TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A man has been fined NT$170,000 (US$6,100) by the National Immigration Agency (NIA) for starting an illegal cross-border matchmaking agency introducing rural Vietnamese women to Taiwanese men for marriage.
A Kaohsiung man surnamed Wang (王) met his Vietnamese wife through a matchmaking agency 18 years ago and claims to have been happily married ever since. Many relatives and friends began asking him if he could help introduce them to Vietnamese brides as well, reported NOWnews
He eventually contacted the Vietnamese matchmaking agent he had gone through, and the two set up a cross-border matchmaking service. They charged US$6,000 for a wedding package tour.
Wang made his own advertisements and business cards and even printed banners that he posted in front of his house. He also posted advertisements on Facebook to expand the business.
Ad posted by Wang offering to introduce men to Vietnamese "country girls." (NIA image)
One of the advertisements offered introductions to "dozens" of "pure country girls." The ad claimed the business would cover all aspects, from the initial blind date to the wedding and return flight.
During a recent survey of online content, NIA’s Kaohsiung service team spotted Wang's Facebook ads and called him in for questioning. Wang confessed to NIA officers that he had successfully brokered two marriages, one in July 2018 and the other in February 2020.
He admitted that he had received a commission of NT$10,000 for the successful cases. According to the NIA, this constituted a violation of the Immigration Act (入出國及移民法), and after a court hearing Wang was fined NT$170,000.
He claimed that he was not aware it is illegal to advertise such services and swore that he would never post such advertisements again.
According to Chapter 9 Article 58 of the Immigration Act, “No person shall disseminate, broadcast or publish advertisements of transnational marriage agencies through advertising, publication, broadcast, television, electronic signaling, internet or other means that can make the advertisements publicly known.” A violation of this law can result in a fine of between NT$100,000 and NT$500,000, according to the Ministry of the Interior.
Ad posted by Wang offering to introduce Vietnamese women for marriage. (NIA image)
