International Marriage Broker Regulation Act (IMBRA) 

The International Marriage Broker Regulation Act (IMBRA), 8 USC §1375a(d)(2) and (e)(4), was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bush on January 05, 2006, and became effective in March 2006.

To read the IMBRA law, see:
http://usaimmigrationattorney.com/images/IMBRA2005.pdf

The IMBRA law seeks to protect foreign fiancees and brides from risks of domestic violence by requiring background information disclosure from customers of International Marriage Brokers (IMBs), and from Petitioners for Fiancee Visas.

Customers who seek contact with foreign romance partnerts must submit basic background information about themselves to the IMB, including criminal background and domestic violence history. This information must then be presented by the IMB to the potential foreign partner in her native language for signature on a release before contact can take place.

WHY IS THIS LAW IMPORTANT? WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR ME?

For the foreign ladies, the law is important because it tries to protect immigrant women by allowing them to review a potential gentleman partner's background before starting a relationship. For the gentlemen, it means that they must be prepared to forego some privacy and offer some personal background data. The best way to view this law is simply to acknowledge the obvious: in the long run, full disclosure is the best "relationship" policy.

In accordance with the IMBRA law, all customers of COLOMBIAN SWEETHEARTS are asked to submit their background information for signed release by the foreign partner before any E-Mail, personal or agency or tour group contact takes place.