International Marriage Broker Regulation Act of 2003

Bill: 108-hr-2949
Sponsor: Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2]
Introduced: 2003-07-25 in the House
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Aliens
Assault
Child abuse
Citizenship
Civil actions and liability
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Consumer education
Consumer protection
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal justice information
Criminal statistics
Damages
Department of Homeland Security
Divorce
Electronic mail systems
Evidence (Law)
Ex-offenders
Families
Family violence
Fines (Penalties)
Fraud
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Governmental investigations
Homicide
Housing and Community Development
Identification devices
Identification of criminals
Injunctions
International Affairs
Kidnapping
Law
Legal services
Marriage
Names
Rape
Science, Technology, Communications
Sentences (Criminal procedure)
Telephone
Victims of crimes
Visas
Women
Women's shelters

Summary:
action_date: 2003-07-25
text: 
International Marriage Broker Regulation Act of 2003 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents (LPRs) from filing more than one application for a K fiance(e) visa in any one-year period. 
 
Amends the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, 1997 to prohibit international marriage brokers from releasing a foreign national client's personal contact information until the broker has informed the foreign national of the rights of domestic violence victims in the United States and received a signed consent to the release. Requires brokers to obtain specified background information from citizen or LPR clients and to forward such information to foreign nationals. Establishes civil and criminal penalties for violations of this Act. Authorizes States to bring civil actions for such violations in the U.S. district courts.
 
Requires petitioners for fiance(e) visas to undergo criminal history background checks.
 
Modifies consular processing procedures for fiance(e) visa applications to require specified disclosures to alien applicants.
 
Amends the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 to require an evaluation of the role of international marriage brokers in facilitating trafficking.
 
Requires a citizen or LPR client to provide to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, as part of a fiance(e) visa petition, the information that such clients are required to submit to brokers under this Act.
 
Prohibits a fiance(e) visa holder's awareness of the criminal background of a citizen or LPR client from being used as evidence that the marriage was not entered into in good faith.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-09-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims.
action_date: 2003-07-25
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on International Relations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-07-25
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on International Relations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-07-25
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on International Relations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-07-25
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-07-25
text: Introduced in House