Are Mail Order Spouses Illegal? Everything You Need to Know about Marriage with Foreign Brides

Best Mail Order Bride Sites in 2025

Before we explore the fine print of laws and regulations, let me familiarize you with the top 3 international dating sites with thousands of legal mail order brides.

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Are Mail Order Bride Sites Legal in the US?

Before we dive into the specifics of the mail order bride legality, let’s define the terms. 

Mail order bride sites are not a proper legal term, as such platforms are merely international communication platforms. Their terms and conditions typically do not offer any guarantees of connecting you with compatible partners or future marriage. Instead, they merely offer a platform for you to create a dating profile and connect with other singles for chatting, exchanging media files, and flirting. This allows mail order bride services to avoid liability for failing to deliver on their promises. While that may seem a bit underhanded, it’s also absolutely legal, as long as you agree to the terms and conditions by checking the box when creating an account.

At the same time, reputable representatives of the mail order bride industry follow current international personal data regulations, including GDPR. That, among other things, means that you can usually request website administration to delete your data if you decide to take your international dating to another platform.

Are Mail Order Spouse Illegal in the US?

You can legally marry a mail order bride in the US.

But there are certain stipulations. So what makes mail order brides legal? Here’s a short list of requirements both of you need to fulfill:

• You need to be over the age of consent according to the US regulations and the laws of your bride’s homeland.
• You need to be single and have evidence of the dissolution of any past marriages.
• You should enter a marriage with a sound mind and without outside influence or pressure.

Moreover, mail order brides entering the US should be able to prove the marriage is not a fraudulent way of obtaining a green card. That typically requires proof of your face-to-face meeting within two years, as well as evidence of your planned marriage within 90 of the bride’s entry into the US. You’ll need to supply most of this evidence when filing Form I-129F (Petition for an Alien Fiance) or DS-160 (Non-immigrant Visa Application). 

If the mail order bride legal status isn’t in question anymore, how popular are such marriages in the US? Although there’s hardly any specific research into the mail order marriages in the US, I found some figures that paint a surprising picture:

• Between 100,000 and 150,000¹ Asian, Latin, and Eastern European women advertise themselves as mail order brides every year.
• In 2022, the US government issued 21,351 K-1 fiance visas² to foreign women globally and 3,441 K-2 visas to their children.
• The number of K-type visas dropped dramatically throughout the pandemic, as in 2019, the global number of K visas exceeded 41,000³. For instance, Russian mail order brides received nearly 1,000 K visas in 2019, but only 415 in 2022.
• Between one-half and one-third⁴ of all foreign brides entering the US meet their future husbands through dating sites or international marriage broker services. 

Although mail order marriages are by no means as popular as local matches, there are still thousands of international weddings being held every year through perfectly legal procedures.

International Mail Order Bride Regulations 

With the American stance on mail order brides legality out of the way, let’s take a quick look at their legal status in other countries. 

Canada

Canada does not have specific regulations addressing the mail order bride phenomenon. However, the country recognizes international marriages, registered in Canada or on foreign soil, as long as they meet legal requirements⁵. For example, a foreign bride must be of age in her country and Canada (between 16 and 19 y.o.), she must also be single and not be related to her future husband by consanguinity. 

Like most countries, Canada experienced a significant drop in marriage numbers between 2019 and 2020 because of the pandemic, but the numbers have been steadily climbing since then.

United Kingdom

British citizens can formalize relationships with foreign nationals under the provisions of the Marriage with Foreigners Act 1906⁶ and get married either on UK soil or abroad. If a mail order bride wants to enter the UK to get married, she can apply for a family visa⁷. However, the applicants must meet a range of requirements, proving their knowledge of the English language, the ability to support themselves financially, the prior duration of the relationship of at least two years, as well as their intention to get married within six months of coming to the UK. 

Australia

Like the US, the UK, and Canada, Australia allows marriage between local citizens and foreign nationals as long as both parties follow the general rules⁸. Aside from being single and at least 18 years old, the bride and groom should freely agree to the marriage, use specific words during the ceremony, and get married by an authorized marriage celebrant. 

Mail order brides can apply for a Prospective Marriage visa⁹ (Subclass 300). It will enable them to stay in Australia for 9 to 15 months and allow them to work and study as long as they get married before the visa period ends. 

Where Are Mail Order Brides Illegal?

Most countries recognize international marriages, including mail order bride unions, but there are a few exceptions to these rules, such as:

• The Philippines. The country updated the local Anti-Mail Order Spouse Act in 2019. The Republic Act No10906¹⁰ protects Filipino men and women from falling prey to unscrupulous businesses offering marriage brokering services on a “mail order bride basis”. However, the Act does not prohibit international dating sites as long as they do not specify international marriage as the ultimate goal of matching couples. Considering 4,968 Filipinas¹¹ received K-1 visas in 2022, I’d say they have no trouble working around local regulations. 
• Iran, North Korea, Syria, and other states under sanctions. Although there are no specific regulations preventing you from getting married to women from one of these countries, getting them to come to the US could be problematic. At the same time, many countries, including North Korea and Afghanistan, have severe restrictions when it comes to marriages to foreigners. For instance, in Afghanistan, Muslim women cannot legally marry non-Muslim foreigners¹². 

I suggest you research local regulations regarding marriage in your future bride’s homeland to be sure you can be legally married.

US Regulations Protecting Mail Order Brides

As of 2024, there are two major regulations ensuring the safety of international brides in the US. I won’t go into details, but let me introduce you to their main objectives:

• International Marriage Broker Regulation Act (IMBRA) ensures that services brokering international unions protect women from potential harm and disclose relevant information about men. For instance, women must be made aware of criminal history, including cases of domestic abuse. Moreover, IMBRA prevents US citizens from filing for K-1 visas more than two times in a lifetime. 
• Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is a broad-spectrum regulation that has undergone multiple iterations and updates designed to protect women from domestic violence, human trafficking, and other common offenses. 

Getting familiar with these regulations is important if you plan to bring your future spouse to the US from another country.

Wrapping Up

As long as you don’t treat mail order spouses as merchandise, you can get married and enjoy your happily ever after in the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia. If even the Philippines manage to remain the No. 1 destination for mail order brides, despite the Anti-Mail Order Spouse Act, you should be able to bring your fiance to America without much hassle.

Sources of Information:

1. preventht.org ↩︎
2. travel.state.gov (FY 2022) ↩︎
3. travel.state.gov (FY 2019) ↩︎
4. tahirih.org ↩︎
5. canada.ca ↩︎
6. legislation.gov.uk ↩︎
7. gov.uk ↩︎
8. ag.gov.au ↩︎
9. immi.homeaffairs.gov.au ↩︎
10. issuances-library.senate.gov.ph ↩︎
11. travel.state.gov ↩︎
12. af.usembassy.gov ↩︎

Travis Smith

Editor-in-Chief

Travis Smith is a communication coach specializing in couple therapy. He has a lot of experience working with couples, including couples from different social and cultural environments. Travis believes that, in some cases, it’s even easier for intercultural spouses to find common ground and turn their differences into their main strength.

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