Dangers of Marrying a Foreigner

March 7, 2024

8 min read

Every citizen of the United States can marry a foreign partner. Nevertheless, more potential grooms ponder the question of what happens when an American marries a foreigner and how to protect themselves in order not to become a victim of a scammer. That being said, there are a few things to consider. If you want to help your partner get a green card, you will need to be aware of the most recent immigration laws in the United States. Being a part of or a victim of a fraudulent marriage is the last thing you want to happen to you. Consider the safety measures you can take when getting married to a foreigner. Check out the dangers of marrying a foreigner and get legal guidance with immigration cases.

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What Happens When an American Marries a Foreigner?

If you marry someone from another country and take your spouse to the USA, it doesn’t mean they become United States citizens immediately. Obtaining a permanent residence is a time-consuming process that consists of several stages. Here is what an international couple should do to make the immigration process smooth and hassle-free.

Start the Green Card application process. The US should submit a visa petition on Form I-130 to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). It is necessary to complement the form with proof that the marriage is legally valid. Also, you are required to provide evidence that you didn’t marry a foreigner for money or vice versa.
Get the adjustment status. Once your spouse gets adjustment status, they become a temporary US visa holder. In this case, your foreign partners must already have an approved visa petition on file. One of the requirements for getting the adjustment status is to attend the interview at the USCIS office.
Apply for citizenship three years after obtaining a green card. The strongest advantage of international marriage is that your foreign spouse can get citizenship three years after obtaining a green card. Nevertheless, it is necessary to meet such requirements as having fluent English-speaking skills, staying in the US for 3 years without leaving the country for more than 120 days, and passing a US civics test.

What Are the Consequences of Marrying a Foreigner?

If you want to discover how to protect yourself when marrying a foreigner, you will need to consider the possible consequences of intermarriage. Suffice it to say, that they can be both positive and negative, so let’s take a deeper look into the matter.

Positive Consequences

The positive aftermath of marrying someone from another country outweighs the negative one. Once you find your soulmate overseas and get married, you can enjoy the following consequences.

You will open up new horizons in relationships by learning a new culture, language, and foreign traditions.
Based on the research, intermarriage promotes a higher level of economic success in the family, which results in self-growth and better family well-being.
You can create a unique family subsystem based on the gender role expectations and relationship traditions of both partners.

Negative Consequences

Unfortunately, marriage scams target some citizens of the United States. Even though it seems like you have fallen in love, you should find out if your fiancé feels the same way. According to the Center for Immigration Studies, one of the biggest disadvantages of marrying a foreigner is becoming the target of romance scams. A few red flags you should take into account are wanting to get married as soon as possible, concentrating on getting permanent residency in the US, and asking for financial assistance.

Remember that when you sign all the documents and get married, you are responsible for your spouse in your country. To avoid legal issues, you also need to make sure that both partners entered the marriage for an obvious reason. That is, your primary purpose should be to start a family and have a life together without obtaining an immigration benefit. Marriages entered into with the express intent of obtaining a green card are deemed fraudulent and are punishable by law at the federal level. Sometimes, the penalty for illegal intermarriages is up to 5 years in prison and $250,000 in compensation to the government.

How to Protect Yourself When Marrying a Foreigner?

What will happen if I marry someone from another country? Is it possible to protect a US citizen from possible scams? We’ve compiled the best tips on how to preserve privacy and security while marrying an immigrant, so you will certainly find something useful for you.

Apply for a K-1 Visa

If you are going to marry a foreign lady, you will need to assist her in obtaining a fiance visa. You will have 90 days to get married after your spouse enters the US. Also, it is necessary to provide an adjustment status for your wife to avoid problems with local authorities. Even though this method of marrying foreign woman requires time and money, it is the only legal way to bring your significant other to the US.

Avoid Attempting Visa Fraud

Don’t even try to get married if your spouse has only a tourist visa. It may be a pretext for deportation. If you want to make everything legal and not violate the law, it is better if your spouse leaves the country, gets a fiancé visa, and then enters the US as your future wife.

Understand International Marriage Laws

If you want to get engaged in intermarriage, you will need to follow a particular set of laws and rules set by your government. Learn about the property rights, constraints regarding inheritance, and divorce procedures that come with marrying a foreign wife. In case you feel like you lack knowledge about international marriage, you can always approach a specialist to streamline the immigration process for your wife.

Protect Your Finances

It is especially important if you marry a foreign partner. To safeguard your assets, investments, and other valuable things, think about your financial protection. The ownership and distribution of property laws and regulations vary among countries and even states. Consult your local attorney to come up with the most optimal ways to protect your money and property.

Also, it is advisable to manage joint finances. Both partners should make their financial relationships work. It is necessary to set financial objectives and consider the family budget with special caution. The best advice here is to create a joint bank account and a separate one. Nevertheless, it is necessary to discuss this aspect with your spouse to avoid any misunderstandings.

Consider Taxes

The tax implications of international marriages can be one of the most important factors to take into account. To boost tax benefits and minimize questionable situations, it is critical to understand the tax laws of both your home country and your spouse’s country. You can ensure you meet your tax obligations and understand how to cope with complex situations by consulting a tax expert who specializes in foreign taxation and marriage laws. You can also conduct your own research. However, you should make sure that you take a deep dive into the matter and perform all the procedures properly.

Are Mail Order Brides Legal?

The United States has established various laws and regulations about mail order bride services, primarily for safety and legality. These regulations aid in industry governance, safeguard the interests of all parties, and decrease the possibility of fraud and scams.

First off, it is necessary to say that all mail order brides and foreign spouses are protected by the International Marriage Broker Regulation Act (IMBRA). It was created to regulate problems connected with domestic violence and abuse against women from abroad. This act guarantees that all mail order bride services adhere to established regulations, as do the male members who use them.
Another act that proves that mail order brides are legal is VAWA, the Violence Against Women Act. Once you take a peek at this document, you will find out that there is nothing illegal in connecting women through dedicated websites, creating romance, and getting married. Moreover, this act states that mail order bride services have nothing in common with human trafficking.

People often confuse the concept of buying a mail order bride. They often consider it illegal or, at least, unethical. Nevertheless, it has an absolutely opposite meaning. The main purpose of this concept is to encourage a man to register with a mail order bride service. Buying a foreign bride means paying for the site’s messaging tools.

Ladies willfully create their accounts on such platforms, upload their photos and videos, and communicate with men. On top of that, such dedicated services are considered the most effective and safest way to find a partner from abroad. If you want to learn more about mail order brides legality, check out this article written by our experts.

Misael Gaylord

Misael Gaylord belongs to the most popular authors on mail-bride.org who shares his own experience and knowledge. Years of work in marriage agencies make him an experienced and self-motivated writer who creates great content for us.