5. It Seems To Be On The Rise
It is estimated that between the years 1999 and 2007, the number of mail order marriages doubled in the United States. Every year, around 150,000 women sign up to be a mail order bride for an American husband. However, not very many are successful. Only about 5,000 marriages result from the process each year, only about four percent of the women who sign up meet their international husband. Nevertheless, there is a great chance those numbers will be higher in years to come. With a twenty-nine percent increase in traffic to websites offering the chance to meet mail order brides between the years 2012 and 2013, there are now over 400 agencies in the United States offering men and women the chance to meet their true love.
4. It Can Be Dangerous
Aside from uprooting herself and starting an entirely new life in another country where she doesn’t know anyone, there are other concerns for women who become mail order brides. And there are dangers for the men as well. While most of these unions work out quite nicely, there have been situations where violent abuse has occurred, both toward the women and the men. Although most reputable organizations have a thorough vetting process involving background checks for violent behavior, instances have occurred when these things had been overlooked, and people involved were injured or killed. One situation even involved a mail order bride being ordered to bury her new husband’s murdered wife. Even beyond the background checks, getting involved in a mail order marriage has its challenges, and both men and women should proceed cautiously.
3. Green Card Scammers Happen
There have been instances of women using these romantic interludes to get citizenship in the United States of America, and then breaking off the marriage. While this is rare, it does happen. The majority of women signing up to be mail order brides truly are looking for someone special to share their lives with, but there are some that simply want a green card and a new start. The best way to avoid this is to merely get to know your mail order bride-to-be. There is no foolproof way to keep from getting fooled, but establishing an open and honest relationship ahead of time with a proper courtship is the best way to meet a wife you can spend the rest of your life with.
2. How To Help Your Bride Become A Citizen
If you’re going to marry your bride in the United States, you will need to get a K1 visa, or the fiance visa, which will give her ninety days in which she needs to get married. It’s a good idea to start the arrangements before she gets here. After you’re married, you can apply for your bride to have a conditional permanent resident status. This will give her a green card and a social security card, allowing her to get a job if she so chooses. After you are married for two years and three months, you can ask for the “conditional” to be removed, allowing her to become a permanent resident. After being a permanent resident for three years, she can apply for full citizenship, granting her the right to vote in elections.
1. There Is No Return Policy
Since mail order brides are not purchased, they cannot be returned. Through whichever type of international marriage agency you may meet a bride-to-be, the organizations are merely designed to help introduce the couples to one another. Once the connection is made, it is up to the suitor and his potential fiance to work out the rest of the relationship. Agencies do assist with empowering new couples with all of the information they will need to develop their relationship, and hopefully, get married without incident. Nevertheless, if the marriage does not work out, for whatever reason, the agencies take no responsibility. Again, the best way to ensure you get a mail order bride you actually want to spend the rest of your life with is to invest time and honesty up front.
