False acknowledgement of children is now an offence

Cities and municipalities can from now on refuse the acknowledgement of a child if they suspect that asylum fraud is taking place. According to State Secretary for Asylum and Migration Theo Francken, illegal aliens are often paying thousands of euros to people who reside here legally in order to recognise a child. By so doing they hope to be granted the right of residence. “After false marriages, false acknowledgements of children are becoming a new fraud phenomenon,” Theo Francken says.

Tackling misuse

From now on, those false acknowledgements are an offence. “When the municipality suspects fraud, it can send the dossier on to the public prosecutor. In addition, acknowledgements in the past can be declared null and void. “In this way, we are also tackling these misuses,” Secretary of State Francken concludes.