Marriage Broker Question

[Mike Bowman 8]

So my girl calls me up about 3am NY time and is completely worried about us having met through a marriage broker...ie. Anastasia.com. She is reading stories on Ukraine and Russian forums where most girls are getting denied Visas due to being found on one of these sites. If anyone knows anything about these sites, your chances of finding a good, honest, quality girl is very slim. It is full of scammers, fake profiles, and girls who chat to make money for a living. Obviously the USCIS knows this. My girl said she would even sign a prenup to prove shes not in it for any money. Her and I are in love and I'll be making my 3rd trip to Ukraine in a few weeks. I wasn't worried about it but shes getting me worried now because it specifically ask on line #19 Please provide any information if you met through a marriage broker. I don't think this would be signaled out for nothing. She wants to not mention it but our Skype conversations are flooded with talking about it and I told her a sure fire way to get denied is to lie....just say we meet through a marriage broker, provide all the correct paperwork and keep our fingers crossed. She afraid we will get rejected on that basis alone and recommends getting married in Ukraine first. I told her by the time we can plan a wedding and I get back over to Ukraine, after this upcoming trip in a few weeks, it will prolong any sort of Visa because we will still have to wait 6-9 months. I'm suggesting we do the K1 Visa and see what happens. By the time of her interview I will have seen her 4 times over a week each time....I need some help in this from people who have met their girl through a marriage broker. I think only a few countries do this widespread...Ukraine and Russia being two of them. I need something to tell her to calm her down. Shes reading a percentage of 50% rejection rate on girls from marriage brokers....that's not good in my eyes. I told her that many factors can cause someone to get rejected such as income requirements, incorrect paperwork, not enough proof of relationship, maybe even ages of the the couple (ie, girl is 18 and man is 60+) I know the marriage brokers have a bad rep because girls only chat to make money and never have any intention of finding a foreign man. Its a billion dollar industry in Ukraine. So I need some recommendations before I submit this K1 next week...thanks

[Mrs. Childs 11]

I found this on a law firm page... I hope it helps...

http://www.k1fianceevisas.com/k1faqs.html

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

If she lies about it her visa will be denied. They will ask how you met - they will know, probably even before she answers the question.

[Brc 14]

I'm not able to comment well on law as it pertains to this area. And I didn't go through a marriage broker. But, I did a lot of reading on the two types early on, and both my wife and I agreed that getting married in her country was just a better way to go in terms of our relationship. Yes, a few more months of separation may be involved. But as we are both middle-aged, and family is so important to both of us, we wanted her to be able to travel when needed, and a few months more is really a drop in the bucket. Getting married in her tradition and with her family was a wonderful experience. We will have another ceremony when she is in the US. For what it's worth, and I can't remember where I read this, there seems to be some indication that divorce rates for those that went the fiancé visa route are somewhat higher. How reliable that is I don't know. Might be bunk.

At any rate, being part of her family, and having her family and friends be a part of our union, was the right move. Something to consider.

[Mike Bowman 8]

Ok Mrs. Childs I have read most of that before. The second part of the IMBRA was helpful too. I already had question 19 filled out. My girl doesn't have a criminal history so I'm suspecting it won't be a problem. My concern is the amount of negative press and scams from AnastasiaDate.com website.

Harpa Timsah I've informed her lying is not the way to go that our USCIS, I'm sure, are very clever people. This is not even an option I'm considering.

Brc - We want to do 2 weddings, one in USA and one in Ukraine. That way both of our families get to share in the experience. I've been told by many that getting married in Ukraine first can prolong any Visa for close to 2 years. Like everyone, we want this process to go as fast as possible. We've gathered the paperwork up for 2 months now and finally have everything! I'm up for submitting the K1 and Im not near as worried about meeting on AnastasiaDate.com as my girl is. I can't blame her as she has given me the dirty low down on how the site really works. It's 99% used for girls to make money for the business and themselves. AnastasiaDate has a very bad rep as I'm lucky to have a found a great girl from it but that wasn't without meeting others first and realizing the scams involved. Just glad I didn't spend $10k-$20k like you hear some pay. I was fortunate to find her on my first trip after meeting another girl that did not work out. Getting married in Ukraine isn't out of any question. All stories I read where people get denied a Visa its because of something or another was wrong. We're doing everything correct and have a ton of proof to back up our relationship.

[Mike Bowman 8]

BRc - I noticed you have Phoenix, AZ Lockbox....I'm confused..I thought all petitions have to go through the Texas lockbox....can you elaborate on this? I'm in NY and everything I read says send to the Texas lockbox.

[Brc 14]

BRc - I noticed you have Phoenix, AZ Lockbox....I'm confused..I thought all petitions have to go through the Texas lockbox....can you elaborate on this? I'm in NY and everything I read says send to the Texas lockbox.

The fiancé petition you are filing goes to Texas. But other petitions, such as the I-130, go to other locations.

[Mike Bowman 8]

Awesome! Thanks for clearing that up for me

[StephAnn2012 50]

Relax, many of us here met our fiancees through a website. Dating sides are not "marriage broker" sites. Read the link that was sent to you about the marriage broker act of 2006. If you met your wife through a dating site, you can honestly answer the questions that no you did not use a marriage broker. Marriage brokers are a notorious group who arrange scam marriage and that is why they passed the marriage broker act. With Anastasia, they offered no such service, the girls simply sign up to correspond with men. If that is a red flag, then 95% of the applications would be denied.

I hope this helps. Now go read the marriage broker act -

[VanessaTony 3,567]

A dating website is not a marriage broker. If you met on www.match.com that's a dating site, not a "marriage broker".

A "marriage broker" is someone who specifically arranges marriages between people. There are such programs, tours to certain countries where you go and meet "brides" to be. Not just dating, people who expect to get married asap.

List that you met on that website, then provide all your relationship evidence.

For what it's worth, not that I'm accusing your fiancee of being a scammer, but if you WERE being scammed you would think you're in love. You wouldn't go through with it if you KNEW you were being scammed. I certainly hope for your sake it's real, but still be wary (and yes, offering to sign a pre-nup is common amongst scammers, because the "mark" thinks "if she was a scammer she wouldn't offer, so I won't bother getting her to sign"). Plus half the time it's about getting money from you BEFORE getting to the US (like one poor guy that got told his fiancee got denied at the interview, just to find out she never even went to the interview). Some never actually want to leave their country. Some don't care about your money but only want to get to the US, get married, get the GC then leave you and find someone else, or import their real partner.

Protect yourself just in case. We aware of the red flags, protect your assets and your family.

**Edit - Anastasia.com actually mentions IMBRA on their site, so yes, it's IMBRA.

Edited February 18, 2013 by Vanessa&Tony

[Mike Bowman 8]

StephAnn2012 So you're saying that I can leave question #19 blank? If they ask how we met I will say through AnastasiaDate....will they think I'm lying because I'm not understanding the difference between Marriage Broker and what you call a normal dating site. The last thing i need for USCIS to think I'm lying. I've been trying to find info on the web if AnastasiaDate is an IMBRA but can't find anything. I need some clarification please. Thanks

[VanessaTony 3,567]

StephAnn2012 So you're saying that I can leave question #19 blank? If they ask how we met I will say through AnastasiaDate....will they think I'm lying because I'm not understanding the difference between Marriage Broker and what you call a normal dating site. The last thing i need for USCIS to think I'm lying. I've been trying to find info on the web if AnastasiaDate is an IMBRA but can't find anything. I need some clarification please. Thanks

I apologise I was wrong. See here: http://www.anastasiadate.com/anastasia-anti-scam-policy.html IMBRA is mentioned on their site itself.

[Mike Bowman 8]

Vanessa&Tony - Ok AnastasiaDate arranges tours to other countries but only to meet women who could become a potential wife. I opted not to go this route as they look "weird in every way". But you pay to chat or email, etc. I chatted with her for a full 20 minutes before agreeing to meet for dinner and got all the Skype, phone numbers etc after that.

As for her being a scammer. Hardly...this one anyways. The original girl I went to go meet was definitely one. Always complained of no money, always going out and buying things with "no money"...all that. When I went to go spend 5 days with her..different flats, I paid for everything. She had many places she wanted to see and go out to eat at. None expensive. But after 2 days all she kept talking about was how I wasn't like a Ukraine man and told me this was not going to work out...fair enough...still had a great time. I met my current girl the last day I was there. She never ask for money. I've met her whole family, shes met mine. Says she will sign a prenup, I always stay in the same flat with her. Shes quit the agency. Told me all the ins and out of how the agency worked. I've met a lot of Ukraine women now and 95% are in it for money. My girl seems to not care at all other than being in love and wanting a family. I want the same. We keep in constant contact all day everyday. She knows my schedule I know hers. We have over 2000 pages of Skype conversations and I have no clue on how many calls...too many to count. When I was in Ukraine she didn't go anywhere or do anything but take care of me, cook, clean, and more cleaning and cooking. Age difference isn't great...only 9 years I'm 36 shes 27. I don't see any red flags. The sweetest girl you can ever meet. The first girl I could tell within a month something wasn't right. I suspicion was correct. Trust me...I've done all the testing I possibly can with my current girl and I have tried to find red flags and theres none. Shes truly the perfect woman in my eyes.

[Mike Bowman 8]

Vanessa&Tony - Ok thanks...I remember being on the site and seeing a bunch of IMBRA stuff. But the definition is kinda vague to me. Ok I'll keep all my info filled in. Talking with my girl right now and letting her know that's its not that big of a deal

[baron555 934]

We want to do 2 weddings, one in USA and one in Ukraine. That way both of our families get to share in the experience.

You have to make up your minds. Your options:

1. Marry in UA, then file DCF or for a CR-1. Then come to the US and marry again here.

2. File for K-1, she comes here, you marry here, then AOS and return to UA and marry there.

We're doing everything correct and have a ton of proof to back up our relationship.

We met through Elenas Models and I wasn't sure how to answer that 129f question, so I answered it yes just in case. Wasn't an issue except my wife was asked about it during her interview; again not an issue as long as you can prove you have a legit relationship.

Please come on over to the RUB regional forum where there are tons of good folks in varying states of the journey that can provide country specific info.

Edited February 18, 2013 by baron555