Forced Marriage Abroad

A forced marriage is a marriage where one or both people do not, or cannot (e.g. in the case of minors), consent to the marriage.

In a forced marriage, family, friends and community members may use emotional pressure, threats or violence to force someone to marry. In some cases, people are taken abroad against their will to be married.

Sometimes a person might be told they are going on a trip to visit relatives, not knowing that a marriage has been planned for them there. When they arrive in the foreign country, their passports and money may be taken, and they may be constantly watched to stop them returning to Ireland. They may also be prevented from communicating with others.

It is an offence in Ireland to force a person into marriage, or to take a person abroad with the intention of forcing them to get married.

If you suspect that you have been taken abroad for a forced marriage, please contact your local Irish Embassy or Consulate. 

If you are concerned that a friend or relative may have been taken abroad for a forced marriage, please contact your local Garda station and call us at the Consular Assistance Unit on +353 1 408 2527.