MALE foreigners over the age of 50 have been outlawed from marrying Cambodian women in the country under new rules designed to crack down on sham marriages and human trafficking, the government said today.

Human trafficking is a serious issue in many Asian nations including those comprising the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The posting went on to further note:

Foreigners who earn less than $2,580 per month are also barred from wedding local women, foreign ministry spokesman Koy Kuong told AFP, but the restrictions do not apply to weddings taking place overseas.

It would seem as though the Cambodian government is also attempting to make rules in an attempt to ensure that those Cambodian women marrying foreign men are more likely to be materially provided for.

It is increasingly common for both men and women from the United States of America to travel to Southeast Asian nations such as Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Malaysia, and Singapore for both business matters and pleasure. In some cases, American Citizens traveling abroad meet someone special and decide to bring their loved one back to the United States. Under such circumstances, it will likely be required that the foreign loved one obtain a United States visa.

Depending upon the unique facts of each given case couples may opt to apply for a US fiance visa (officially classified as a K-1 visa) or a spousal visa such as a CR-1 visa or, less commonly, a non-immigrant K-3 visa. Those couples who have been married for more than 2 years at the time of their admission to the United States are likely to see the prospective immigrant spouse admitted into the USA in IR-1 visa status.

The immigration process is a different experience for each couple and as the process evolves it also constantly changes. For this reason (likely amongst many others)  some couples opt to retain the assistance of a professional to provide insight into the protocols associated with United States immigration. Under those circumstances, those seeking advice and counsel are well advised to ascertain the credentials of anyone claiming to be an American attorney as only a licensed attorney from the United States is permitted to practice United States Immigration law.

For related information please see: US tourist visa.

Those wishing to visit the official homepage of the US Embassy in Cambodia please click HERE.

Those seeking services such as issuance of a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, US Passport, or the addition of visa pages to a previously issued US Passport are well advised to contact an American Citizen Services Section of a US Embassy, US Consulate, American Institute, or US Mission abroad. It should be noted that those seeking the aforementioned services may find processing streamlined when setting an appointment online in advance.

Those seeking a temporary visa such as a US B-2 visa (Tourist), F-1 visa (Student), J-1 visa (Exchange Visitor), B-1 visa (Business) are likely to see their visa application processed through a Non-Immigrant Visa (NIV) Unit abroad. It should be noted that those seeking a United States non-immigrant visa are likely to have their visa application scrutinized pursuant to section 214(b) of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act.

Those seeking immigrant family visa benefits such as an IR-1 visa or a CR-1 visa are likely see their visa application processed through an Immigrant Visa (IV) Unit of a US Post abroad. For processing purposes the K-1 visa (a non-immigrant US fiance visa) is treated in much the same way as the Immigrant visa categories. The same could once be said for the K-3 visa as well, but since the inception of the “administrative closure” policy K-3 visa applications are processed with far less frequency compared to years past.

Those seeking visas such as the EB-5 visa (Immigrant Investor Category) or the L-1 visa (intra-company transferees) are likely to only see their visa application processed after a positive adjudication of an immigration petition by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).

For related information please see: K-1 Visa Cambodia or US Visa Cambodia.