,” said Mandeep, an immigration consultant, adding that once a girl reaches Canada, then within three to six months, she can call her spouse easily no matter what his qualification level or IELTS bands are.