IMBRA Act

[Libertarian 0]

I met my fiance online (who hasn't?) through a russian online dating service. According to the IMBRA Act I would have disclose that I met her through a marraige broker. I assume there would be great scrutiny through the K1 process for this. Where in the process should we concern ourselves with this and what type of paperwork do we need to prove that we are not going to beat up our spouse when they get to American soil?

[Old Dominion 26]

a dating website is not a marriage broker. did the service "arrange" the marriage for you, or simply provide the opportunity for you to meet women online.

[Libertarian 0]

a dating website is not a marriage broker. did the service "arrange" the marriage for you, or simply provide the opportunity for you to meet women online.

That's what I thought too and I'm on your side. I think it absolutely stupid to say a dating site is a marriage broker but according to the question 19 of the I-129F form you have to answer YES if you met her at a dating site.

I've already saw a few things on the internet and here at VJ and "yes" a dating site is a marriage broker:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;#entry644163

So I'm not really interested in arguing if a dating site is a marriage broker or not. I already have that information. Just want to hear others experience about being scrutinized in regards to the IMBRA Act.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

The definition of an International Marriage Broker, under the Act, is:

(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘international marriage broker’’ means a corporation, partnership, business, individual, or other legal entity, whether or not organized under any law of the United States, that charges fees for providing dating, matrimonial, matchmaking services, or social referrals between United States citizens or nationals or aliens lawfully admitted to the United States as permanent residents and foreign national clients by providing personal contact information or otherwise facilitating communication between individuals.

(B) EXCEPTIONS.—Such term does not include—

(i) a traditional matchmaking organization of a cultural or religious nature that operates on a nonprofit basis and otherwise operates in compliance with the laws of the countries in which it operates, including the laws of the United States; or

(ii) an entity that provides dating services if its principal business is not to provide international dating services between United States citizens or United States residents and foreign nationals and it charges comparable rates and offers comparable services to all individuals it serves regardless of the individual’s gender or country of citizenship.

The term "marriage broker" is merely a classification for the purpose of the law. It doesn't necessarily mean the agency engages in brokering marriages, though dating is presumably a prelude to marriage. An online dating service COULD be classified as an IMB under the act, but most are not. Most online dating services don't specifically focus on hooking up US citizens or residents with foreigners, or charge significantly different rates for US citizens and residents than they do for people from other countries.

Unless the dating service you used falls under the description above, you don't have to declare it on the I-129F. If it DOES qualify as an IMB, then USCIS and the consulate are going to want to know if the IMB complied with the disclosure laws required by the act. In other words, did they ask you about your criminal history etc., and did they disclose this to your fiancee before providing her with your contact information?

[Libertarian 0]

The definition of an International Marriage Broker, under the Act, is:

(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘international marriage broker’’ means a corporation, partnership, business, individual, or other legal entity, whether or not organized under any law of the United States, that charges fees for providing dating, matrimonial, matchmaking services, or social referrals between United States citizens or nationals or aliens lawfully admitted to the United States as permanent residents and foreign national clients by providing personal contact information or otherwise facilitating communication between individuals.

(B) EXCEPTIONS.—Such term does not include—

(i) a traditional matchmaking organization of a cultural or religious nature that operates on a nonprofit basis and otherwise operates in compliance with the laws of the countries in which it operates, including the laws of the United States; or

(ii) an entity that provides dating services if its principal business is not to provide international dating services between United States citizens or United States residents and foreign nationals and it charges comparable rates and offers comparable services to all individuals it serves regardless of the individual’s gender or country of citizenship.

The term "marriage broker" is merely a classification for the purpose of the law. It doesn't necessarily mean the agency engages in brokering marriages, though dating is presumably a prelude to marriage. An online dating service COULD be classified as an IMB under the act, but most are not. Most online dating services don't specifically focus on hooking up US citizens or residents with foreigners, or charge significantly different rates for US citizens and residents than they do for people from other countries.

Unless the dating service you used falls under the description above, you don't have to declare it on the I-129F. If it DOES qualify as an IMB, then USCIS and the consulate are going to want to know if the IMB complied with the disclosure laws required by the act. In other words, did they ask you about your criminal history etc., and did they disclose this to your fiancee before providing her with your contact information?

Thank you again. I am very aware of this. And again, like I stated in the last thread, I am not interested in the definition of IMBRA nor I am interested in having a debate about this. I already invested a lot of time in this type of discussion of "what IMBRA is". Just want to hear others experience about being scrutinized in regards to the IMBRA Act.

[Kimo 0]

That's what I thought too and I'm on your side. I think it absolutely stupid to say a dating site is a marriage broker but according to the question 19 of the I-129F form you have to answer YES if you met her at a dating site.

I've already saw a few things on the internet and here at VJ and "yes" a dating site is a marriage broker:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;#entry644163

So I'm not really interested in arguing if a dating site is a marriage broker or not. I already have that information. Just want to hear others experience about being scrutinized in regards to the IMBRA Act.

Well, I just sent an I-129F to CSC on yesterday (10 Feb) and I answered "no" to the marriage broker question. After reading many of the IMBRA threads (after I sent the petition), I suppose that I'm at risk of an RFE since I met my Russian fiancee on what I consider to be a social web site. I stated that on the form and also stated that the site on which we met compares to match.com. I'll let you know what happens.

[Audy_Rob 26]

Thank you again. I am very aware of this. And again, like I stated in the last thread, I am not interested in the definition of IMBRA nor I am interested in having a debate about this. I already invested a lot of time in this type of discussion of "what IMBRA is". Just want to hear others experience about being scrutinized in regards to the IMBRA Act.

I am confused Libertarian. If you have done so much studying and reading about it on this site, why don't you post it in the forum on IMBRA issues. I am providing the proper forum link below.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showforum=126

Nobody in the filing K-1 forum is going to have had responses to the IMBRA scrutiny unless old timers that have gone through IMBRA scrutiny come back to look here.

[Audy_Rob 26]

Look for the few threads which are under IMBRA such as this one:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=230668

They seem to indicate as one would expect that 50% of the people with criminal records are held up with some delays at NVC.

[Krikit 1,165]

Moving from K-1 Process to IMBRA.

[Matt & Bing 56]

Well, I just sent an I-129F to CSC on yesterday (10 Feb) and I answered "no" to the marriage broker question. After reading many of the IMBRA threads (after I sent the petition), I suppose that I'm at risk of an RFE since I met my Russian fiancee on what I consider to be a social web site. I stated that on the form and also stated that the site on which we met compares to match.com. I'll let you know what happens.

If you did not meet via a marriage broker then there is no need to explain at all how you initially met. The question asks the circumstances of how you met in person within the last 2 years.

I met my wife online but only explained in the petition the circumstances of my initial trip to the Phippines to meet her and her family. I think the CO asked during the interview how we met and we mentioned the online site and it was of no consequesce at all.

Edited February 12, 2010 by Matt & Bing

[Kimo 0]

If you did not meet via a marriage broker then there is no need to explain at all how you initially met. The question asks the circumstances of how you met in person within the last 2 years.

I met my wife online but only explained in the petition the circumstances of my initial trip to the Phippines to meet her and her family. I think the CO asked during the interview how we met and we mentioned the online site and it was of no consequesce at all.

You're absolutely right. I didn't take the time read the question carefully. I may have shot myself in the foot with my answer, but since I've never been arrested and have no criminal record, it'll come out ok in the end. Thanks for pointing that out - I've read so many differing opinions. And, no problem with the meeting - we've had 2 so far; 1 in Kiev and 1 in Prague. We'll be meeting for the 3rd time in Thailand next week.

[Old Dominion 26]

The online dating site did not provide me with any personal contact information -- it was up to her to respond if she wanted to. Therefore I didn't need to disclose anything about how we met. If you paid that Russian dating site a fee in order to obtain personal contact information for her (her e-mail address, phone number, etc.) then it must be disclosed.