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Many men marry women from Russia and Ukraine because they say that the women are more old fashioned and family-oriented than their Western counterparts. Families in these cultures do seem to be more closely-connected and interdependent that those in the West, probably because they've been forced to be. Unable to depend on an oppressive communist regime, they have only been able to depend on each other. And because both the mother and father traditionally work, it's not uncommon for a Russian girl to begin running the entire household at an age of 12 or 14, taking care of a younger brother or sister, preparing meals, washing clothes, etc. Women mature very quickly in these counties-they have to.

However, it should be pointed out that ladies from these cultures are far from "submissive" and do not view themselves as such. They simply consider their role as mother and caretaker of the home as a natural part of being a woman, and they expect the husband to have a similar degree of comfort about his role of being the primary breadwinner for the family. Another reason that foreign brides are popular is because many men would like to marry a woman a good deal younger than they are, and the Western cultures are not as receptive to age differentials. In Russia and Ukraine, it is considered perfectly normal for a woman to marry a man 10 or 20 (or more) her senior.

One final point in favor of marrying a foreigner is inherent in the relationship itself. The differences in culture provide a fertile ground for a rich and varied marriage-many "alumni" report that the non-stop process of learning about each other's cultures and traditions adds a crucial spark to their relationship.

Naturally, the cultural differences mentioned above that can add the "spark" can also be a source of friction in a marriage. There can be major differences regarding everything from the marriage ceremony itself to how the children are raised. However, like most problems in life between people, they can be solved if both parties are truly committed to the overall relationship.

The language barrier can and will be a problem for couples in which at least one of the partners is not fluent in both languages. Generally, foreign brides-to-be learn the language of the country in which they'll be living, because they'll need it not only to communicate with their new husbands, but to survive on a daily basis. This is usually not a problem, because the women who are serious about finding husbands abroad prepare themselves by studying English or German or the language of whatever country they're most interested in residing. And English has been taught to all students in Russian and Eastern European secondary for the past few decades, so just about everyone who needs to speak fluent English has a solid base from which to start.

Anyway, there is always a chance to "test the waters" and invite the woman to your country and see what it's like to live together on a daily basis.

In United States, the U.S. Immigration & Naturalization Service offers a special visa, the K-1 Fiancee Visa, which is designed specifically for this purpose. It allows your lady to come to America for a three month "trial period." At the end of this period, you have the option of marrying her; otherwise, she must return to her home country.

This is not only a convenient way of entering into marriage with a foreigner, but the best way with regard to U.S. immigration laws. If things do not work out between you and your fiancee, you will not be precluded from making a future fiancee visa application, nor will she. And if things do work out and you get married, the visa can be easily converted to a permanent visa (green card). Later, she can apply for citizenship as well.