Impending Death of Agencies?

[ColombiaExpert]

The Colombian media has been bashing introduction agencies for many years.

In documentaries...on televised news programs...on televised talk shows...on radio programs...in magazines...in newspapers....

Colombian women are warned not to join introduction agencies throughout the entire spectrum of Colombian mass media.

Now, the enactment of IMBRA is here in the United States as well.

Will Colombian agencies survive?

[wizard]

The Colombian media has been bashing introduction agencies for many years.

In documentaries...on televised news programs...on televised talk shows...on radio programs...in magazines...in newspapers....

Colombian women are warned not to join introduction agencies throughout the entire spectrum of Colombian mass media.

I am unaware of such attacks on introduction agencies throughout Colombia... Can you provide references to these documentaries, news programs, magazine & newspaper articles that you claim attack agencies, or are you on some kind of personal crusade???

Odd how you state that censorship has hindered your ability to discuss the introduction industry openly & honestly, yet all you do is post negative comments... Is it possible you have an alternate agenda???  :roll:

[doombug]

I am unaware of such attacks on introduction agencies throughout Colombia... Can you provide references to these documentaries, news programs, magazine & newspaper articles that you claim attack agencies, or are you on some kind of personal crusade???

His "expertise" lies in making broad generalizations.  Citing facts is too risky; they might contradict his message.

He once predicted that Goodwife would go the way of the Wooly Mammoth.

[LatinIntro]

CE, I believe your information is incorrect and your sources need to be revised. At least regarding Bogota.
I do agree that women on the surface do not admit wanting to join an agency because of the different tabu's surrounding matrimonial agencies (local and international) but many of them do join and keep it hush-hush.

My agency has been featured on Colombian media on about 30 different ocassions during the last 10 years. We have been featured on Investigative TV reports, in the local news, on morning talk shows, El Tiempo, El Espectador, and magazines such as Cromos and Semana. All the shows and reports have been extremely positive overall. One of the shows we did in 2001 on a program called "Afternoons with Maria C" resulted in an unbelievable number of women (over 600 in one week) coming in to our offices to meet the men that where featured in that show.

I believe I have the most expensive agency in Colombia for women to join, and our numbers have been growing steadily the last 10 months. I think this is a strong indication that there exists no decline in the agency business. IMBRA? This will probably incentivate women to feel more comfortable about joining. Worst case scenario, we might get fewer but a higher caliber of men to join.

[Patrick]

It should have been "Will American owned and operated agencies survive"

IMBRA doesn't have any effect on a foreign-owned and operated agency.  What difference do American laws make to a foreigner living in his own country?

[CelticUrge]

LatinIntro

I am familiar with you and your agency. You are correct to call out CE and correct his spewing of garbage. Note that wizard asked him for specific references to back up his claims and there was nothing provided. It is clear that he has an agenda with no factual information available to back up his absurd claims.

I personally know the owner at LatinIntro's agency to be a fine, honest, hard working, personable and professional individual. I wish you, your staff and family well and hope that your business continues to thrive and benefit from the good women of Bogota. Too bad you can't screen out the occasional loosers that show up claiming to look for a wife and turn out to be a-holes. On the other hand, I have met and become friends with several of your better clients over the past six years and I am very discriminating on who I allow into my personal life.

Chao!

[geeciejay]

With Myspace.com you can meet women from all over the world for free. They did receive some bad PR from the east coast men preying upon young women, teens but if you a normal person you'll know better.

[jmil]

i think if the law goes unchallenged, american owned agencies will "die" off, but foreign agencies will fill in the void, since there's a lot of guys outside of the u.s. interested in foreign women....

[RonnieReagan]

Foreign agencies won't even make a dent because only norteamericanos spend the big bucks an agency needs to stay afloat.

[wizard]

The answer to IMBRA for North American agencies is simple... Simply move offshore like many U.S. corporations have done to avoid oppressive and sometimes ludicrous laws in the Unites States... Yes, it does raise operating costs to a certain degree, but being faced with either altering your business model or going out of business, which would you choose???

[CelticUrge]

Note the continued lack of response from "ColombiaExpert" to explain his stupid and absurd claims. Expert refers to someone with knowledge. Please respond and provide some evidence that you have knowledge of anything of interest to the members here. Definition of troll = you.

[jmil]

The answer to IMBRA for North American agencies is simple... Simply move offshore like many U.S. corporations have done to avoid oppressive and sometimes ludicrous laws in the Unites States... Yes, it does raise operating costs to a certain degree, but being faced with either altering your business model or going out of business, which would you choose???

Gary Bala mentioned in another thread how the law can even affect foreign owned agencies, mainly their dealings with American clients.

[wizard]

The answer to IMBRA for North American agencies is simple... Simply move offshore like many U.S. corporations have done to avoid oppressive and sometimes ludicrous laws in the Unites States... Yes, it does raise operating costs to a certain degree, but being faced with either altering your business model or going out of business, which would you choose???

Gary Bala mentioned in another thread how the law can even affect foreign owned agencies, mainly their dealings with American clients.

Do you have a URL / reference to the thread that states Gary's position on this???

I fail to see how the U.S. can impose ANY type of restrictions on foreign companies... It's not like we're importing whale blubber from Japan where trade restrictions are in place...

[jmil]

Here

My opinion, based on what I read, is that IMBs that accept Americans as clients are subjected to American laws on IMBs

[RonnieReagan]

But doesn't it all come down to what the girl says at the US Embassy? Can't she just say he introduced himself to her at Chippichape, or they met at a party or on the street or at a friends house etc. etc.? Why would an agency have to be brought into the picture?

[wizard]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the brunt of the IMBRA legislation require that a IMB inform a lady of her potential mate's police record??? If so, then it's pretty much a mute point as you have to file a police record with the U.S. Embassy to get a K1 or K3 visa anyway... It's part of the required paperwork when filing for the visa...

[Ray]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the brunt of the IMBRA legislation require that a IMB inform a lady of her potential mate's police record??? If so, then it's pretty much a mute point as you have to file a police record with the U.S. Embassy to get a K1 or K3 visa anyway... It's part of the required paperwork when filing for the visa...

The foreign lady (applicant) has to submit police clearances and answer questions under oath about any criminal or subversive background stuff, but the American petitioner does not submit any such information to the U.S. Embassy.

Under IMBRA, I believe that the American petitioner must now submit to criminal background checks by CIS when submitting a petition for a K-1 or K-3 visa. For an immigrant CR-1/SR-1 visa, there are no such requirements.

Under IMBRA, the "broker" (IMB) must do a lot more than just inform the foreign ladies of the police record of the American client. They must provide extensive background information, obtain written consent, and translate everything into potentially hundreds or even thousands of languages.

Ray