MAIL ORDER BRIDES - New immigration laws
Tough immigration laws passed by Congress in 1986 provide the one working roadblock that limits growth of the mail order brides industry. Mail order brides seeking a U.S. visa must often wait months or years. Once here, the women must live with their American spouses at least two years before gaining permanent residency. A recent change allows foreign-born mail order brides who divorce abusive American husbands to apply for permanent residency before two years. The women must prove they entered the marriage in good faith and then were abused.
MAIL ORDER BRIDES - Abuse not wide spread
"Generally, the abuse is not wide spread," said an INS spokesman. "But, It's hard to make up black eyes and broken arms and hospital records. That's what we see sometimes. Other revisions to the mail order brides 1986 law have eroded its strength, INS District Director Richard Smith said. Without weakening safeguards for abused women, Congress could tinker with the law to make marrying an American for immigration benefits more difficult, Smith said. Congress took such a stand on international adoptions. The Philippine government has pushed to cut the supply side of the equation, banning mail order brides advertisement and recruitment in the islands.
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