Mail Order Brides Legality

Explaining Are Mail Order Brides Legal In Your Country

Many family-oriented men get worried about are mail order brides illegal. I can assure you that it’s legal to find a partner abroad and marry her, not only in the USA but in many countries across the world. However, marriage processes involving an overseas lady vary as well as the requirements.

I researched the US laws, learned immigration pathways through the U.S. Department of State site, and interviewed a migration agent. Also, I discovered the aspects globally, so find out how mail order brides are legal in America and worldwide in my post!

Main mail order bride regulations and acts

It’s legal to marry women from popular mail order brides countries, and I’ll focus on crucial aspects on a global scale below.

The USA 🇺🇸

Mail order spouses are legal in America, and the government controls immigration processes and protection measures, aiming to improve the safety of K-1 visa holders. Here are the main regulations related to international marriages:

  • IMBRA. The International Marriage Brokerage Act was enacted in 2005 to prevent domestic violence and all forms of abuse against alien spouses and their children committed by their US partners. An American resident must be monitored for multiple K-1 visa petitions and criminal history. His foreign bride is informed about her rights and the contacts of agencies providing help for assault victims.
  • VAWA. The Violence Against Women Act involves many points, the main goal of which is the protection of females from abuse. Immigration relief from the role of a husband acting violently is one of them. It means that a foreign lady can apply for a Green Card without the knowledge and help of the abuser. 
  • K-1 visa. Legit mail order brides engaged to US residents must follow the requirements of the USCIS office and get a fiancé visa to come to the USA and marry their partner. My friend Ricky filed Form I-129F for his Ukrainian girlfriend Katya and waited around 3 months until it was approved. Then, she had to collect documents, undertake a medical exam, and schedule an interview. The entire process took around 9 months, which Ricky said “was stressful, but definitely worth it.” They could barely wait to get married, and they did it in April last year, after a month of her arrival in Miami, meeting the 90-day fiancé visa rule. 

You can see now that international marriages are under control in the USA, which proves it’s legal to marry mail order brides.

Canada 🇨🇦

If you want to know is it legal to mail order a bride, my answer is positive. You may marry an overseas partner even if she has a visitor visa. However, then, it’s necessary to apply for a spousal sponsorship so she can become a permanent resident. A foreign wife becomes eligible for Canadian citizenship if she resides in the country for 1,095 days during 5 years before signing her application.

The UK 🇬🇧

Once your overseas woman plans to marry and settle down with you in the UK, she’ll have to obtain a family visa as a fiancée. When she applies, the answer will be given within 3 months. You’ll need to register your marriage within 6 months of her coming to the UK. Then, a foreign wife can extend her stay and get the right to work in the country. The status of a permanent resident or Indefinite Leave to Remain can be given if you live in the UK for 5 years on a family visa.

The Philippines 🇵🇭

Interestingly, a mail order bride is legal in the Philippines, and my other friend James met his Filipino wife Jasmine online. They’ve been happily married for 2 years now, and nothing has stood in their way. Nonetheless, international marriage agencies are banned in the Philippines at the government level because of frequent cases of abuse in relationships between Filipino women and their overseas husbands. Despite this, online dating platforms can be used there.

Global love boundaries are officially open

The overall concept of finding a life partner overseas requires a lot of effort. At first, you dedicate your time to searching, then you do your best to develop the connection and maintain a long-distance relationship. The final stage is marriage with legitimate mail order brides, and it demands plenty of patience, attention, and diligence. You need to learn and follow all the regulations and do everything right to get the desired reward, called a happy family life. 

References:Â