In 2021, the US government issued 21,919 K visas to foreign fiances of American singles despite the ongoing pandemic. The number is expected to rise to the pre-pandemic level of over 40,000 K visas per year. Here we explore the complexity of the mail order bride industry and the best sites, apps, and platforms to meet a foreign woman for a serious long-term relationship or marriage.
Before start reading, check out the best mail order bride & dating sites:
| Rank | Site | Free Trial Link | |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | JollyRomance | ||
| #2 | LaDate | ||
| #3 | EasternHoneys | ||
| #4 | TheLuckyDate CIS | ||
| #5 | UkraineBride4you |
Mail order brides: Who are these women?
Mail order bride is a woman seeking to meet a man abroad for a serious long-term relationship and marriage. Historically, mail order brides came from third-world countries ravaged by wars and disasters, seeking better lives with American men. However, as life quality rose across the globe, modern-day mail order brides are less concerned with financial security and more interested in breaking free of national gender roles and stereotypes.
A typical mail order bride is:
These traits are accurate for 50% to 70% of mail order brides, though there are always exceptions, including divorced women over 30 with one or more children.
Best countries for mail order brides
Personal preferences account for the surges in popularity of mail order brides from certain countries over others. Currently, the most popular destinations are spread across Latin America, Asia, and Eastern Europe. We researched demographic statistics to better understand what to expect when seeking women from popular destinations.
| Country | K-1 visas issued in 2021 [1, 2] | Average age at first marriage [3] | Average number of children [4] | Age gap at marriage with an American man [5, 6] |
| Ukraine | 775 | 23.0 | 1.25 | 3.8 |
| Philippines | 1,564 | 23.4 | 2.75 | 5.4 |
| Mexico | 1,643 | 27.5 | 1.82 | 3.2 |
| Poland | 78 | 27.3 | 1.46 | 3.8 |
| Japan | 430 | 29.4 | 1.3 | 1.9 |
| Brazil | 421 | 23.9 | 1.64 | 3.7 |
How to get a mail order bride?
Every international marriage has a unique origin story, but 80% of Americans meet foreign brides online and follow six basic steps.
Most mail order brides sites are dedicated to a specific destination and do not accept female users from other locations. It makes finding a perfect partner easier by pre-screening the ladies, but you must have a good idea of who you’re looking for before signing up for a dating site.
To make the initial choice, we suggest researching what women are like in different countries beyond their appearance. Although every lady is unique, you can expect certain national traits, such as a fiery temper or tight family bonds.
To find a safe and trustworthy platform among dozens of dating sites, we recommend researching the following:
- Website’s history and reputation
- Detailed platform analyses and reviews by experts
- Comments about the dating site on Quora or Reddit
- Terms of use, especially the section about payments
- Customer support experience via phone and live chat
Initial research may take a few days or weeks, but it’s the only way to ensure a safe and comfortable online dating experience. Besides, you won’t have to worry about it again once you choose the perfect dating site.
We’ve learned that most mail order bride sites offer free registration and basic features, including editing your profile, browsing female profiles, and using advanced search filters. Some provide welcome bonuses to let you test premium features before you purchase credits or subscriptions.
Crafting an appealing but honest profile is the key to finding your perfect match. Pick a few nice professional portraits and candid photos and fill in relationship goals and lifestyle preferences without sharing sensitive data. All this information will help proactive ladies find your profile.
Find suitable partners and start a conversation using search filters or the matching feature. You’ll need a premium account to continue talking when your welcome bonus runs out. Credits give you precise control over your spending, while monthly subscriptions include unlimited messaging.
Most mail order bride sites offer multiple communication options, such as live chat, messages, video and photo exchange, or video chat. We recommend a combination of several communication means for best results, as text messages may be cheap but impersonal, while video chat is rather expensive.
With so many gorgeous women vying for your attention, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and stretch yourself too thin. We recommend limiting the number of ladies you talk to simultaneously. Ideally, you should settle on two or three and choose your perfect match among them.
After a few months of a long-distance relationship, an in-person meeting is the next logical step. A two-week trip to her home country is standard, providing enough time to get to know each other better and decide where you want to go.
Once you’re sure you’ve found your match, travel and wedding arrangements must be made. Your mail order bride will need to apply for a K-1 fiance visa, file multiple forms, and undergo a medical examination to get to the US. From there, you’ll have 90 days to get married. Otherwise, she’ll be deported.
If you’re unsure if you can help your mail order handle the visa application process, hiring a legal consultant may be a good idea, though it will increase your expenses.
Conclusion
Thousands of Americans marry mail order brides every year. And while international dating sites make it easy to find love across the globe, you must choose the right country and platform and build a long-distance relationship before discussing marriage and planning a wedding.
