You may be aware of the existence of mail-order brides, although you may not be aware that this is an “industry.” Mail-order bride is a "label applied to a woman who publishes her intent to marry someone from another - usually more developed - country. Although the label is widely used, it may have derogatory connotations and may be offensive." This mail-order bride "industry" has become more pervasive with the advent of internet and technology, as many of these sites are readily accessible.

According to a study (The “Mail-Order” Bride Industry and its Impact on U.S. Immigration), funded through the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service:

An American man seeking a foreign bride may avail himself of over 200 different services in which foreign women advertise for husbands. There are two types of such services. In one type, the so-called “mail-order bride” industry (representatives of the industry prefer the term “international correspondence service”), women’s names, photos, biographical sketches, and addresses are presented in hard copy brochures or on the Internet. In these services, the agency provides the photos and descriptions of the women, who are not charged for this listing. Men who wish to obtain the mailing address of any of the women they would like to contact are charged a fee of from $2 to $5 for each of the mailing addresses.

The study also notes that the “Philippines provides a large number of the Asian listings, despite the fact that ‘mail-order bride’ activities” have been declared illegal in the Philippine jurisdiction. Indeed, taking measures to protect Filipino women from being exploited in their pursuit of economic upliftment, the Philippine Congress enacted Republic Act No. 6955, which is:

“. . .an act to declare unlawful the practice of matching filipino women for marriage to foreign nationals on a mail order basis and other similar practices, including the advertisement, publication, printing or distribution of brochures, fliers and other propaganda materials in furtherance thereof and providing penalty therefore.”

The law makes it unlawful for any person, natural or juridical, association, club or any other entity to commit, directly or indirectly, to establish or carry on a business which has for its purpose the matching of Filipino women for marriage to foreign nationals either on a mail-order basis or through personal introduction. Please go to the Philippine e-Legal Forum for more discussion.