| dc.description.abstract | This thesis is an inquiry into proforma marriage and family immigration. Since marriages and family reunifications are the most significant sources of immigration to Norway, it is imperative to examine UDI's (The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration) consideration of proforma cases closely. Proforma marriage is notoriously hard to reveal. The purpose of my research is to explore the regulation and the rules that constitute the foundation of revealing proforma marriages by the authorities. In particular, the essential research questions this thesis aims to focus on are: understanding the requirements for family reunification, and explaining why these specific requirements exist. Therefore, one of the primary objectives of this thesis is to seek information through qualitative research interviews. The interviews have been carried out with UDI employees; those who work with family immigration in general and the revelation of proforma marriages in particular. Some of my findings based on the interviews were expected, but some surprised me. In addition, I conducted a thorough analysis of selected documents as well. Both of these contributed very much to the overall success of this project. The working documents of UDI formed the basis of the theoretical understanding of how immigration law is practiced by this governmental organisation. Additionally, to have a better insight of how law enforcement itself takes place in practice, I researched court decisions by the Court of Appeals. Also, I provide a brief introduction to family immigration rules and proforma evaluation by UDI and explain the requirements for family immigration, and why such requirements exist in the first place. I also focused on the application processes and the assessment of proforma cases. Then I provide a theoretical background for the thesis and present some sociological perspectives on the institution of family and the changes in the family in the Western countries. In the West, marriage today is a legally and voluntarily registered union of men and women, or people of the same sex, with the purpose of establishing a family with mutual rights and obligations. The perception of marriage and family may vary widely from country to country. In addition, there are vast differences between individuals. For some people, marriage is based on pure love; for others, it could be a mutually beneficial partnership. It was an essential part of my project to take a closer look at the requirements that need to be fulfilled to get married in Norway. I also explained what a genuine marriage is according to UDI. In addition, I discuss the issue of legitimate discrimination and the concept of discrimination itself. A discussion of this is essential because some spouses show dissatisfaction with the immigration authorities by claiming that certain groups of foreigners are discriminated against. My conclusion about this sensitive and controversial topic is that differential treatment can be factual and legitimate too. In the case of UDI, the effective use of resources and workforce requires a rational differentiation between the individual cases, which is entirely logical from a managerial point of view. This thesis is mostly limited to the concept and the revelation of proforma marriage, the requirements for family immigration, and topics closely connected to them. At the same time, it walks the reader through the whole process of family reunification and the consideration of proforma cases by the immigration authorities. It is also open for future discussions, especially when it comes to the concept of marriage and discrimination. | eng |