Love has no bounds, and Social Discovery Group’s 2025 Digital Intimacy Trends Report proves it. Specifically, the report found that “71% of singles want to build connections across countries, compared to 12% before the pandemic.” 

This post-pandemic jump indicates a clear shift in the mind of the consumer. Instead of searching for love in their own backyards, people are ready and willing to buy a plane ticket – and to accept the challenges that come with dating across borders. But how to account for this newfound desire to see the world? 

Whether it’s pandemic-induced wanderlust or flat-out lust in general, people are more open-minded about finding love in other countries than ever before. 

After the Worst of the Pandemic, People Are Ready To Explore 

In some ways, the increased enthusiasm for international dating comes as a surprise. Tinder, which provides matches based on the user’s location, was more popular than ever in 2020. The reason for this is obvious: Worldwide quarantines confined users to social bubbles, and Covid was dangerous enough to convince most people to stay there. Dating in one’s comfort zone wasn’t only safer — it was the only option. 

And as Tinder’s 2021 trend roundup, “The Future of Dating,” predicted, “People will always want to date someone close by.” 

“While technology continues to enable people to live or work anywhere, they are still coming to Tinder to find someone who lives close to them,” according to Tinder’s trend forecast. “This trend suggests that there won’t be a post-pandemic surge in long-distance relationships.” 

But the ways of the heart are nearly impossible to predict, as the 59-point jump indicates — especially when you factor in a worldwide pandemic. 

If all that time spent quarantining taught people anything, it’s that life is too short to confine finding a soulmate to one neighborhood. The early 2020s were defined by staying in, and the mid-late 2020s may be defined by going out and looking beyond one’s own self-imposed borders. 

Dating Apps With Global Dating Features 

Online dating is the new normal. If 71% of the people surveyed by Social Discovery Group are truly interested in connecting with people from other countries, then they have many cultures — and potential partners — to explore. With this in mind, people are more likely to take advantage of the international dating features offered by dating apps and sites. 

In 2020, even Tinder temporarily made its Passport feature free for all users, despite being a premium feature for Tinder’s Plus and Gold subscriptions. “I’m happy we’ve been able to make our Passport feature, which allows you to connect with anyone, anywhere in the world, available for free to all members,” Tinder’s then-CEO, Elie Seidman, said in 2020. 

Tinder isn’t the only dating app or site that gives users the option to find global matches. Bumble Premium offers Travel Mode, and eHarmony describes itself as “the premium international dating site for singles seeking relationships.” And with Grindr’s Roam feature, users can set their location to anywhere in the world for one hour. People want to find love in other countries, and the apps are responding in kind.  

Matchmakers Have Long Embraced International Dating 

Online dating may have allowed users to connect with people all over the world, but even people who prefer in-person dating have expanded their romantic horizons. For decades — and centuries, in some cases — matchmakers have offered, and even encouraged, clients to embrace international connections. 

“We encourage our clients to think globally because expanding your search can dramatically increase your chances of finding your true match,” Jessica Fass, a matchmaker with more than a decade of experience, told us. She pointed out how international dating is especially common for those seeking Jewish partners. “In the Jewish community, long-distance and international dating is quite common because many singles are willing to travel — or even relocate — for a partner who aligns with their exact level of religious observance and values,” she explained. 

Many matchmakers, particularly those who cater to people with certain religions or preferences, understand the potential benefits to widening their search for love to new countries. “Love knows no zip code, and with the right mindset, communication, and strategic approach, international dating can lead to meaningful and long-lasting relationships,” Fass told us. 

A shift this large (from 12% to 71%) shouldn’t go unaddressed by professionals in the dating industry. It represents the consumer’s general desire for expansion, exploration, and even for adventure. And as daters continue to search high, low, and around the world for love, they’ll keep looking for new apps on which they can make those connections.