International Marriage Broker question

[BJZags 17]

The bulk of the new law, is to put an added burden on the "IMB" to provide background info on a potential eMail mate. Once this info is passed along, I think the "threat" or stigma of the IMB is largely expired. But only time will tell as us post IMBRA folks make it to the interview.

[Mew 0]

I met my future spouse on www.amigos.com. Is this considered a marriage broker? What does it mean if I answer ‘yes’ to this question?

If you paid $$ for her contact information (address, email, telephone#, etc), then AMIGOS is a "marriage broker" under IMBRA laws.

Answer "YES", give their address, telephone#, sign and date the form and return your RFE.

Not necessarily, Joey. Check the exceptions provided in the law.

[bowhunter 0]

I met my future spouse on www.amigos.com. Is this considered a marriage broker? What does it mean if I answer ‘yes’ to this question?

I took a little bit different tac, and included the following attachment to my IMBRA RFE. So I'm not sure I answered yes or no, but no further questions were asked, and we were approved.

############################################

United States Department of Homeland Security

U. S. citizenship and Immigration Services

Supplemental Questions to I-129F

Response to Question #1

Q. Did you meet your fiance or spouse through the services of an international marriage broker?

A. Evelyn and I met online through the services of WXY&Z. WXY&Z provided a place where we could post our respective profiles, and send introductory emails to one another. After reading Evelyn's profile, I contacted her via email (not her personal email, but through the email provided by WXY&Z) and, after she read my profile as well, we began corresponding. Neither WXY&Z, nor anyone else, introduced us or matched us in any way. WXY&Z simply provided the means for us to make the initial contact.

The following are the mailing addresses for WXY&Z.

Yada-Yada-Yada . . . .

Please let me know if you require any additional information.

Sincerely,

[CKS 0]

I answered no and followed your tac as well. I guess it places the burden on USCIS this way. I think as long as you are truthful about your answer and you state that you are answering to the best of your ability it will be fine.

[MaeandDavid 0]

My fiancee and I met thru Cherry Blossoms. He paid $25 every month as a member so he could correspond with me. I didn't pay anything though. Do you think CB is an IMB? When my fiancee asked them about this matter, a personnel from CB denied being an IMB and advised us to say "NO" on that particular question. What do you think guys? We don't give a $3@% if we have to say "YES" because there's nothing to be scared of it. But do you think problems will arise if we will follow their advise? Enlighten me please!

[CKS 0]

My fiancee and I met thru Cherry Blossoms. He paid $25 every month as a member so he could correspond with me. I didn't pay anything though. Do you think CB is an IMB? When my fiancee asked them about this matter, a personnel from CB denied being an IMB and advised us to say "NO" on that particular question. What do you think guys? We don't give a $3@% if we have to say "YES" because there's nothing to be scared of it. But do you think problems will arise if we will follow their advise? Enlighten me please!

That is the million dollar question. No one really knows. The topic has been beaten to death and you will find different answers to your question. While CB may say they are not a marriage broker, it is still up to USCIS to determine that. To date, there has been one person who replied yes to this question and got approved at the embassy that I know of and and were not even questioned. You could just answer no to the question and attach a letter stating why you dont think it is a marriage broker using the response from CB as the basis for your answer. That way you are being truthful about your answer and are leaving it to USCIS to determine otherwise. I think from the numerous approvals coming from USCIS it seems pretty clear to me that answering yes to this question is not a basis for denying a petition.