90 Day Fiance's eighth season premiered with Natalie Mordovtseva getting her K-1 visa approved to move to the United States to be with an unprepared Mike Youngquist, the return of Rebecca Parrott and Zied Hakimi, the introduction of Brandon Gibbs and Julia Trubkina, and Yara Zaya arriving in the United States to hopefully marry Jovi Dufren in 90 days during Sunday night's episode on TLC.
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RELATED LINK: '90 DAY FIANCE' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY KNOW? (PHOTOS)
Mike and Natalie previously starred on Season 7 of 90 Day Fiance, Rebecca and Zied first appeared on 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days' third season, and Tarik and Hazel found fame on Season 2 of 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days.
The four new couples starring on Season 8 of 90 Day Fiance are Brandon, a 27-year-old from Dinwiddie, VA, and Julia, a 26-year-old from Russia; Jovi, a 29-year-old from New Orleans, LA, and Yara, a 25-year-old from Ukraine; Stephanie Davison, a 52-year-old from Grand Rapids, MI, and Ryan Carr, a 27-year-old from Belize; and Andrew Kenton, a 32-year-old from Roseville, CA, and Amira Lollysa, a 28-year-old from France.
90 Day Fiance features Americans who have fallen in love with foreigners bringing their fiances to the United States on K-1 visas.
However, once the couple is in America together, the American must marry their overseas partner within the 90-day period allowed by the visa or the foreigner has to return to their home country.
Below is the latest on several of 90 Day Fiance's eighth-season couples based on the first episode.
MIKE AND NATALIE
Mike, a 35-year-old from Sequim, WA, who is called "Big Mike," said he's always happy and full of energy. About a year ago, Mike had purchased 27 acres of land that had been in his family for generations.Mike said he loved working the land but it's a lot of work. Luckily, his uncle Beau was living in his house and helping him with all the daily tasks. Mike called Natalie, a 35-year-old from Ukraine, goofy, funny, smart, sassy, kind and loving.
After a year of talking, Mike flew to Ukraine and met Natalie in person, and he said they had chemistry and really hit it off. Mike therefore asked Natalie to marry him and then they applied for the K-1 visa.
Mike thought the paperwork would go quick, but after six months of waiting and not seeing her, Mike decided to visit Natalie in the Ukraine to see her again. Mike said the trip had many highs and lows, including how Natalie was trying to push her faith on Mike and insisted she wanted to get pregnant right away.
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RELATED LINK: '90 DAY FIANCE' COUPLES NOWMike wanted Natalie to accept him for who he is, and the biggest fight sparked once Natalie claimed she wasn't in love with Mike yet due to their differences. Natalie even gave Mike her engagement ring back, which made Mike feel "lost."
Mike said he and Natalie didn't speak much after the trip and Natalie's behavior was "unacceptable."
Footage from the couple's Tell-All appearance then aired and reminded viewers how Natalie had felt "betrayed" when Mike stayed the night at a female friend's house. Natalie assumed Mike and his friend had slept together, and it was clear Natalie lacked trust in Mike.
Mike said he'd never cheat on Natalie and after doing a lot of talking, the pair were trying to work on things. Natalie's K-1 visa had yet to be approved, however, and Mike said Natalie's outbursts made him take a step back and be cautious.
Suddenly, Natalie revealed to Mike over videochat her visa had been approved, and Mike said he felt "happy and excited" but wasn't prepared for such news so early. Mike admitted he was experiencing good and bad emotions at the same time because he and Natalie had issues.
Natalie said the visa only lasted a certain time and so she needed to travel to the United States within 20 days.
"That's very, very fast," Mike noted, before Natalie said she had already looked into flights.
Mike said the couple had a lot to talk about and figure out -- including their communication, anger and jealousy. Mike said he wasn't ready to get married but this was the "Hail Mary" and the pair at least needed to try.
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Mike said he planned to help Beau find a place of his own but he wasn't about to kick a family member out of his house without warning. Mike told the cameras Natalie needed to be "more open and accepting," especially of his own family.
RELATED LINK: '90 DAY FIANCE: BEFORE THE 90 DAYS' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (PHOTOS)
Mike promised Natalie they'd be alone at one point, and he hoped they could discover themselves in the 90 days and truly fall in love.
Natalie was only four days from hopping on a plane, and Mike promised to be nice to Natalie.
REBECCA AND ZIED
Rebecca, a 49-year-old fast-food manager from Woodstock, GA, has had many jobs, including working as a private investigator and motorcycle mechanic. Rebecca called her job hard work with long hours because she was responsible for a lot of working parts and admitted she's a perfectionist and control freak.Rebecca jokingly called herself an old-fashioned southern girl outside of work, and she was shown getting a tattoo in honor of her fiance and love of her life, Zied, a 27-year-old from Tunis, Tunisia.
Rebecca got a tattoo that says, "I am yours, and you are mine."
Rebecca met Zied on Facebook and immediately fell in love with his eyes.
After three failed marriages, Rebecca certainly wasn't looking for a relationship with someone "an ocean away," but she said she found him very charming once they began talking and she quickly fell in love with him despite their 22-year age gap.
Rebecca was terrified what Zied would think about her in person for the first time, but Zied thought Rebecca was so beautiful at first sight. The pair, however, had to overcome some serious issues in Tunisia due to Zied's conservative cultural and religious upbringing.
But Rebecca said Zied's proposal in the Sahara Desert completely changed her life and she began the long legal process of bringing Zied to America once she returned home on a 90-day fiance visa.
Rebecca said she had to become a restaurant manager in order to make enough money to support Zied financially once he entered the United States, and their K-1 visa had yet to be approved. The couple still had one important step to go -- Zied's interview.
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Zied had to prove he was in his relationship with Rebecca for the right reasons, and Rebecca assumed they were having problems because Zied was not her first relationship with a man from an Arab country.
After Rebecca's second marriage and divorce, she found a 20-year-old Moroccan man online who came across very charming and romantic at the time.
Rebecca said the pair got married in Morocco and then she brought him home on a spousal visa, but once they made it back to America, she said everything changed and he was only with her for a Green Card.
Rebecca therefore left the man, and she worried how her past was going to affect Zied's interview and future with her. Rebecca therefore asked Zied not to seem angry about her past marriages.
Zied's interview was only two days away, and Rebecca hoped his K-1 visa would get approved so they could be together. Zied's sister Wien apparently wasn't happy about Zied leaving Tunisia, but Rebecca was prepared to do everything in her power to make her relationship work.
Later on, Rebecca -- a mother of three kids -- stopped at her daughter's Tiffany and her fiance Micah's place. Rebecca said they butted heads often because they're both strong-willed but they're extremely close.
Rebecca said the lease on her apartment was about to expire and so she and Zied were going to stay with Tiffany and Micah for awhile. Rebecca already had $15,000-20,000 invested in her relationship, so she didn't have much money to spare.
Rebecca planned to look for a new place while living with Tiffany, and Rebecca admitted that Zied was going to be uncomfortable with the living arrangement -- mainly because Rebecca and Micah would be in the same household.
Zied, being a conservative Muslim, frowned upon the idea of Rebecca walking around the apartment in her pajamas with Micah around.
RELATED LINK: '90 DAY FIANCE: HAPPILY EVER AFTER?' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (PHOTOS)
Tiffany tried to be supportive, but she didn't like the idea of Zied trying to control Rebecca.
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Rebecca just wished someone could be happy for her and say that she deserved love. Rebecca hoped bringing Zied to the United States wouldn't end up being for nothing.
BRANDON AND JULIA
Brandon, a 27-year-old pest-control technician from Dinwiddie, VA, said he enjoys his job because he doesn't need to be stuck in an office all day. Brandon also helps his parents run a farm and dog-breeding kennel.Brandon planned to take over the family business one day, and he revealed he's "definitely very close" with his father Ron and mother Betty.
Brandon admitted his mother could be controlling at times and tried to tell him what to do, but he wanted a relationship like his parents.
Brandon had never been in a serious relationship before. While he apparently fell head over heels for women before, they never reciprocated the feelings for him.
Brandon called himself "a late bloomer" and noted women were never really interested in him. Since Brandon's parents were worried about his future, they signed him up on a dating app for farmers.
"I had an adorable picture with you and mini-goat," Betty joked.
But Brandon said he never needed to use the dating app because he met Julia, a 26-year-old from Krasnodar City, Russia. He said she loves a challenge and is competitive, having done beauty pageants and bodybuilding competitions.
Brandon met Julia, a dancer who works in a club as a go-go dancer, through his best friend. Brandon said he fell in love with Julia at first sight when they initially videchatted because she was "the most beautiful" girl he ever saw and he couldn't stop thinking about her.
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"My first message to her was, 'You look like my future wife,' and that was six hours after meeting her on video chat," Brandon revealed. "From that point, we were on the phone every possible second we could be. After a few weeks, I flew over there to ask her to be my girlfriend."
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Since Brandon couldn't stand the thought of living without Julia, after only five months and one visit in person, he invited her to join him in Iceland -- and that's where he proposed marriage to her.
Brandon said Julia understood how important family is to him and so they both subsequently planned a trip to France so their families could meet. After applying for a K-1 visa, six months later, Julia was approved.
"At first, my parents weren't sure about Julia. They weren't sure if she wanted a Green Card or money," Brandon said.
Rob and Betty thought Julia was a very nice girl, but they were still skeptical of her intentions. Brandon had explained to Julia that he's not rich, adding that she "seemed okay about it."
When Julia arrived, she and Brandon would live on his parents' farm together and have 90 days to get married.
Brandon told Julia over videochat they needed to live with his parents to save some money because he had burned through their savings after paying for the both of them to go to Iceland as well as France. Brandon also paid for the K-1 visa, so he said he spent almost $10,000 in seven months.
Julia was also out of work at the time, so he knew he needed to support her.
Julia worried about living with Brandon's parents for too long, but he promised they'd leave at some point and not stay forever. Julia seemingly didn't like the idea of having Brandon's mother around all the time.
RELATED LINK: '90 DAY FIANCE' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY KNOW? (PHOTOS)
"My mother can be overbearing, which is why I kind of think they will butt heads and clash," Brandon explained in a confessional.
Betty was apparently concerned about Julia's career as a dancer, saying she hoped she was never a prostitute, stripper or call-girl. Betty hoped Julia would embrace the farm and help out with chores that needed to be done.
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"This is probably the first time in a relationship I've been this vulnerable," Brandon shared. "I don't know how sure I am that we're meant to be together, but I know how sure I am that I want to be with her."
Brandon, however, had yet to tell Julia they were going to sleep in separate bedrooms while staying in his parents' house. Brandon also had a feeling he and Julia would stay with his parents for the whole 90 days due to his financial position.
Brandon planned to pick Julia up in Washington, D.C., but little did Julia know his mother would be joining them for a weekend of sightseeing. But Brandon was excited about sharing a hotel room with Julia alone and having an intimate night together.
Brandon then revealed to his mother that Julia was not on birth control and she didn't want to be and so they weren't exactly being safe.
The day then arrived for Brandon to pick Julia up at the airport, and he was optimistic his mother and fiancee would get along. Brandon has one half-brother and two half-sisters from his parents' side, but he's Betty's only child.
On the ride to the airport, Betty called a gynecologist, saying Julia was about to arrive in America and needed to be on some form of birth control. Brandon just ignored his mother, knowing this would be Julia's choice and Julia's choice alone.
RELATED LINK: '90 DAY FIANCE: BEFORE THE 90 DAYS' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (PHOTOS)
Brandon admitted he realized in France that Julia had the tendency to have mood swings, and he called her "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." He had to go through a lot of hoops to be with Julia, and so he just wanted everything to go perfectly.
JOVI AND YARA
Jovi, a 29-year-old who works in underwater robotics from New Orleans, LA, said he loves living in New Orleans, where the vibe is great and there's a lot of partying and stuff to do.Jovi grew up on the bayou in Louisiana, so he enjoyed being a city boy. Jovi said he enjoyed hunting, fishing, cooking food and drinking with his friends.
Jovi had traveled to about 25 countries just for work. He said upon visiting a country, he'd stay on the boat the whole time for 28 days straight. However, after four weeks of working, he got four weeks off and got to explore.
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Jovi therefore met Yara during a trip to Budapest. He had no expectations when they first met and said his first night with Yara was really awkward and there were many moments of silence.
But after a few glasses of wine, Jovi said they "hooked up, had really good sex and then things got better from that point.
Jovi told the cameras Yara is a girly-girl who loves fashion, makeup and designer bags but he's a simple guy who loves the outdoors. However, Jovi pointed out they are both family-oriented and share similar values, which was important to him.
RELATED LINK: '90 DAY FIANCE: HAPPILY EVER AFTER?' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (PHOTOS)
During the next few months after meeting, Jovi and Yara kept taking vacations together such as Bali, the Dominican Republic and the Ukraine multiple times. The pair traveled and enjoyed life, and then Jovi revealed he got Yara pregnant, which was a huge shock for him.
"I was dumbfounded, it was so unexpected. This is not what I'm ready for. I thought she was trying to trap me. I thought, 'This is her ticket to America,'" Jovi admitted. "But after the shock wore off, it actually pulled us pretty close together."
At that point, Jovi and Yara were six months into their relationship, and he said they loved each other. Jovi therefore proposed marriage to Yara during a trip to Cuba, and then they applied for the K-1 visa.
"But then we got bad news. Yara lost the baby," Jovi revealed.
Since Yara was no longer pregnant, Jovi confessed he came down with a case of cold feet and realized there was no rush to get married anymore and settle down together in America.
But after more time passed, Jovi determined Yara was the person he wanted to be with and he felt good about having her in his life. Yara was prepared to move to Louisiana in just a few days after her K-1 visa was approved.
Jovi said his mother Gwen was Yara's biggest supporter, but Gwen was surprised about her son's marriage. Gwen apparently always thought her son would marry a sweet southern girl, and she had trouble picturing Yara liking Jovi's lifestyle of hunting and fishing.
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Due to Jovi's hectic work schedule, he said he'd only have two weeks with Yara to move into an apartment and then Jovi had to work for a month. They wouldn't have 90 days like the average K-1 visa couple, so Jovi was a bit concerned they'd have less than 60 days together.
RELATED LINK: '90 DAY FIANCE: BEFORE THE 90 DAYS' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (PHOTOS)
Gwen thought the situation was "absolutely nuts" and she didn't understand how Jovi and Yara were going to make this work. She feared her son's relationship was going to fall apart, and Gwen wasn't even convinced Jovi was truly ready for marriage.
Jovi then visited a friend Kline, who is a responsible guy Jovi always counted out. Kline had a three-month-old baby girl with his girlfriend Sara, and Jovi considered them family.
Sara said she never saw Jovi settling down because he was essentially a party animal who loved his freedom. Sara didn't think Jovi was ready for the challenges that were going to come with being in a serious relationship, and she warned Jovi his life was going to change.
Neither Sara or Kline thought the relationship was going to work out, and Sara predicted Jovi's life was going to spiral out of control.
Jovi admitted he's a free spirit who likes to drink and doesn't really think before acting, so he acknowledged a woman coming into his life and trying to change him would be tough.
Jovi was later shown buying flowers and picking up Yara at the airport. He admitted she's high-maintenance and so a lot of work had to be done to get their place ready.
Jovi knew this relationship was crazy and it even shocked himself he was so wrapped up in one woman. Jovi just wanted Yara to like his city and his friends.
"If Yara and I don't work out, I'll be devastated," Jovi told the cameras.
Jovi and Yara then reunited in the airport, and they hugged. Yara joked she smelled bad and felt gross, but she blurted out, "Hurrah! Viva to America!"
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When asked to reveal what she loved most about Jovi, Yara wasn't sure what to say other than he has a good body -- or at least had a good boy before, when they first met.
Yara had traveled 30 hours, so she just wanted to go to bed and sleep. Jovi wanted to show her the city and introduce her to some good food, so Jovi confessed, "This was definitely not the first night in New Orleans I had imagined."
RELATED LINK: '90 DAY FIANCE' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY KNOW? (PHOTOS)
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
