by Bob
(Colorado Springs, CO)
I’ve just researched the marriage brokers act of 2005. In it, it appears the woman from a foreign country must sign off on every single male that inquires to obtain her contact information in writing before their contact information is given out. In other parts of the world they post their information freely and make their own decisions who to reply to.
If a lady has to come in and sign a document for each American male that inquires about her, it would seem that there is a huge disadvantage for being American. I could quickly see this as a reason men from America may not get replies — she doesn’t want to drive down and fill out a form each time.
Do I have this incorrect?
Would it be better to not follow the Marriage Brokers Act and just say we met in a cafe while I was in vacation?
I’m not trying to be deceitful, but why not just register with the sites as “Australian” and then all addresses / phone numbers / emails are freely available.
I went through this process in 2002 and it was quite simple… I just spend a month or two reviewing profiles, picked several that I liked and wrote letters.
Now, on the K1 it asks “did you meet on a web site and if so provide the form where the marriage company received her explicit release of your information.”
Thanks
Tom’s Answer:
We call it “IMBRA” for short.
First, I’m almost certain that the process you describe is not quite right. The woman can acknowledge the receipt of a man’s “IMBRA Disclosure” electronically, not necessarily by driving to an office to sign a paper form. So when you send a message to a girl, she is most likely prompted to view your disclosure online and then check a box saying that she authorizes the release of her information.
That being the case you’re probably not as handicapped as you might have thought assuming none of your IMBRA answers are bad (“Have you ever been charged with domestic violence?”, “Has a restraining order ever been filed against you?”, etc.)
As for the K1 asking “did you meet on a web site and if so provide the form where the marriage company received her explicit release of your information”, I don’t think that’s completely right either.
I filed for a fiancee visa (K1) in 2011 after meeting on Russian Cupid, which at the time was not even IMBRA-compliant (I’m not sure if it is now, but it wasn’t then).
My memory may not be 100% on this, but I think it did ask if we met at a “marriage broker”. I clicked “No” but provided explanation that we met on a website. My fiancee/wife/ex said that they asked during her interview how we met. When she mentioned the website they just gave her a brochure (something informing her of her rights). There definitely was no request for either of us to produce an IMBRA release form or anything like that.
Of course that was 2011, so things could have changed.
Personally I would be very careful about lying about how you met. If you make up a story about meeting in a cafe, then later during her visa interview or the interview of both of you later for the “Adjustment of Status” one of you trip up on the details of your story it could be really bad.