Why the usual advice does not quite fit
Most advice about choosing a dating app assumes you already know the place: the neighbourhoods, the way people date, which app your friends use. After a move you often know none of that. You may be dating in a second language, you may not know yet whether you are staying, and the people you talk to may have no idea what it took to get here.
None of that is a problem. It just means the questions worth asking are slightly different. Below are the ones we would ask of any app, including ours.
Start with what you actually want
Before comparing apps, be honest with yourself about what you are looking for right now. A serious relationship, something more relaxed, or simply company while you settle in are all reasonable, and they point to different places. If you are not ready to date yet, there is no shame in that; our guide to dating after moving abroad talks about knowing when you are ready.
Whatever you choose, pick an app that lets you say what you want clearly on your profile. It saves everyone time, and it filters out people looking for something else before the first message.
Check what verification really means
Many apps show a badge that says “verified”. The useful question is: verified how, and by whom? Some apps check that a selfie matches the photos, some only that a phone number works, and some check nothing at all beyond an email address. A badge that anyone can get by paying is not verification.
Look for a plain explanation of what the check involves. A face match tells you the person in the photos is the person using the account. It is not a background check, and no app can promise that everyone is honest. Treat verification as one layer of safety, not a guarantee.
- Is the check done by a person, by software, or both?
- Does it happen before a profile is visible, or only if someone chooses to do it?
- Does the app say what the badge does not prove?
Look at what it lets you say about yourself
When you have moved countries, the things that make two people compatible often go beyond a shared postcode: the languages you speak, where you grew up, how long you have been here, whether you plan to stay. An app that lets you say those things, and lets others search on them, will usually lead to better conversations than one that only shows a photo and a distance.
Be wary of the opposite. An app has no reason to ask about your immigration status, and you should never have to share it. We would also be cautious about apps that let people filter by ethnicity. Shared languages and experiences say far more about whether two people will get on.
Read the pricing page before you write your profile
Dating apps make money in different ways, and it shapes how they feel to use. Some put the most useful features, such as seeing who liked you, behind a subscription. Others limit how many people you can like each day unless you pay.
Read what is free and what is not before you invest time in a profile. Check how a subscription renews and how to cancel it. If an app pushes you to pay before you have had a single conversation, that tells you something about its priorities.
Privacy: location, photos and your phone number
Check what other people can see about where you are. Showing your city or a rounded distance is normal; showing your exact location is not necessary, and it is a risk. Also check whether you can hide when you were last active, and whether you can delete your account and your data easily.
A good app lets you talk, and ideally call, without handing over your phone number. Someone pushing to move the conversation to another messaging app very early is one of the most common patterns in scams, which our article on romance scams that target newcomers explains.
See how easy it is to report someone
Before you need it, find out how reporting works. How many taps does it take from a conversation? Does reporting also block the person straight away? Does a person read reports, and does the app tell you what happened?
An app that hides the report button deep in a menu, or never says what it does with reports, is telling you how seriously it takes safety. Our safety page shows what we think good looks like.
Local apps, international apps, or both
The apps people use differ from country to country, and the most popular one where you have moved may not be the one you used at home. It is worth asking colleagues or new friends what they use. There is nothing wrong with using more than one app, as long as you apply the same checks to each.
An app built for people who have moved will put you in front of people who understand that experience. A general app near you may have more people overall. Many people find the combination works best.
Where ImmigrantsDating fits
We built ImmigrantsDating as a dating app for immigrants, expats and anyone dating across cultures, wherever they live. A person checks every profile, comparing a selfie with the photos, before anyone can see it. You can say where you are from, where you live now and which languages you speak, and seeing who liked you is free. You can translate a message in chat with one tap, free, and call a match inside the app without sharing your phone number.
We are also new, so a large general app may have more people near you today. If what we are building sounds right for you, create a profile or get notified at launch, and read how it works first.
Questions people ask
Is it a good idea to use a dating app soon after moving?
It can be, if you feel ready. Many people use apps alongside other ways of meeting people, such as classes, clubs and work. If you mostly want company while you settle in, groups and activities may help more than dating at first.
Do I need to tell a dating app about my immigration status?
No. A dating app has no reason to ask, and you should not share it on a profile or with people you have just met. Compatibility is about languages, values, plans and what you want, not paperwork.
Does a verified badge mean someone is safe?
No badge can promise that. A face-match check tells you the person in the photos is the one using the account. Still meet in public, keep money out of it, and report anything that feels wrong.