By News Editor 
The term “passport bros” refers to men who leave their countries to find romantic partners or wives in foreign lands, mainly seeking women they perceive as more traditional and submissive, as first reported by News24 amongst major outlets.
Curiously enough, the South African outlet was quite ahead of the global media pack, perhaps, because some of the ‘bros’ made their way to Africa and surely would have been present in South Africa, as they were in Morocco and other places with either African women or diaspora linked. In places in Latin America, like Colombia and Brazil, the individuals would simply look for women who were self selecting for marriage.
Origins of Passport Bros
This trend has been popularized by social media and shows like TLC’s “90 Day Fiancé”. Again, many posit that these men hail from wealthier nations and seek partners in less-developed countries, where they believe women will adhere to traditional roles lacking in their home countries. As you can imagine, the trend has sparked diverse opinions, with some praising the pursuit of traditional values and others criticizing it as exploitative. Critics argue these men may be exploiting women from economically disadvantaged backgrounds who are more vulnerable to manipulation. With sagging marriage rates in Western countries, it’s possible that both sides have some validity to their immediate reactions.
Nevertheless, research from sources like the National Library of Medicine and SAGE Journals highlight issues such as domestic violence, very large age gaps, and power imbalances in such relationships. The concerns focus on the potential exploitation of women who might be seeking a better life but face risks such as domestic abuse and isolation.
Meanwhile, supporters of “passport bros” often deny any exploitative intentions, claiming they are merely in search of partners who align with their traditional values, away from modern feminist ideologies. The increase in cross-border relationships may be about as much as economic imperatives as it is about the desire to form nuclear families. In our view, the world may have bigger fish to fry than who people marry and whether they do something as crazy as cross several borders to do so.