Pros and Cons of Marrying Someone from Another Country

October 15, 2024

14 min read

The general pros and cons of marrying someone from another country are so versatile that we decided to touch upon some of them today.

Many people face the problem of not feeling connected and comfortable with their surroundings, especially when it comes to finding a soulmate. They may want to have a romantic partner with whom they can share their worldview, but the local dating pool is full of depressed faces who have no interests.

It’s a time when marrying someone from a different country seems not only bad but “life-saving.” It brings excitement and hope yet follows a series of obstacles and sometimes danger. This guide will provide the pros and cons of marrying someone from another country to help you make a better decision. Additionally, you will learn the virtual and conventional methods of foreign dating. So, let’s read it!

What are the pros of marrying a foreigner?

Of course, marrying someone from another country has a lot of positive sides, which can change your worldview and life for the better.

✅ A new surrounding like an ability to start anew

The biggest advantage of partnering with a foreigner is that moving to their country or any other country, in general, simply gives you more chances of becoming the person you really want to be. Usually, when we have friends or people of the same mentality and background around us, it’s hard to be a better version of yourself because everything will trigger you. In a totally new place and society, it’s easier to find the space for “sculpting your soul.”

✅ Always something to discuss with your partner

Numerous (almost endless) cultural nuances to learn from each other every day, different languages between you and your partner—so many topics will be here to discuss and things to compare that you and your soulmate will never feel bored!

Engaging conversations are the core of healthy, sustainable relationships, not only among friends but romantic partners. Plus, learning more facts and interests connected to your partner leads to enhanced passionate feelings.

✅ Traveling is a little nice perk

It’s obvious that when you decide to partner with an overseas person, you will often travel from your home country to their homeland. Moreover, in such romantic unions, traveling around the world is a common practice because “internationals need international.”

Discovering new lands is not only compelling but human-filling. Your new experiences make you a tad new person – fulfilled with fresh moments and perhaps even changed views on certain things.

✅ Discovering a new culture

With traveling comes another perk—immersing into a new culture. If you are a person who likes discovering the traditions of other nations, you will be able to make your little dream of becoming like Fernão de Magalhães in the Age of Exploration come true.

A new culture also allows you to look at things from a different angle. This happens to all the people who easily absorb new information, digest it, and then integrate some perspectives into their lives.

✅ A way to look at your own culture and country from another angle

Oftentimes, when people decide to date and marry someone from another country, they organize so-called tours for their loved ones to show where they come from. Showing your partner marvelous landscapes and sightseeing places and inviting them to join local fests or friends/family gatherings can be an eye-opening experience not only for them but for you as well. Maybe you will begin noticing things in people and your surroundings you have never seen before, which will shape your worldview.

✅ Mmm, tasty!

Trying new food and discovering new tastes is, although not the most important, yet a pretty nice advantage of marrying a foreigner. Also, some delicacies you like may be hard to find in your country, but in the homeland of your boyfriend/girlfriend, it can be a “routine” dish.

New food gives you a boost of energy and impressions. Dazzling desserts, spicy meals, and luxurious snacks give you a sense of excitement from this simple process – eating.

✅ The network is expanding, bringing new opportunities

When moving to another country, you discover new career opportunities, especially when your new home is more developed than your homeland. For example, your skills can be more demanding in a foreign country than at home, which will provide you with more space for professional and personal development.

✅ A culturally rich family

Although the traditions of the country you and your partner are going to live in will be dominant, still, the practice shows that in mixed marriages, couples follow the customs of both sides. Getting along with relatives is challenging, yes, but rewarding as well. You become a part of another family whose traditions and customs may mesmerize you so badly that you’d like to implement them into your existence.

✅ Mixed heritage children

Your children will have an excellent opportunity to grow in a diverse society and have a progressive mind because they absorb the way of living of two countries/cultures. Also, such children often grow up bilingual, which will be beneficial for them in the future. Bilingualism of your children is also another step to more diverse professional opportunities as well as broadened traveling horizons.

✅ Stepping out of the comfort zone

To progress in life, we need to get out of our comfort zone, and a marriage with a foreign person can help with it. For example, you may be afraid of meeting new people, but the foreign dating path will all be about it and make you a more social-awkwardness resilient person. Stepping out of your comfort zone might be intimidating but once you trespass on the area, you’ll understand that you love these new feelings, you love turning into a new person.

What are the cons of marrying a foreigner?

Sometimes the difficulties and dangers of marrying a foreigner are not very obvious, and without knowing the potential risks such a union might lead to, you can get in trouble.

❌ Cultural barrier. Although it’s an enriching experience to be in a relationship with a person of another culture, some of the foreign customs might not be to your liking. For example, Western men marrying Eastern European women don’t understand the custom of taking off shoes in the house (and women get angry when you don’t do it 😏). Yet, you can break these cultural differences by simply discussing them beforehand.
❌ Language barrier. Surely, people trying international dating know English or other popular languages, which can make communication with foreigners easier. However, sometimes it’s hard to express certain feelings in a foreign language (especially when it’s a difficult language like Chinese), and your partner won’t understand your mother tongue. It’s never too late to learn each other’s language. Plus, doing it together might be so compelling.
❌ Distance. Usually, before marrying a foreign partner, you go through long-distance relationships. Some people are perfectly fine with it, but even they can feel lonely without their favorite person being with them physically. There are lots of contemporary technological ways to keep up with your cyber sparks. Laptops and other devices are packed with all the talking tools you can use for your online dates.
❌ Homesickness. A lot of people who married an international partner and stayed in their country report about the little “abyss of sadness” that appears in their hearts after they leave home. If you are not ready to not see your parents and friends for a long time, international dating is not for you. You can also take advantage of technology and reach out to your folks via video calls. Moreover, as you settle down, you can travel home for a visit.
❌ Missing home events. Also, when staying in a foreign land, you may not be financially able to visit all the occasions at your home. Christmas, birthdays—often, you will “celebrate” these events via FaceTime only. Yet, you will get used to FaceTime celebrations. As long as you stay with your loved one in another country it won’t feel like a challenge to be apart from your family.
❌ Cost. Sometimes, international couples decide to move to a totally different country together, which can cost a lot. In addition, when you decide to marry and go through the visa process, you will have to invest more than $2,000. This process is also time-consuming.
Among other disadvantages of marrying a foreigner, this is the easiest one since your foreign partner can help you financially. In many cases, this is how it goes.
❌ No acceptance. Sometimes, parents of international spouses may not like their dating choice, which can create tension in the family and even lead to serious arguments. Moreover, even if your relatives support you, the society you live in may not approve it based on stereotypes about the origin of your spouse. Despite the lack of affection towards you, your spouse is the one who decides on his feelings. If he’s an independent, loving partner, he’ll prioritize you over his folks.
❌ No career opportunities. In some cases, living with a foreign spouse in their country can bring new career opportunities. However, it can also take away all possibilities to find a job, especially for women. For example, some countries provide decent assistance for women on maternal leave, while others don’t support mothers at all, which can cause women either to lose their jobs and have a hard time coming back to work or not having children at all, which can create tension with family members. Actually, once you learn a new language and study for some time, you can evolve professionally. It takes time and money, but it’s possible.
❌ Dual identity conflict. When you marry a person of another culture, you try to adjust to their customs. But you can’t just erase the traditions of your homeland from your memory, right? That’s why you try to combine both, and it creates inner pressure and the feeling you no longer belong anywhere. It’s all right to feel this way. Yet, both of you are adults who can talk and share their views peacefully. As long as you are attentive, respectful, and patient toward each other, you can solve many problems.
❌ The last but one of the most important disadvantages of marrying someone from a different culture—you may not know what hides under the surface until it’s too late. Long-distance relationships are dangerous because you can’t “study” your person enough to see if they are really safe for you. You meet several times and decide to marry, but when you marry, everything changes. That’s why you should be careful who you choose to marry as a foreigner. To break the scares, just go on the actual date with a person before marrying them. Enjoy a few dates and only then make up your decision on jazzing up further.

Where to find a wife from another country?

Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of marrying a foreigner is not enough if you really want to meet an overseas love because you should know WHERE to look for them. The dating pool exists in two forms—online and offline.

Online dating

To find and marry someone from another country, you can use online methods, too. The most popular is social media, which is pretty simple in usage, doesn’t require any payments, but provides no effective tools for a girl’s search, and online dating sites—a paid option that can offer the profiles of girls who only seek dating, professional search engine, and variety of interaction perks. We checked the potential websites and defined 10 most reliable services for finding an overseas soulmate:

10.0

Offline dating

Conventional out-of-the-site dating usually means traveling to the desired country and encountering a girl there. The most popular places for encountering a pretty foreign girl for your taste are:

Bars
Restaurants
Parks
Local festivals and social gatherings

If you don’t have much money for trips, you can participate in projects that can cover your stay in the country, for example, a cultural exchange, courses, volunteering, etc.

Offline dating does require more money and time on the actual trip. Beware that many girls may not like to be approached by males in public places. It’s essential to be careful and not to scare a woman off.

To impress a woman offline, ask her whether she has some time and desire to get acquainted with someone new. If she refuses, don’t impose and search for someone else. You have to respect people’s boundaries.

Real-Life Experience

Walter Tevis

What was the biggest challenge for your wife upon relocating to the States?

Ricky and Tetiana

Ricky: The biggest challenge we faced was my spouse’s homesickness. It was rough, she cried a lot and missed her sister from Ukraine. Yet, after six months Tetiana took up courses, started attending dancing classes, and found her new passion – painting. The situation got even better when we asked her family to us for a visit and agreed to make it an annual tradition.

Walter Tevis

Was it challenging for you to sustain long-distance relationships?

Bryan and Mia

It was hard for us to keep up this long-distance relationship. We knew it would be difficult but not as much. Yet, we agreed that after a year we would relocate to the States, and grasping this idea helped us relive this year peacefully, with no worries. We’re now traveling around the States and never thought nature could be so captivating.

Walter Tevis

Did you have any issues with language barriers with Sofia?

Adam and Sofia

Adam: Sofia knew English very badly and that was a slight problem when she crossed Canada. She couldn’t chat with my parents and friends. It wasn’t a big problem though. She took the language classes and not her intermediate level amazes my folks and buddies. Moreover, now with this knowledge Sofia found a new job which changed her attitude to routine, becoming a great financial benefit as well.

Walter Tevis

Could you highlight bonuses of moving to States, Lola?

Lola and Tom

Lola: The biggest bonus for me to relocate to Tom was getting a higher education in Washington. Tom helped me out financially. I knew English at the advanced level but couldn’t afford to study in the States – too expensive. I’m so grateful I have such a generous spouse.

Walter Tevis

So, you’re saying you had parents issues?

Anastasia and Lukas

Lukas: Kinda, I love Anastasia but my parents were a bit sketchy about her at first. My wife benefits from life here but it bummed her that my parents disapproved of her a bit. We solved this problem one evening – at the family table gathering. The problem was solved instantly when my folks got to know her better and dispelled a huge myth about my wife – she was no longer an enigma to them.

Tips for Cultural Understanding

Marrying someone from a different country involves the process of cultural assimilation. There are three basic things you could do at the beginning to ease this process:

For starters, you should be occupied with activities you did in your homeland. They can help you feel at home in another place. For example, if you enjoyed yoga sessions in your land, you can sign up for live classes abroad.

Secondly, try to find new acquaintances/ friends via different offline courses, sessions, or language classes. A good idea is to start with befriending your spouse’s pals – these people know him well and have already proven to be decent individuals. Either way, your spouse would not be friends with them, right? Another awesome tip is to visit public events, like stand-up comedies, where people gather and take a shine at each other. It’s easier to introduce to others in this light atmosphere.

New friends are highly helpful in assimilation – you no longer feel alone abroad.

Thirdly, don’t get critical of people’s cultural views and ideas – it should not be your first reaction. Turn criticism into interest – treat your new adventures as a tourist or scientist who is ready to discover, listen, and even change something about their beliefs.

FAQ

Is that true that interracial marriages fail more often than marriages within one race?

Unfortunately, mixed marriages have a higher tendency to divorce—the Pew Research Center says that the number of failed mixed marriages is 41% compared to 31% among couples of the same race. To prevent divorce, understanding and compromise should be your priority.

What groups of people are more likely to enter international marriages?

Usually, international marriages happen between Western men in their 30s-40s and women from less developed countries in their 20s. However, because of globalization, such marriage decisions are becoming more popular among young people of both sexes.

Are international marriages even legal?

No country bans international or interracial marriages. However, there may be prejudices toward such unions in specific societies, which may include racist implications, for example.

Are International Brides Legal?

Yes, international brides are legal. Essentially, you should look for them on the liable platforms and apply for the legal documents if you decide to marry one of them. Only in this way, you will attain a legal bride.

How Can I Legally Marry a Foreigner?

In order to legally marry a foreigner, you will have to consent you both want to marry each other. Your next step is to apply for the K-1 visa – a spousal visa helping you legally marry in the United States with a foreign partner.

Walter Tevis

Dating Expert

Walter Tevis is one of the most experienced writers at mail-bride.org and boasts an impressive number of books and articles that made it to rankings in such magazines as The New York Times and The Financial Times. How writing is of remarkable quality, and Walter always strives to deliver researched-based articles to our readers.