When we hear the expression “mail-order bride,” we usually imagine a woman from a overseas country who presents herself in catalogs seeking a husband. Typically, these women are from nations in Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe and Southern America.
While digital platforms and cross-border agencies have modernized the process, issues remain regarding manipulation and authority imbalances.
Legal Factors
Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, growing numbers of Eastern European women have promoted themselves as mail-order brides through international marriage brokers. This has led to demands for oversight of the field and defense of the liberties of women in such arrangements.
While the notion of a mail-order marriage is often portrayed in a negative light, the truth is far from the dreary stereotype. For many couples, the journey has been life-changing and has bettered the lives of both the women and men involved. However, there are obstacles that must be addressed, including cross-country communication and ethnic differences.
Visa Processes
The visa process for marrying a mail order bride can be challenging. The individuals will need to meet multiple requirements, including meeting financial responsibilities and completing the mandatory visa work and paperwork. Couples will also need to be ready to navigate ethnic differences, long-distance communication and the speech barrier.
Many mail order brides are migrants from countries like Russia, the Ukraine, Belarus and Eastern Europe whose financial systems is lagging than that of the United States. They may be in search of a partner who can supply them with a secure home and a life of possibility.
The validity of the mail order bride industry has been debated due to allegations of human trafficking and exploitation. Despite these accusations, there are instances of women who find union through this method and are satisfied in their matches. In addition, the popularity of shows such as TLC’s 90 Day Fiance may motivate more foreign women to pursue this avenue into the US.
Economic Considerations
Mail-order brides often seek husbands for financial reasons. They are leaving financially unstable families and tenuous countries in pursuit of economic security that supposedly comes with the marriage. Women may bring humble dowries or individual savings, while men handle travel costs. This makes the transaction a form of exploitation, but scholars also recognize that some individuals are looking to to marry for affection rather than financial gains.
The tradition of frontier mail order brude marriages endures in new forms, connecting people across continents via global matchmaking services. While the reasons for these couplings remain similar to those of traditional marriages, remote communication and a global economy have brought many changes. Nevertheless, the idea of acquiring a spouse continues to raise worries about the moral and juridical implications for individuals looking to connect with their prospective mates internationally. Many websites offer transparency regarding costs and provide thorough invoice printouts to assist in financial planning. Moreover, testimonials indicate that when anticipations around cost are defined early on, disputes and disagreements are uncommon.
Legal Challenges
The term “mail-order bride” elicits a picture of an oppressed woman from a far-off land, compelled into a marriage against her desires. While this is often true, there are also many cases of cross-border marriages that are fair and based on mutual admiration, comprehension, and sincere connection.
Nonetheless, the potential for manipulation exists. Some scholars have compared mail-order brides to underage brides, and there is a great deal of research arguing that international marriage brokers sell women for profit, the women do not know their future spouses, or the lived situation they will be engaging with, and there is a large power imbalance (Jackson, 2002; Jones, 2011; Tyldum, 2013).
Some nations have enacted laws against this activity, including the Philippines anti-mail-order-bride law and provisions in the VAWA and IMB Regulation Act. However, it is crucial to remember that the issues are complex and transcend boundaries. This means that meaningful reform needs to go beyond domestic legal efforts to address the trafficking of persons of international brides.