90 Day Fiancé: Shocking rules of the show have been revealed by former contestants

90 Day Fiancéis a TLC reality television series that follows couples who have applied for or received a K-1 visa, which is only available to foreign fiancés of US citizens, and thus have 90 days to marry. The one-of-a-kind series started in January 2014and has since completed nine seasons.

The rules

To be considered for the series, engaged couples must show that they have met in person, even if they met online and have a long-distance relationship. To appear on the show, the couple must provide proof of this to the producers.

This rule, however, is not a deciding factor for entertainment; rather, it is an official rule in order to be granted the K-1 fiancé visa to enter America to meet. According to Screen Rant, couples who want to appear on the show must provide solid evidence such as dated photos, flight documents, and other official forms.

Another crucial rule that cannot be overlooked during the show's audition process is the willingness of the prospective cast to provide personal information about themselves to producers. According to Screen Rant, one of the former cast members, Corey Rathgeber, confirmed this when he criticized Geoffrey Paschel's presence on the show, despite Paschel's history of violent criminalcharges.

It also appears that females on the show must maintain a specific posture and appearance. This was revealed when an Instagram user questioned former90 Day Fiancéstar Anfisa Arkhipchenko about why all of the women on the show sit in a peculiar manner. The social media user specifically inquired as to why all of the women on the show sat with their legs elevated and their feet on the table.

In response, Arkhipchenko stated,

Producers make all women on the show sit like this, if you haven't noticed.

Without knowing the intention behind the order, producers faced harsh criticism, with many 90 Day Fiancé fans labeling the rule as 'creepy' and sexiest.

Producers go to great lengths to verify participant relationships. This is to ensure that the couples are not faking the relationship. Executive producer, Matt Sharpe in an interview reported by Screen Rant said,

Everyone we feature on the show, they found themselves organically.

To prove how organic their relationship really is, it is probable that potential cast members have to provide text messages and other forms of documentation to demonstrate that they're legitimate.

Participants' challenges

As if the enormous rules for this popular reality show were not enough, contestants also have to endure severe financial challenges. This is because the cast members are in long-distance relationships and have to frequently meet their partners.

And to top it all, visa applications also become another huge financial burden. If the couple makes it, gets engaged, and decides to tie the knot, the amount of money they will need is unbelievably expensive.

You might think that producers are the ones who bear the costs of everything; if those were your thoughts before, then you are sadly mistaken, as all the financial burdens lie on the cast. Former 90 Day Fiancé cast member Deavan Clegg revealed to Screen Rant that the show does not provide flights for contestants except for the season finale reunion episode.

According to reports, foreign cast members on the show suffer the most, as they are not paid for their appearance. 90 Day Fiancé's American cast members are expected to earn around $1,000 per episode, which is significantly less than the average annual salary.

Several former cast members have also accused the show's producers of fabricating certain scenes. They claimed that they were forced to follow scripts written by the crew in order to make the show more interesting to the audience, who craved dramatic moments.

Prior to becoming contestants, cast members are also encouraged to sign non-disclosure agreements. According to sources, this action is intended to prohibit participants from leaking secrets before the episodes air or from spreading negative information about the series.

Transparency is one of the most important requirements for participating in 90 Day Fiancé. They must be willing to share every detail of their personal lives and to allow cameras to follow them for an extended period of time.

It seems that couples in 'toxic' relationships are preferred during the audition process because producers need more drama to boost viewership. As per Screen Rant:

In other words, the show's producers looks for big personalities and exceptionally unconventional relationship dynamics. This helps keep viewers interested in the show, but many would argue this could be exploitive, especially if a couple seems to be rather toxic.

Couples who are still together

Like any other couple reality show, the cast of 90 Day Fiancé has ups and downs. Some couples have divorced over the years, while others are still happy together, with some even starting a family.

According to Top 5 Stories, these couples from the show are still together and growing stronger. Alan and Kirlyam Cox welcomed their son, Liam, in October 2017 and remain married. Louis and Aya Gattone met online and began dating, but Aya relocated to the United States to be with Louis. Mike and Aziza Eloshway are still together after meeting online in 2013 and welcoming their daughter, Olivia.

Sources used:

Screen Rant: 90 Day Fiancé: 10 Rules The Cast And Crew Have To Follow

Top 5 Stories: 90 Day Fiance’ Original Couples Status Check: Who Is Still Together?