In 2021, about 19,218 mail order brides applied for and received their K-1 visas. This means that the popularity of getting married to foreign women keeps rising each year because it’s a convenient and cost-effective way for American men to find the ladies of their dreams. Besides, it’s much faster because you don’t have to attend numerous dates, not knowing how things will turn out and if the person you’re meeting with has similar intentions.
So, is it legal to mail order a bride? Let’s tackle this aspect of getting a foreign wife in the US to see if you can marry her without worrying about any issues.
Are mail order brides real?
Mail order brides are real women who use specialized dating sites to find husbands. These ladies come from different countries and have specific reasons for opting for foreign men instead of local guys. Some of the causes are the economic instability in their countries, the fact that local guys take their wives for granted, or ladies’ desire to explore the world and meet partners abroad.
Thus, mail order brides are equally interested in meeting guys who are ready for serious relationships as these men are. They create attractive profiles, pointing out their personality traits, interests, and background facts to make it easier for their potential partners to understand what to expect. Also, pretty ladies online add several photos of themselves to their accounts to attract more men and help them understand right away if they match the expectations.
What are the mail order brides regulations in the US?
In the US, there are two primary regulations in the mail order brides industry, namely, IMBRA and VAWA. The International Marriage Broker Regulation Act checks the backgrounds of all marriage visa sponsors to protect women from cases of domestic violence and ensure their safe stay in the US. This act is critical because it helps many women to feel more safe when communicating with men online and agreeing to get married to them because they know they aren’t agreeing to something that might put their lives at risk.
As for the second regulation, the Violence Against Women Act, it aims to protect mail order brides after they enter the US. Namely, it makes sure that if women face any violence cases, they can get housing in units protected by the federal government. This act keeps women safe from stalking, violence, or other kinds of inappropriate behavior and aims to reduce their likelihood.
How to bring a mail order bride legally to the US?
There are two visas to choose from if you want to bring your mail order bride to the US, namely a K-1 fiance visa and a CR-1 spousal visa. They both allow your partner to come to the US and apply for a green card that will offer them permanent residence in the country. Yet, each visa has specific requirements for the application, so let’s take a look at them:
- A K-1 fiance visa implies that you and the mail order bride have known each other for a while and met offline at least a couple of times. You’ll need to provide evidence of your meetings to let the visa officer know that your relationship is real and genuine. These could be tickets, photos, or notes from friends and family who can confirm that you’re in a relationship with the lady. This visa implies that you and your mail order bride will get married within 90 days of her arrival in the US.
- A CR-1 visa is an option for those who are already married, and, for example, have had a wedding in the bride’s country. Since you and your mail order wife are already spouses in this case, the process of getting a green card for her will be faster because you’ll deal with the most time-consuming processes beforehand.
Although both options are sought-after, applying for a K-1 visa is more common because many couples prefer getting married in the US to avoid additional issues with documents.