German Mail-Order Brides: Interview, Guide & Sites for Finding a Wife from Germany
| 🌏 Popular cities to meet German brides: | Berlin, Munich, Hamburg |
| 💰 Average cost of German bride: | $5,640-$6,840 |
| ⌛ Average age of German bride: | 32 years old |
| 💑 Best German dating site: | SofiaDate |
| 💌 Best German mail order bride site: | TheLuckyDate |
To be fair, Germany isn’t the most popular country when it comes to mail-order brides and international dating. However, even though they surely don’t fit the conventional image of a traditional, conservative, and shy foreign bride, they are still worth it.
Veronika
Age
25
Location
Germany, Munich
Occupation
Dance teacher
Website
sofiadate.com
Interview with German mail-order bride
Who are you?
Veronika
Veronika
My name is Veronika. I’m 25 years old, and I’m a dance teacher at a dance academy in Munich. I’m also a volunteer, we help refugees to learn German and to assimilate into society. And I’m using an online dating website to find an American boyfriend!
Why did you become a mail-order bride?
Veronika
Veronika
Not because I don’t like German guys, of course. Like, I know that there are lots of Filipino women, Mexican girls, and Russian ladies who are into dating foreign men because they believe these men make better husbands and all that. But that’s not the case for me, and for most German ladies you may meet on a dating site, it’s also not the case.
I can’t speak for all German girls, but as for me, I’m interested in meeting a foreigner because it’s just interesting! I’d love to have a boyfriend from the US or from Britain because I believe it can be fun. I speak English, I’d like to visit the US or the UK, so why not?
How did you choose the dating site?
Veronika
Veronika
Well, I read some guides by experts and also a Facebook post written by a real German mail-order wife who found a husband online (there are lots of groups for German wives/brides on FB). I chose BravoDate because it basically meets all my requirements. It looks nice, it works well, it’s smooth, and there are thousands of real men from the US there.
Have you already communicated with foreign men on dating sites?
Veronika
Veronika
Yes, but I haven’t met any of them in person yet, unfortunately. I chatted with like 5 guys from Western Europe and 2 men from the US. They all were in their 40s and 50s, and almost all of them were very serious about it. It’s not that it turned me off, of course, but I’m just not ready for marriage yet. Especially if I haven’t met a guy in person, I’m not ready for it.
Two of them were not as marriage-minded, one guy was from New York if I remember correctly, but it didn’t work because he was 58 and, well, I’m not ready for such a gap. And the second one was from Manchester, I remember this exactly because we talked about that Bayern game when we were defeated… You know that we German girls love football, right? Anyway, we talked and chatted and exchanged pictures, but it’s not like we’re exclusive or even in a relationship. It’s the “pre-dating curiosity” stage, I believe.
What do you like about foreign men and what don’t you like? Did your opinion change after communicating with them?
Veronika
Veronika
Well, as I’ve said, you shouldn’t expect to meet thousands of hot German women who would like you right off the bat, just because you’re from the US or another foreign country. I can’t say that the majority of German women love something specific about foreign men. For some, it’s about having fun, and for others, it’s about stereotypes like “American men are more caring” or “American men are more romantic,” etc.
As for me, I really like how fun and interesting these guys are, and I also love that they are very open-minded. They can listen, they know when to ask questions, and they don’t judge you. But my experience is not that great, I believe.
No, my opinion didn’t change. I was surprised that there are lots of incredibly marriage-minded and family-centered American guys on dating sites, but I believe that there are many German women who are totally ok with that.
People often worry about scams and fakes on dating sites. Is using mail-order bride sites safe in your opinion?
Veronika
Veronika
Yes! But you need to be careful, of course. I know a German lady who was scammed on a dating site—a scammer somehow stole her bank account password and transferred her money. But I don’t think it’s common, really. Still, you should choose the best app for dating German women. I read a lot of reviews to make my mind up and filter out the websites that were not as good as their ads claimed.
Veronika, can you help singles from the US understand German women better? Give advice to men on how to attract a German woman, please.
Veronika
Veronika
Well, there are three main things you need to know if you want to find German women.
First, we are direct, and you need to deal with it. I mean, some even say we’re rude, but I believe that it’s more like being straightforward than being impolite. You won’t change us, so the only way to go if you’re really interested in German girls is to accept it and enjoy it. On the other hand, we’re simple to communicate with, we don’t lie and play games, and we’re honest and fair.
Second, you need to be punctual because turning up late for a date is a red flag, really.
And third, be honest. We are not the best nationality in the world when it comes to flattering or playing games. If you like a German girl, say it!
Editor’s notes
Michael Krakowski, European Countries
Well, Veronika is one of those single German ladies who know what they want, really. Let’s make a short conclusion of what she just told us:
- If you’re going to attract hot German girls, be sincere and never play games with them
- Your German girlfriend may be a bit too direct and straightforward, so you’ll need to be ok with that
- An average German woman you meet on a dating site won’t be driven by the idea of American guys being much better partners than local men (like lots of women from Asia and Slavic countries are)
- Not all the hot German brides are ready for a very large age gap (25-30 years)
- Choosing a dating site with an ID verification tool is important for safety
Well, that’s clearly not all you need to know about German ladies, so if you want to know more, continue reading. How much does it cost to date a German girl? How to enter the online dating world? And how to bring a German woman to the United States? All the answers are here.
But first, let’s take a look at some facts about German ladies.
Facts about marriage with German mail-order brides
- German ladies get married after 30—the average age of a first-time German wife is 32.1 years old. The same is about having children: the average age of having a first child for German ladies is 30.5 years old. This doesn’t mean you won’t find any young German girls for marriage, but the majority of them are generally not interested in tying the knot.
- If you’re thinking that German brides for marriage are the best choice to build a large family with, think again. The point is that the total fertility rate in this country is only 1.45 children per woman (in the US, it’s 1.7).
- The divorce rate is pretty high here. In 2021, there were 4.3 divorces per 1,000 population, which is almost twice as high as the divorce rate in the US (2.3 divorces).
- The average female labor force participation in this country is in fact similar to the one in the United States (56%). However, local women from western and southern Germany work less than women from the East, and the difference may reach up to 10% in some regions. It’s all about historical reasons—Germany was divided from 1945 to 1989, and in East Germany, there was an idea that women could carry out dual roles as both mothers and workers, while West Germany was slightly more conservative and traditional in this regard.
- But the fault actually runs much deeper—in fact, almost all the spheres of life are affected. West Germans are generally considered more open and welcoming while Easterners are often more distant at first. West Germans are also more religious, and East Germans are more atheistic; West Germans are more individualistic, and East German women are slightly more educated when it comes to tertiary studies, etc.
So, here are the TOP-5 German dating sites you should try in 2023:
| Rank | Site | Free Link | |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | SofiaDate |
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| #2 | BravoDate |
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| #3 | TheLuckyDate |
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| #4 | RealEuropeanBeauty |
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| #5 | EuropeanDate |
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How much does a German bride cost?
You cannot buy a German girl for marriage, obviously. You’ll have to date them online first, then you’ll need to meet them in person, and only after that you’ll be able to bring your German bride or wife to the United States.
First of all, let’s focus on online dating: we’re going to talk about BravoDate, the website where you can find Veronika. This platform has a credit system, just like the absolute majority of German mail-order bride websites out there. There are several credit packages available on it, and here’s the price list:
- $9.99—20 credits (only $2.99 for new customers)
- $19.99—50 credits
- $44.99—125 credits
- $69.99—250 credits
- $149.99—750 credits
As you see, if you buy the largest package, 1 credit will cost you only $0.2. Assuming you’ll probably prefer this option, let’s continue our calculation. How much do the messaging tools cost on this site?
- Live chat—2 credits per minute ($0.4 per minute)
- Sending an email—10 credits ($2) for the first email to a particular German girl, 30 credits ($6) for each following email
- Opening an email—0 credits for the first email from a particular German girl, 10 credits ($2) for each following email
- Opening a video in a chat or in an email—50 credits ($100)
But it’s not only about online dating—you’ll need to meet German women in person if you’re interested in serious relationships. Let’s see how much a two-week trip to Berlin would cost (let’s assume you prefer an average travel style):
- Flight—$600-$900
- Hotel—$100-$150 per night ($1,400-$2,200 for 2 weeks)
- Food—$60 per day ($800-$900 for 2 weeks)
- Transportation—$90 (for two 7-day single tickets)
- Entertainment—$25 per day ($700 for 2 weeks, 2 people)
- Total—$3,600-$4,800 for 2 weeks
To bring a German woman to the US, you’ll also need to pay the visa fee. The K-1 petition fee is $535, and the visa application fee is $265. Your German bride will also need to pay for an adjustment of status in order to get a green card ($1,140).
Now, let’s see how much all this costs in total:
- Online dating—$100-$200 per month
- A 2-week trip to Berlin—$3,600-$4,800
- K-1 visa and a green card—$1,940 ($535+$265+$1,140)
- Total—$5,640-$6,840
By the way, if you want to enjoy some alternatives to BravoDate, there are plenty of them. We highly recommend trying websites like TheLuckyDate and JollyRomance—they have a lot of premium features, a transparent credit-based system, a lot of real German mail-order brides, and a good reputation.
🇩🇪 Find German Wife Online
Rachel
Age
43
Location
Hamburg, Germany
Occupation
Dentist
Website
sofiadate.com
Karyna
Age
22
Location
Germany, Idar-Oberstein
Occupation
Logistician at an airline company
Website
sofiadate.com
Margarita
Age
32
Location
Germany, Bayern
Occupation
groomer
Website
sofiadate.com
Rachel
Age
24
Location
Germany, Berlin
Occupation
riding instructor
Website
sofiadate.com
Iryna
Age
41
Location
Germany, Aachen
Occupation
bookkeeper
Website
sofiadate.com
Hanna
Age
31
Location
Germany, Alfdorf
Occupation
maritime agent
Website
sofiadate.com
Natalie
Age
23
Location
Germany, Mannheim
Occupation
SMM manager
Website
sofiadate.com
BeyondFab
Age
52
Location
Bergtheim, Germany
Occupation
Costume designer
Website
sofiadate.com
Yana
Age
31
Location
Germany, Munich
Occupation
Freelance designer
Website
sofiadate.com
Step-by-step guide on how to get a German mail-order bride
The best way to meet German women is online dating. There are dozens of good websites with thousands of real German brides. It’s very convenient, and most of these sites are pretty affordable. But how to actually meet German women there?
Here’s a short guide for you:
- Choose a trusted German mail-order bride platform. Always read expert and user reviews—if a website’s reputation is poor, your dating experience will 100% be spoiled right at the beginning.
- Utilize the welcome bonuses. Most apps with German brides are not free to use, but the majority of them offer special bonuses for new members. On BravoDate, for example, you will get 20 credits for free!
- Make sure the German women on this website are real. Google their photos, chat with them to understand if they communicate like real people, and be cautious of red flags.
- Create a nice dating profile, upload your best photos, and write a short yet catchy profile bio that would attract female users.
- Chat with them and meet them in person: if you’re interested in a serious relationship with German women, you will have to meet them.
Online dating is not just a convenient way to meet German women, it’s also a 100% efficient method. Lots of American guys meet German brides online every single year—and in the following paragraph, you’ll learn more about it.
Success stories with German mail-order brides
If you wanted to read about real people who found love on German brides websites, here they are. These two couples have met on the dating websites mentioned previously in this guide.
Emilia and Henry
Henry was 45 when he signed up on JollyRomance in 2020. There, he met Emilia—a 29-year-old teacher from Berlin. She wanted to try something new because she thought it would be fun to date an American man; Henry had different views. He was looking for a wife, and his intentions were incredibly serious—well, Emilia knew it on their second date when Henry proposed to her. She did not say “yes” right away—it took her 3 more months and 10 more dates to finally understand she was ready for it. 2020 was not the best year for marrying a foreigner because of all the restrictions, so they had to wait for 18 months for her visa application to be processed, but that didn’t ruin their happiness!
Lea and Michael
Lea is a 19-year-old student who created a profile on BravoDate in 2022. Michael, in turn, is a 26-year-old account manager from Columbus, Ohio. Lea is certainly not a typical “German bride”—she was only 19, she was still studying, and she was not interested in marriage yet. The same was about Michael: he was not searching for a wife on that dating site. They were dating for 12 months and met 5 times in 2022. Today, Michael is planning to relocate to his company’s office in Frankfurt, which is only 27 miles away from Mainz, the city where Lea is living currently. Well, let’s wish this couple good luck.
Is using MOB sites to find and date women legit?
Yes. You can meet a German bride online and marry her legally. German ladies for marriage can enter the US on a K-1 visa or a CR-1 visa. The difference is that if you’re going through a K-1 visa path, you’ll need to get married in the US (after her arrival), and if it’s a CR-1 visa you prefer, you’ll need to get married outside the US before you apply for the visa. They are almost equally popular—thus, in December 2022, there were 12 K-1 visas and 15 CR-1 visas issued.
How to bring a German wife to the USA?
It depends on the type of visa. Let’s talk about both of them.
- To get a K-1 visa, you need to file Form I-129F first.
- After that, your German mail-order wife will file Form DS-160.
- When it’s done, she’ll need to attend the visa interview and pay the fee.
- After that, she’ll be able to enter the US. You will have to get married within 90 days after arrival.
- Your future wife will be able to apply for US citizenship 3 years after the marriage.
As for the CR-1 visa, the steps are slightly different:
- Marry outside the United States legally and get a marriage certificate.
- File Form I-130 (petition for an alien relative).
- Wait for the visa number and when she gets it, file Form DS-261 and DS-260.
- Then, your bride will need to undergo a medical examination.
- After that, your wife will attend a consular interview with USCIS officers (they need to ensure your marriage is legitimate).
- If everything is ok, she’ll get a green card.
There’s also the IR-1 visa option. It’s similar to the CR-1 visa, but you need to have been married for at least 2 years before you can apply for it.
How to avoid a German mail-order bride scam?
It doesn’t matter if you’re interested in German brides or in women from other countries—dating scams are something you need to be aware of no matter the country. Here are the top 3 scams you need to know about:
- Scammers using fake profiles to steal your money. One day you meet a real German beauty with blonde hair, fair skin, and blue eyes—and she’s really interested in meeting a foreign man. All she needs is $100 or $200 for a visa, for tickets, or for a new laptop because her old one has just died. Obviously, it’s a scam: you send them money, they block you, that’s all.
- Fake dating websites. There are lots of dating platforms that look nice but have 0 real German brides in reality. All the profiles of German women on these websites are managed by scammers, and although they don’t steal your money directly, they perform a more complex wallet-draining operation when you constantly buy credits to chat with all those girls. The good news is that such websites usually have awful reputations and numerous negative reviews.
- Scammers using fake profiles to steal your financial details and personal information. Not all scammers ask you for money directly—some of them chat with you and talk about life while grilling you for information. Be careful with your credit card, bank account, and PayPal details.
But should you be scared of it? No. In fact, if you choose a trusted dating website with real German brides, you’ll minimize the risks, and if you follow some basic rules like “never send money to women from a dating site,” you’ll minimize them even more.
