What Is IMBRA?
The International Marriage Broker Regulation Act (IMBRA) is a United States federal law enacted in 2005 as part of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) reauthorization. IMBRA was designed to protect foreign nationals, particularly women, who seek to immigrate to the United States through marriage.
The law regulates International Marriage Brokers (IMBs)-businesses that facilitate contacts between U.S. citizens or permanent residents and foreign nationals for the purpose of marriage. IMBRA establishes requirements for these businesses to protect the safety and well-being of foreign nationals seeking marriage-based immigration.
What Does IMBRA Require?
Under IMBRA, International Marriage Brokers must:
- Conduct background checks on U.S. clients
- Collect and disclose information about clients' criminal history, including domestic violence convictions
- Provide foreign nationals with information about their legal rights
- Obtain consent from foreign nationals before sharing their contact information
- Limit contact between a U.S. client and a foreign national until required disclosures are made
Additionally, IMBRA limits the number of K-1 (fiancé) visa petitions that an individual can file and requires that relevant criminal history be disclosed to the foreign beneficiary of such petitions.
Latin Dating Central's Status Under IMBRA
Important Disclosure
Latin Dating Central is NOT an International Marriage Broker.
We are an informational website that provides reviews, comparisons, and educational content about international dating platforms. We are subject to the following clarifications:
What We Do NOT Do:
- We do NOT facilitate introductions between individuals
- We do NOT collect personal information for matching purposes
- We do NOT charge for introduction or matchmaking services
- We do NOT provide contact information of foreign nationals to U.S. clients
- We do NOT operate a dating service, marriage agency, or matchmaking service
- We do NOT make any guarantees about meetings, relationships, or marriage
What We DO:
- Provide informational reviews of third-party dating platforms
- Offer educational content about international dating
- Compare features and pricing of dating services
- Share cultural information about Latin American countries
- Earn affiliate commissions when users click links to partner sites
User Responsibilities
If you choose to use international dating services reviewed on our Site, you should be aware of your legal responsibilities:
For U.S. Citizens and Residents:
- Verify Platform Compliance: Ensure that any dating platform you use that facilitates introductions complies with IMBRA requirements
- Background Checks: Be prepared to undergo background checks if required by IMBRA-regulated services
- Disclosure Obligations: Understand that you may be required to disclose criminal history, including any history of domestic violence
- Visa Petition Limits: Be aware of limits on K-1 fiancé visa petitions under IMBRA
- Legal Consultation: Consider consulting an immigration attorney if you plan to sponsor a foreign national for immigration
For All Users:
- Read and understand the terms of service of any dating platform you use
- Protect your personal information and practice online safety
- Be cautious of scams and fraudulent activity
- Report any suspicious behavior to the appropriate authorities
- Understand that we make no guarantees about third-party services
IMBRA Legal Requirements Summary
For reference, here are key provisions of IMBRA that may apply to users of international dating services:
K-1 Visa Petition Limits
Under IMBRA, a U.S. citizen may not file a K-1 fiancé visa petition if they have previously filed two or more such petitions, or if they have had a K-1 visa petition approved within the previous two years. Waivers may be available in certain circumstances.
Criminal History Disclosure
IMBRA requires that certain criminal history information be disclosed to foreign beneficiaries of K-1 visa petitions. This includes convictions for domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and other specified offenses.
Rights of Foreign Nationals
Foreign nationals have the right to receive information about their legal rights under U.S. law, including information about domestic violence resources and immigration options for victims of abuse.
Resources
For more information about IMBRA and immigration law, please consult:
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
- U.S. Department of State - Travel
- A qualified immigration attorney