For fifteen years, the landscape of international dating has transformed dramatically. What was once dismissed as a niche interest for lonely men seeking 'mail-order brides' has evolved into a global phenomenon embraced by a new generation.
From Mail-Order Brides to Modern Matchmaking
The term 'mail-order bride' originates from the 19th century, when women advertised themselves in newspapers to single men in the American West. This historical practice established patterns that would resurface in different forms over generations.
The contemporary international matchmaking industry began taking shape in the 1970s, when catalogues featuring photographs and addresses of predominantly Filipino women were marketed to American men. This system, which involved correspondence followed by potential marriage, generated significant debate among scholars regarding its ethical implications.
By 2010, the industry had fully transitioned online, becoming a global enterprise worth $2 billion annually. Today's services range from basic email and chat platforms to high-end personalised matchmaking and organised romance tours.
The Normalisation Through Popular Culture
The stigma once associated with international dating has diminished considerably, largely due to mainstream media representation. The TLC reality series '90 Day Fiancé', which premiered in 2014, has played a crucial role in bringing these relationships into living rooms across the world.
The show follows couples navigating the K-1 visa process, which grants foreign partners 90 days to marry after entering the United States. While providing entertainment, the programme also highlights underlying themes of economic inequality and migration that characterise many such relationships.
The Rise of Passport Bros
In recent years, a new demographic has emerged in international dating: the 'passport bros'. Typically younger and more diverse than previous participants in commercial dating services, these men often identify as people of colour and prefer travelling independently rather than using paid introduction services.
Passport bros frequently visit countries like Colombia, Brazil and the Dominican Republic, using free dating apps such as Tinder to connect with local women. Their motivation often stems from seeking partners who embody more traditional values than what they perceive is available in their home dating markets.
Research conducted between 2010 and 2022 reveals that many American men feel empowered by international dating, appreciating the choices available to them abroad when they felt overlooked in domestic dating scenes. Some explicitly acknowledge the economic dynamics at play, with one man on a Ukrainian romance tour stating in 2012: 'I am here to exchange my financial stability for some Ukrainian woman's youth and beauty, and I am OK with that.'
Economic Anxiety and the Appeal of Tradition
Professor Julia Meszaros, author of the 2025 book 'Economies of Gender', argues that these dating trends reflect broader social and economic patterns. Rising inflation, stagnant wages and housing shortages have created economic uncertainty, particularly among younger generations.
In times of instability, societies often retreat to familiar narratives. Traditional gender roles offer an illusion of stability and order, even when they reinforce existing inequalities. The fantasy of the male provider and female homemaker resurfaces because it appears to resolve anxieties that the modern economy has exacerbated.
Until society addresses fundamental economic challenges including stagnant wages, rising costs and weakened social safety nets, nostalgia for clear gendered hierarchies will likely persist. In this framework, men seek guaranteed domestic labour while women hope for economic security – a dynamic often romanticised in international dating contexts.
