Mail order brides are women who agree to allow male foreigners to choose them as brides-to-be. The process usually takes place with a marriage agency, where the groom can select the woman from a catalogue. The man usually comes from a more developed country than that of his bride.

Latin women tend to be a popular choice for bride-seeking males because of their natural beauty and exotic looks. Given that the men have no prior familiarity with the women before browsing through their photos in catalogues, physical appearance is the primary means used by male foreigners in selecting their bride. And since signing up as a mail order bride means that these women are readily available, rejection is almost not a possibility. Given that many Latin American nations are not doing well economically, many of the Latin family members welcome the union.

Usually, men who come from Western countries, such as the United States of America and Canada, are the ones who seek brides in this manner. This is attributed to the lax immigration laws of these places, especially when it comes to fiancs and spouses. In many Latin American families, marriage is the preferred method to enter a foreign country.

There have always been misconceptions that the women who eventually get married via mail order bride agencies would eventually be maltreated physically by the husband. They are perceived to be sex slaves and domestic helpers rather than wives. In fact, there are countries that set up laws to protect their citizens from becoming a mail order bride. But contrary to popular belief, marriage spawned from mail order bride agencies is about 80 percent successful.

The mail-order bride business is something not limited to Western countries alone. In Asia, Taiwanese men seek women from China to be their wives.