Is Mail Order Bride Legal?

Is Mail Order Bride Legal? Post Thumbnail

The short answer to this question is YES. Mail order brides are legal. However, if you’re like most people, then a short answer with no explanation is no answer at all, especially where the law is concerned. If you want to know more about mail order brides and the legislatures that back up the whole process, keep reading.

1
Features
2
Features
3
Features
4
Features
5
Features
6
Features

A short history on mail order brides

People had always desired to get married, even before the internet turned the world into a global village. Unfortunately, many men and women found their choices limited because of their social circles. As a result, they enlisted the services of people who could connect them to suitable mates outside of their circles of influence. These agents could even find mates for them based on specifications like height and occupation. That was how the business of mail-order was born.

The term “mail order bride, “however, didn’t gain popularity until the internet came and you could “order” brides from halfway across the world. You’re probably already familiar with the way these services work. You simply sign up to an agency, and they pair you with someone that matches your preferences.

legal mail order bride

What about the law?

After the practice became wildly popular, the government had to find a way to regulate the affairs. Two pieces of legislation govern the operations of mail-order services in the U.S. They are:

  1. The International Marriage Broker Regulation Act
  2. The Violence Against Women Act

These laws were set up to protect both immigrant wives and citizens of the United States. The International Marriage Broker Regulation Act or IMBRA imposes two main requirements on U.S. citizens looking to marry and the mail-order agencies.

  • There must be background checks for all beneficiaries of marriage visas
  • There must be background checks for citizens using/looking to use marriage broker services.

The participants of these mail-order marriages are also required to declare their criminal, credit, and financial history. This, of course, helps the bride ensure that her groom is not a criminal and that he is financially able to take care of her. The Violence Against Women Act or VAWA protects the brides by ensuring that they can still obtain a green card in situations of domestic abuse.

Related: How to find Mail Order Bride?

What about the whole process is illegal?

It’s crucial to understand the legal basis of any international activity before embarking on them, so you don’t end up in trouble. Now that you understand that mail order practices are within legal limits, it’s also important to know what’s not.

If you enlist the services of a reputable mail order agency and you follow their instructions, you’ll have no cause for concern. But, any activity that might involve trying to bypass the background checks mandated by the IMBRA or the VVWA will get you into trouble.

The good news is that these background checks aren’t tedious at all, and they can be completed within a few steps. If you’re looking to get a mail order bride, just follow the processes, and you’ll be relaxing on a beach with your new bride in no time at all!

You may also like...