Long-distance relationships can be complicated enough during even the best circumstances, but serious relationships with citizens of another country come with even more obstacles than just the distance. The United States allows some such couples to receive a K-1 or "fiancé" visa, but, once that is obtained, the couple only has 90 days to decide once and for all if the relationship is truly built to last.
The popular TLC reality show 90 Day Fiancé explores the many ups and downs of these international relationships, and, while some couples do truly appear to be in love, others seem destined for failure. While the show's many turbulent pairings often steal the show, it's important to reflect on some of the genuine couples who made it work in spite of the atypical circumstances.
Updated on April 17th, 2022 by Tanner Fox: TLC's 90 Day Fiancé has become one of the network's most talked-about programs, and that's due in no small part to the many abrasive couples it has featured over the years. From long-distance relationships that seemed doomed to fail to sudden marriages that quickly fall apart, romantic turbulence is a major part of the appeal for many viewers. That said, it's not all gloom and cynicism. In fact, though they aren't discussed as often, there have been dozens of pleasantly and memorably cute couples on 90 Day Fiancé.
Cutest
Russ and Paola
Featured in the series' very first season, Russ (27) and Paola (26) stole each other's hearts, and then they stole the hearts of fans. The couple originally met in Pao's home country of Colombia while Russ was on a work trip. Unable to stay away from each other, the two moved to Russ's parents' home in Oklahoma, but quickly settled into an apartment of their own in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Despite the loneliness and culture shock of moving to a new country and sporadic financial troubles as the two learned to live together as a couple on a budget, Paola and Russ remained passionately in love throughout the 90 days, and Paola quickly made friends with Russ's family.
Danny and Amy
Danny (23) from the United States, and Amy (21) from South Africa, met while on a trip to Australia. The couple fell in love and were engaged in spite of having to return to their respective countries. Upon receiving the K-1 visa, Amy moved from South Africa to live in the US where she stayed with Danny's brother and his wife until the wedding.
The two seemed truly in love and excited to embark upon their new lives throughout the season. Through kindness and patience, Amy and her family even managed to gradually win over Danny's openly prejudiced father.
Kyle and Noon
Kyle met his future wife, Noon—her full name being Bajaree Boonma—while on a trip to Thailand. They later moved to New Orleans, Louisiana where he lived in a cramped, messy home with his roommate. Unimpressed with the lack of space and privacy, they moved to their own place shortly after her arrival in the States.
During their 90 days, Kyle and Noon had to confront many issues from minor jealousy from an incident at a bar on Bourbon Street to a very family-oriented Noon being uncomfortable with Kyle's estrangement from his parents. Throughout the good and the bad, the couple remained continuously strong and devoted to one another, and their's was a tale of unlikely perseverance.
Loren and Alexei
True love doesn't always mean that there are no problems during the 90 days, and this was certainly true of the spicy season 3 relationship between the equally headstrong Loren (27) and Alexei (27). Passion sizzled whenever they were in the same room, and even over Skype, but this couple definitely had their ups and downs.
Many fans cringed at the way Loren pushed for former Israeli medic "sexy Alexei" to pursue a modeling career in Florida and again when Alexei had a serious meltdown over Loren's scandalous bachelorette party, but it was clear that the problems came from earnest feelings between the two. Loren and Alexei spent a lot of the season working on communication and relationship expectations, and there's is another tale of overcoming long odds in the name of love.
Matt and Alla
"Wholesome" would be an accurate one-word description of this couple. Having met a few years before they became an item, Matt (43) and Alla (30) have one of the longer pre-romance histories, and that made their relationship feel all the more genuine. In season 4, Alla moved with her 7-year-old son, Max, from Ukraine to Kentucky to begin the fairytale life that she'd always dreamed of in America.
Max and Matt quickly hit it off, but Alla's intentions were questioned, and their relationship came under serious fire by almost all of Matt's family and friends. Matt and Alla took every issue in stride and genuinely came off as loving, responsible adults just trying to make a less than traditional relationship work. They are still married and now have one child together.
Evelyn and David
When teen American Idol star Evelyn (18) committed to her relationship with David (27), some of her friends were skeptical. Though it wasn't the most significant age gap ever seen on 90 Day Fiancé, many of the pair's peers saw it as a cause for alarm.
Unfortunately, the two only remained wed for four years, but they were undeniably adorable during their time on the show. Opposites are said to attract, and the grounded, thoughtful David worked well with the bubbly young musician. While it wasn't meant to be, the two at least seemed wholesome throughout their time on the show.
Steven and Olga
There's something intrinsically appealing about young love on 90 Day Fiancé; given that many of the most high-profile relationships featured on the series include complicating age gaps, Steven (20) and Olga (20) came across as both refreshing and adorable.
That said, it wasn't always smooth sailing for the two. After a surprise pregnancy early on in their relationship, things seemed to be pretty tense. The two took a hiatus, but they ultimately patched up their relationship and are currently raising their three-year-old son together in New York City.
Worst
Molly and Luis
Qupid struck unexpectedly and matched Molly (41) and Luis (26) when they first met in the Dominican Republic while Molly was on vacation. Yet, what began as a dream come true for the mother of two turned into a nightmare as tensions rose between her boyfriend and her daughters. Luis was less than interested in being a father figure; he was chatting a bit too candidly about casual sex with teenager Olivia and was totally disinterested at the first sign of conflict with his future stepdaughter Kensley.
It all came to a head in an explosive fight when he blamed their relationship problems on Molly's various knick-knacks around the house, claiming that she was not a real Christian because of the "ungodly" art pieces. The couple was legally married, but they have since divorced.
Danielle and Mohamed
Some couples on 90 Day Fiancé start out strong and then take a turn for the worst, but this was not the case with Danielle (41) and Mohamed (26), as the two didn't start out strong, and they certainly didn't get better as time went on. The mother of four met her Tunisian fiancé in an online chatroom, and, before they knew it, Mohamed moved into her small home with her three teenage daughters. Lies abounded between them as Mohamed quickly found out about Danielle's extensive money issues.
The two married in a ceremony where Mohamed refused to kiss her, and he then disappeared for a week shortly after. The two finally divorced in 2017, and Danielle went on a crusade to have him deported, though that never ended up happening.
Mark and Nikki
Easily one of the most disastrous 90 days that still resulted in a wedding, Mark (58) and Nikki (19) had nothing but problems from the get-go. The audience got an immediate taste of disaster when Mark brought his fiancée home from the Philippines to a home filled with framed pictures of him and his Filipino ex-wife in the bedroom, and he then tried to give Nikki his 21-year-old daughter's hand-me-downs.
Mark rarely acknowledged that he was in the wrong, and the relationship nearly ended when he insisted that Nikki sign a prenuptial agreement so skewed that a lawyer advised her against it. The couple married and later attempted to sue TLC after the 90 Day Fiancé season was filmed.
Jorge and Anfisa
If any couple could give Mark and Nikki a run for their money, it's Jorge (27) and his Russian bride Anfisa (20). Their emotional wedding day shocked fans after a 90 days from hell. The season began with a furious Anfisa refusing to come to the US because Jorge would not buy her a $10,000 designer purse, going so far as to hack into and erase his cell phone.
During their 90 days, Jorge repeatedly made it clear that he was in love with her, and Anfisa repeatedly made it clear that she was with him for the money, asking for a monthly allowance and whining for a $45,000 wedding dress. Constant fights and her keying "idiot" into his car didn't stop the couple from taking the plunge. The two didn't remain wed for very long, and Jorge was eventually arrested and spent more than two years in jail.
Nicole and Azan
Nicole (22) and Azan (24) were featured in both seasons 4 and 5 of 90 Day Fiancé. Nicole first met Azan online, and sparks flew as they quickly fell in love, but problems arose when they couldn't get a K-1 visa without having physically met. Nicole went to Morocco for 5 weeks in season 4, but she immediately found herself overwhelmed by the culture shock.
Their relationship suffered when Nicole refused to adapt to Moroccan customs, often insisting on physical affection in public, which led to many arguments. Azan also had a clear issue with Nicole's weight. They didn't fare much better in season 5, and, as per TheThings, Nicole claims to have broken up with Azan in 2021.
Paul and Karine (Worst)
Perhaps two of the most infamous people ever to star in a TLC series, Paul (33) and Karine (21) never seemed to be on the same wavelength; he was a quirky, risk-averse sort, and she was a young and full-of-life woman from a remote village in Brazil.
In a heartbreaking turn of events for the 90 Day couple, footage surfaced of Karine abusing Paul in late 2021, and the two divorced the following year. The couple had two children together, further complicating matters. Karine spent the first few months of 2022 searching for a new relationship much to Paul's chagrin, and, all in all, things seem to have ended up as rough as they began.
Colt and Larissa
When Larissa (31), a native Brazillian, met her future fiancé Colt (33), in Las Vegas, she was less than impressed with both her partner and his living situation. Larissa didn't seem to be impressed whatsoever with life in Las Vegas, and the fact that Colt lived with his mother made things all the more tense.
Ultimately, the two were briefly wed before Colt was caught up in a cheating scandal, Larissa was charged with domestic assault, and the two separated. The two seemed to be at odds from the jump, and they've gone down as one of 90 Day Faicné's most dysfunctional couples.