London: Foreign nationals who want to marry or study in Britain will be subject to strict new checks under Government plans announced today (Apr 22, 2004).

The new rules, to be introduced over several months, will target sham marriages and bogus colleges.

Britain is also reducing the quota of non-European Union (EU) workers in agriculture, hospitality and food processing, in light of an anticipated increase in the number of immigrants following the EU's enlargement next month, it announced.

"We cannot and should not shut the door to workers, investors, genuine students, relatives and friends from other countries," Home Secretary David Blunkett said. "But we must continue to strive to ensure that our immigration system is robust in preventing those without the right to enter or stay on in Britain from bending the rules."

Immigration is continually under the spotlight in Britain, where some newspapers have claimed that lax entry controls could lead to a tide of illegal immigrants swamping the country.

Immigration Minister Beverley Hughes resigned earlier this month after a public outcry about her knowledge of an organised scam involving applicants from Bulgaria and Romania.

Blunkett said foreign nationals who want to marry British citizens would need to report to a special registry office where both will be subject to checks by the Immigration Service.

Registrars will be able to refuse to conduct the marriage if they believe it is a sham for immigration purposes.