Where can I find a foreign boyfriend or girlfriend? Safe, realistic ways to meet

Where people from different countries actually meet

• Work and study. International companies, universities and co-working spaces are where most cross-border couples meet.
• Language exchanges. People learning your language are, by definition, interested in your culture, and the format makes conversation easy.
• Expat and hobby groups. Sports clubs, hiking groups and volunteer organisations in big cities usually have a mix of locals and newcomers.
• Singles events in large cities. Events like speed dating are open to anyone who registers, so in a city with many residents from abroad you may meet people from several countries in one evening.

Choose the person, not the passport

A relationship works when two people share values and want the same things, wherever they are from. Looking only for "a foreigner" tends to attract people who are looking only for "a local", which is a weak start. Be curious about the person: what they do, why they live where they live, and what they want in the next few years.

Romance scams: the warning signs

• They ask for money, gift cards, cryptocurrency or help with a fee, for any reason.
• They say they love you very quickly but always have a reason not to video call.
• They are always abroad, on a ship, an oil rig or a military posting, and can never meet.
• They want to move from the dating app to a private chat app within the first messages.
• Their photos look like a model's; a reverse image search finds them under another name.

If you see two or more of these, stop replying and report the profile on the platform where you met.

Meeting safely for the first time

• Meet in a public place and tell a friend where you are going.
• Arrange your own transport there and back.
• Keep your passport, bank details and home address to yourself until you know the person well.

If you are in Metro Manila

Flinkos runs speed dating events in Metro Manila. Anyone 18 or over can register, you say who you would like to meet, and contact details are shared only when both people want to see each other again, which keeps the first step in person and in public.