There’s no such thing as the worst nationality to marry. We’d like to stress that we don’t think that there is at least a single place where something is wrong with women or religion. But we do think that there are the worst countries to find a wife just because of certain cultural norms, no women’s rights protection, legal discrimination, child marriage, lack of women’s political participation, low number of female citizens, and so on.
According to multiple research on gender equality and demographics statistics, the worst countries for dating and cross-cultural marriage:
- Afghanistan
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- India (rural parts)
- Iran
What’s wrong with them, and where will a man have a much better chance of finding a foreign wife? Find all the answers here!
3 best sites to find a foreign wife
Cross-cultural dating is real. Moreover, it’s getting more and more common. There are a lot of places where young women are interested in dating foreigners, cultural diversity is encouraged, and the institution of the family is still strong enough. You can meet them on top dating sites, so take a look at the most promising platforms in the international dating market.
1. Afghanistan — A place you can’t even visit

- Women can legally get married at the age of 16
- Women can’t even legally move around alone in public places
- Marriages with non-muslims are illegal
Horrible gender imbalance, gender discrimination, tradition to force women to get married at a very young age—all this is about Afghanistan. However, though the situation was very bad, it got even worse when the Taliban came to power. You probably saw those photos of Afghanistan people packed on a US military plane, and that pretty much describes what’s going on in the country.
There’s nothing wrong with local women except for the fact that they were raised in a very conservative society, but it’s just impossible to build relationships with them for so many reasons. A woman will be punished most severely for a relationship with a foreign man. On top of that, it’s dangerous for foreigners (especially Americans) to enter the country.
2. Qatar — It’s not only about the disastrous World Cup

- Women have no right to get married, enter the universities, or work without permission
- No public displays of affection are allowed, let alone premarital sex
- Even local couples can’t live together without getting married
There’s much to say about Qatar. On the one hand, it’s a very rich country. On the other hand, it’s definitely not a democratic republic. The last FIFA World Cup in Qatar showed that to the entire world.
Money is important, but it’s definitely not everything. Unfortunately, this country has nothing to do with cultural diversity, the government restrictі women’s rights, and Sharia law just won’t let a non-Muslim marry a Muslim. Basically, this is why it’s considered the worst nationality to date, let alone find an intimate partner.
3. Saudi Arabia — Undemocratic luxury

- The male guardianship system restricts the rights of women
- Premarital sex is a taboo
- Marriages with foreigners are forbidden by Sharia law
Nearly the same goes for Saudi Arabia. It may seem that Saudi Arabia is getting more and more secular, but in reality, Beyonce’s concert taking place at one of the most luxurious hotels doesn’t change anything in the society. In reality, women are still discriminated against, and cultural norms are not changing.
Again, economic prosperity is undeniable, but women are still under the control of their fathers, brothers, and of course, husbands. Premarital sex is an absolute taboo, and females are not involved in decision-making. Moreover, like in the case of Qatar, KSA courts do not let a non-muslim marry a Muslim. So basically, yes, it can be considered the worst nationality to marry, not because of the local women, but because of the local laws.
4. India (rural parts) — Two different Indias

- Men outnumber women significantly
- Arranged marriages are still a thing in rural parts of India
- Though the legal age of marriage is 18, 3 in 5 girls in villages get married at a younger age
Which country has the worst the worst wives? India is hardly the first place that comes to mind, but there are two different Indias—the urban one and the rural one. It’s a pretty common situation for some Asian countries. For example, in China, the difference between life in a small village and life in a big city is dramatic, too. So, what’s wrong with rural India? Everything is simple. Tradition is too strong, and not in a good way.
Of course, saying that the Sati practice is still common (a wife sacrificing herself after a husband’s death) would be a huge exaggeration, but the fact is that a few women were saved from burning themselves alive just because the police stopped them. Aside from that, it’s about arranged marriages, conservative families, and the stigmatization of intermarriage of any kind. Note that though the situation is a bit better in big cities, the chance of meeting a conservative woman from a traditional family is still too high.
5. Iran — The most liberal of all non-liberal Muslim countries?

- No marriages with non-Muslims are allowed
- Women have no legal protection against violence
- A lot of activities, from dancing to riding a bicycle, are forbidden for women, too
You probably heard about the recent protests in Iran. They show how conservative, in the worst sense, and even cruel the government is. Yes, the country can be different. Iran has not always been the death penalty champion and the country where a woman can be murdered by police for not wearing a hijab (google Iran in the 1970s, and you’ll see the difference between old and modern Iran). But we have what we have now.
Everything said about Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and sometimes Afghanistan, is also true for Iran. In some aspects, the situation is even worse compared to the more secular KSA. Nonetheless, if you wonder which is the worst country to find a wife, Iran definitely can compete with most other countries.
Top 3 countries to find a wife that we recommend



So, these are the worst countries to find a wife. But what’s the best nationality to marry? At the moment, the largest number of men prefer to search for girlfriends and future wives in places like:
- Ukraine. Though just like in most other countries of Europe, women in Ukraine are still fighting for real gender equality, the government doesn’t restrict women’s rights. Most get bachelor’s and master’s degrees and are employed. Also, Ukrainian women are very attractive, family-minded, intelligent, honest, and rather open-minded overall. Many are attracted to foreigners, so the chance of impressing a local woman is higher than in many other countries. Also, there are thousands of legit mail-order brides from Ukraine looking for love online on top international dating platforms.
- Mexico. Mexico is a great place to visit and find love, especially for Americans, and that’s not only about the geographical closeness. Local women are characterized as benevolent, caring, supportive, beautiful, and loving wives. Dating and intermarriage aren’t stigmatized in Mexico, either, and there are a lot of legit mail-order brides from this particular country on many reputable Latin dating sites.
- The Philippines. Filipino women marry men from all over the globe, in particular, from the US, the UK, and South Korea. Cross-cultural marriages have been common for centuries, and the divorce prohibition only increased the number of Filipino women who preferred foreigners. Of course, they found partners overseas not because they wanted to divorce them one day. The thing is, due to this prohibition, love triangles were common in the country (a wife-husband-mistress family model)—and that is what most women were trying to avoid. The demand for Filipinas in the bride market is more than just high because locals are known as the kindest, most sociable, hospitable, and loving wives.
These are not even all the options. There are a lot of places in the world where peace and security are guaranteed and women are certainly into relationships with foreign men.
Bonus tip

There are multiple places where gender-based violence, economic instability, and domestic violence are changing society and the institution of the family so dramatically that make it nearly impossible for foreigners to marry locals.
However, there are other places in the world where you can safely find a partner. Of course, we wouldn’t recommend you join a dating site or go to the country right after you see it’s on the list of “good countries,” even if it’s our ranking. Do deeper research on the national peculiarities and make sure you know exactly what to expect from local women—and then take more serious steps.