I'm sure this has been asked 1000 times but...

[rollingradios]

I have been thinking about a relationship with a non-US lady for a long time. I mustered up the courage to search on the net and stumbled across this site as my first. Glad I did.

Can someone please lead me in the right direction (website) to get started looking for a phillipina lady. Or if one of the regular members whom have had success have wives with sisters that may be looking for relationship (marriage) with US man.

As I get time I will read more on this forum of people's experiences and hopefully get answers there without redundant question posts.

Thanks,
William

[Howard]

Welcome William,

We were all where you are once.

The first thing you need to learn about Filipinas is that they ALL have sisters, cousins and friends to hook you up with :lol:

Tell us a bit about yourself, maybe we can help  

Keep the Faith!

H

[Ray]

Just take it one step at a time.

1. The first step is the easiest. Learn to spell “Filipina”  :lol:

2. The second step is almost as easy. Learn the rules of the game.

Rule #1: Never send any money to someone you have not met in person!

Rule #2: When corresponding with a lady, don’t even mention the word money and don’t talk about your financial situation.

Rule #3: If any lady you are corresponding with ever asks you for money, for whatever reason, drop her like a hot potato.

Rule #4: When in doubt, see Rule #1.

3. Now it will start costing you money. Get your passport and start saving money and vacation time for a trip to the PI.

4. The next step is going to take some time and effort. Do your homework and learn anything and everything about the Philippines… it’s geography, customs, people, etc.  There is a wealth of info on the Web and I recommend you buy and read a copy of Culture Shock! Philippines by Roces (available at amazon.com).

Howard is correct about the sisters and cousins. Give us your bio info and tell us about yourself and maybe someone can give you a referral to a nice lady for correspondence.

Ray

[imbra-sucks]

hey william i am not here to advertise... my website is probably on it's last legs due to IMBRA because i do not have the energy to comply.  So if you want to contact 1 lady, or 5 ladies, just send me an email.  I will just give you the information .. I don't think I am breaking the law by just giving the information v/s selling the information.. there are about 950 ladies listed on my site.

if you type in "melinda's penpals" on google it should be the first site listed.. later


p.s. if i was single and met a girl today from the Philippines i would make sure it was drilled in both of our heads that we met on yahoo messenger, and i would never even mention any websites.  this is just me thinking outloud since I have heard news about the embassy in manila and the grilling that has already started in the last week.

p.s. p.s. Also I cannot stress how important about what Ray said.. an honest and sincere Filipina will not ask you for money period.  The only time I ever gave my wife money was for postage, and after i made plans she needed bus fare to get to manila.... I would guess 10 to 15 percent of Filipinas on dating sites are scam artists (some are just guys posting a lady's pic)... this is from my many observations over the past 5 years.

[Ray]

Hi imbra-sux, welcome aboard.

I don’t think you’re in violation if you give away contact info for free. If you fold your site, you will be doing EXACTLY what [snip]well and the feminists want. I think the feminists would really be pissed if everyone gave away contact info for free, but that doesn’t help you pay the costs of course.

A couple of points about IMBRA.

1. From the U.S. client’s standpoint, IMBRA only applies to K-Visas. I predict that marriage overseas and spousal visas (CR-1) will become much more popular if IMBRA holds up to legal challenges.

2. IMBRA “shouldn’t” affect you if you if you don’t provide any ladies’ contact info to your customers. Be creative and find a workable way to send the interested customer’s contact info to the ladies (e-mail?) so the ladies can initiate the contact. This is a technical loophole that you should discuss with your attorney.

Your Web site looks good. A few tips:

1. Remove any references to “marriage”, “brides”, etc. or you may be in trouble with Philippine authorities for violation of Philippine law (RA 6955). “Pen Pal” or something similar would be better.

2. Make damn sure that all ladies listed on your site are 18 years old. Listing underage girls can get you in big trouble. Some look pretty young (ID#4A19051). I would get a copy of their picture ID for your files when they sign up to cover yourself. Don’t take their word for it!

Hopefully, our elected representatives will come to their senses and repeal this stupid feminist-designed law.

Ray

[imbra-sucks]

Hey Ray.  I guess as far as Philippines and RA 6955 I was never too concerned about it since I am not living in the PI.  Kind of like people in Autralia or Canada laugh at IMBRA.  Now the crap is coming from both ends and it has become more of a hassle than it is worth.

As far as that lady you mention, she was a mail in app back when I first opened and forgot about it.. She said her date of birth was the date she signed the app??  The thing is whether it is IMBRA, ages, married, divorced, the men and ladies that want to lie are going to lie.  That is why requiring webmasters to be the police is a complete joke.  Background checks, checking I.D.'s, running people through sexual predator websites, it is complete nonsense.  

If the government really wants to protect ladies and guys they need to do the checks.  They have the resources and they need to use them.  I personally have no problems with checks at the visa stage, but at the hello stage just makes no sense to me..

I have one IMBRA blog that is #10 , but i also have another blog I made for My friend Senator Cantwell here... i hope she gets to read it.

http://www.melindaspenpals.com/blog1

[Ray]

Amen to that!

The reason I mentioned RA6955 is because the feminazi politicians are coming at you from both ends like you mentioned. The Filipina version, led by Sen Loren Legarda, takes this “Mail Order Bride” business seriously and she wants to be president of the Philippines. Other site owners like you have been banned from entering the Philippines and will be arrested if they set foot in the PI. I think the primary thing that touched off the Filipino politicians was mainly related to underage girls listed on pen-pal sites. Read this:

http://www.newsflash.org/2002/02/si/si001184.htm

Ray

[rollingradios]

Thanks for the welcome, sorry for the misspelling.
Ray, Howard, and imbra thanks for the tips.

I'm basically a regular guy. Worked my ass off all my life to provide a nice life for a family. Thought I was with someone for life and they obviously didn't see it that way after 21yrs. I don't think women in US today (most) believe in traditional values, you know like the ten commandments?

Still working my ass off, starting over. It will take me a few years to get where I want to be, but I'll get there. I'm not a big "going out" person although I do like to go out with friends and their mates for bowling or a sport event occasionally. Like cars, motorcycles, most types of racing, football, watching movies, listening to music, animals (pets). I'm pretty laid back most of the time. Things do get under my skin but I've always been good at letting things go most of the time.

I'm 40, about 215, used to be 6'0" but think I've settled a couple of inches :lol: I do smoke but only drink on occasion. No other hangups except I may be a diet mt dew-aholic. Have a son who is a US marine reserve and in college (oorah). Two daughters, one almost 18 and the other 14.5. The X has pretty much turned the girls against me, or they are scared to say they really would like to see me for the reprocussions. I know one day they will mature and want to know the truth and be a part of dad's life. My son is old enough to see the light, so we are good.

Maybe this is too much info, maybe not enough I don't know. So there it is on a silver platter anyway. Once your life has been decimated you really don't have a need to be shy or hide anything. Thanks again for the help.
Imbra I may email you in a few days.

[imbra-sucks]

Hey Ray thanks for the information... i am currently transforming my site to free for now... 75% of the work is already done and you may notice if you go back.. i really do like helping the ladies and guys hook up and if going free for a while is the answer than so be it..

IMBRA lawyers seem split on whether going free is safe but the majority seem to think if you are not charging for the "contact information" then you are not a marriage broker..

if the law is slammed by european connections and tours and a few other cases send it to the useless regulation graveyard then i may go back tio charging again.. what i will not so is close my site to satisfy the feminazis...

[Jeff S]

Gee, this is the Internet, can't you just move your site to a service provider in Mexico, and open a bank account in Tijuana?

- Jeff