90 Day Fiance couple Paul Staehle and Karine Martins have been shown on the brink of divorcing with Paul thinking Karine hates him on 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way's most recent episodes, but did they really split or are they still together and married?
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90 Day Fiance: The Other Way has featured the demise of Paul and Karine's relationship despite the fact they had a baby on the way together.
Paul and Karine, who met online and fell in love after Paul visited Karine in Brazil, got married in 2017, although the wedding didn't air on television until the following year.
Paul and Karine managed to make their relationship work despite speaking different languages, but needing a translator to help them communicate was the least of this couple's hardships.
Karine, for example, suffered through two devastating miscarriages, one of which was documented on Season 2 of 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days.
She also threatened Paul with divorce once before because they were fighting constantly.
Things took a turn for the better, however, when Paul and Karine announced in October 2018 they were expecting a baby. That same month, Paul revealed Karine was pregnant with a baby boy.
90 Day Fiance: The Other Way premiered with, Paul, 35 at the time, working odd jobs on a farm to save up money for his then-pregnant wife and unborn child.
Paul wanted to be by Karine's side throughout her pregnancy more than anything, especially considering the pair feared another miscarriage or a pregnancy complication.
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Paul wanted Karine to give birth in the United States under the care of the best doctors, but since he didn't make $26,000 in annual income and couldn't convince his mother -- or seemingly anyone else -- to sponsor Karine, Paul realized he must move to Brazil in order to make his marriage work.
RELATED LINK: '90 DAY FIANCE' COUPLES NOWPaul was frustrated he couldn't support his wife and baby from the United States, and so he prepared himself for a "huge sacrifice" and permanent stay in Brazil.
"No matter where I go, I'm torn between two worlds," Paul said in an episode early in the season, referencing how it was tough to leave his mother and friends.
"Moving to Brazil and never coming back is nerve-wracking. I love my parents and my family, but I want to be with Karine and I want to be there to help raise my baby when it's born."
Karine, 23, was seven months pregnant at the time Paul arrived in Brazil. She had spent three months alone prior to his arrival and had been taking English classes in order to improve their communication.
Karine, however, didn't feel Paul was making much of an effort to learn Portuguese, work and earn money. She feared Paul wouldn't be able to provide for his family, knowing babies are incredibly expensive to raise.
Karine's brother Bonnie also shared with the cameras that Karine spent a lot of time crying in her bedroom prior to Paul's arrival.
Bonnie didn't really like Paul and considered him to be "an unbalanced person." Bonnie wanted Paul to learn Portuguese and said Karine's husband had the tendency to turn into "a demon" at times.
Karine insisted she truly loved Paul but needed him to "stop the drama," become a good father, and step up to the plate financially.
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But Paul said he was doing everything he could for his wife and was tired of Karine complaining.
Unfortunately for the couple, Paul later discovered his application for permanent residency in Brazil had been denied due to his criminal record.
In a letter Paul received, he was shocked to discover he had been accused of committing a crime of terrorism as well as war crimes -- all of which he had firmly denied.
"Karine is going to be heartbroken. She's going to be just shocked. I only have 10 days to deal with this and then I need to leave the country," Paul said in a confessional.
"I don't want to cause unnecessary drama and then cause her stress and cause problems with the baby. I don't know what to do at this point. I really don't."
Paul was outraged and met with an attorney who could translate the Portuguese letter for him and hopefully get to the bottom of things.
The attorney told Paul that his residency had been denied because he had been charged with "terroristic threatening of the third degree."
Paul said he had a misdemeanor charge on his record from when he had been accused of threatening to slash someone's tires 13 years ago.
Paul claimed he had flipped out because he once returned home from work to find his then-girlfriend inside with another guy. In addition to threatening to slash the man's tires, Paul admitted he had made "some angry comments."
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The attorney said he and Paul must explain to agents of the federal police that what Paul had been charged with back in the United States was not an act of terrorism but rather a normal threatening charge.
Paul asked what his options were, and the attorney said it was going to take a lot of work to appeal and ultimately change the decision.
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Paul vented about how his wife in Brazil was pregnant but he wasn't allowed to stay there, nor was she allowed to move to the United States.
The attorney predicted it could take a week, a month, or maybe even up to a year to reach a solution. Paul figured it was going to be "a serious waiting game" and he could only hope for the best.
When Paul broke the news to Karine he might have to return to the United States, she was devastated and worried because she didn't want to be pregnant and alone.
Karine suggested she and Paul travel to her parents' place in Tonantins, Amazonas, so they'd have more help with the baby upon his arrival.
Karine had a bladder infection at the time, but doctors told her the baby had a "perfect, strong heart."
Karine and Paul's travel time to Tonantins was four or five days by boat. They had a private room so Karine would be more comfortable -- as most people on the boat slept in hammocks -- but Paul hated the brown water and nasty mosquitos.
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Karine couldn't help but question whether Paul would adapt to life in Tonantins, man up and be brave.
But Paul wasn't looking forward to living in an area surrounded by the Amazon jungle. Paul also feared Karine might have a complication considering the nearby medical facilities were "inferior."
Paul and Karine intended to stay with Karine's parents until they could find a place of their own. Living with Karine's mom seemed to be Paul's only option, but it certainly wasn't an easy transition for the reality TV star.
Karine's mother didn't like Paul at all and even called him "a jerk." It didn't help Karine complained to her mother about how Paul hadn't changed and he tended to be selfish.
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Paul then told Karine's mother and father the truth, that the Brazilian federal police thought he was a terrorist and he may be deported back to the United States.
Once Paul revealed the government thought he was a terrorist, Karine's parents were shocked and disturbed. They needed Paul to address this matter immediately, but Karine said all they could do was have trust in Paul's lawyer and pray.
"If Paul has to leave, he will take my heart with him. And not just mine, but my son's," Karine told the cameras.
Paul's lawyer had filed an appeal, but if it didn't work, he and Karine would have to maintain their relationship and raise a baby while living in separate countries -- something Paul admitted would be nearly impossible.
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Paul was upset because his past, once again, had come back to haunt him.
Karine and Paul later decided to hire a real estate agent to help them look for a place of their own.
Paul planned to raise their baby in Tonantins, Brazil, but the possibility of being deported still loomed over his head. He was still anticipating the results of the appeal his lawyer had filed.
Karine and Paul disagreed over apartments because Karine wanted the cheaper apartment that cost $200 a month to rent, while Paul wanted the nicer place that would run them over $1,000 a month in U.S. dollars.
Karine told Paul he didn't have a job and might get deported so they needed to be careful with their money. She was annoyed how Paul always needed to get his way and do things his way.
Karine told Paul to go back to America, and then Paul accused her of wanting a divorce. Karine said Paul was all about "drama, drama, drama."
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Paul said things were tense in Karine's parents' household, especially because her mother didn't like it when Paul called Karine out on his concerns and doubts.
Karine's mother said Paul treated Karine badly and was disrespecting her by asking for a DNA test for the baby.
Paul, however, said the embassy would require a DNA test when requesting citizenship for a child. In the beginning, Paul had questions about the paternity of the baby, but he no longer had those suspicions.
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Karine didn't believe Paul's motive for the test, but Paul insisted it was part of the immigration process.
Paul started singing a different tune, however, when he borrowed Karine's phone for its translation app and a text message suddenly popped up in which Karine was talking to an American man in English.
Paul demanded to know who the guy was, but Karine just told Paul to "stop." She called the mystery man "some guy," but Paul wasn't okay with that. Karine later told the cameras the man was the son of a woman who helps her by sending money.
"My relationship with him is basically like a friend or like a brother. It's nothing romantic like Paul thinks," Karine explained.
Paul admitted they'd have trust issues as long as Karine continued to talk to other men and maybe a baby paternity test was necessary after all. Paul told Karine that he didn't appreciate what she was doing.
Three weeks into their new life together in Tonantins, the couple was living off the small amount of savings Paul had left prior to flying to Brazil, but they were running out fast.
Since Paul didn't have his permanent residency approved, Paul could not apply for a work visa. He was therefore looking for some under-the-table work, but no one seemed to speak English and Paul couldn't speak Portuguese well.
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Karine was very stressed out and unhappy, but Paul was tired of his wife "poking" at him.
Paul therefore left the house and counted to 10 in attempt to calm himself.
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Paul said he gave up everything in the United States to live in Brazil with Karine and be there for her, but he felt nothing he ever did was "good enough" for his pregnant wife.
Paul then told Karine the fact she was communicating with American men in English worried him and hurt his feelings, but Karine said Paul always accused her of cheating when they fought.
"I can't take it anymore, to tell you the truth," Karine said. "Are you afraid someone is going to treat me better than you?"
Paul then flipped out and told Karine to file for divorce if she was so displeased with her marriage.
Paul said his priority was Karine and the baby and he had done everything in his power to prove that, but Karine cried and said she was tired of Paul scaring her and treating her poorly.
Karine admitted her relationship was not working out, and so Karine looked to her mother for support and advice.
"Because I just can't stand it anymore," Karine told the cameras.
Karine told her mother that she thought Paul could be a good husband and father but she believed he was incapable of changing. Karine said actions meant more than words and she was therefore considering a separation.
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Karine didn't want her child to think that's normal behavior and for Paul to potentially treat his son the same way he was treating his wife.
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Karine thought about getting a divorce, and her mother said the sooner Paul is out of the picture and out of their lives, the better it would be for everyone.
Paul then spent the night in a hotel, and when he returned to his home, Karine was gone.
Karine's father told Paul that Karine and her mother had left together on a boat and were heading back to Manaus, a large city in Brazil.
Paul was in shock and felt very hurt and sad because Karine had left him in a place where he didn't speak the language and had no family or friends to count on.
Paul was very confused with everything, but he still wanted to be there for his pregnant wife and reconcile.
The latest episode therefore showed Paul taking a five-day boat ride back to Manaus. He wanted to fix things with Karine and make amends, but he said as long as she continued to talk to American men, they'd have problems.
Karine, however, was pretty torn on how she wanted to proceed in her relationship with Paul.
"I left everything in Tonatins to come to Manaus with my mom because in Manaus there are lawyers that can help me with the divorce," Karine told the cameras.
"But I keep giving Paul chances because my son needs his father. I don't want him to be far from his father. So I'm willing to give him another chance."
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Karine told Paul that he was acting like a bad person and so she didn't want to see him. Karine had no patience for Paul and couldn't believe he was angry with her for talking to another guy via text.
"You know I didn't do anything wrong," Karine said, adding that she and Paul had this talk over and over again.
Karine thought Paul was going to apologize for his behavior, but instead, he was still mad at her.
"How would you feel if I talk to other women?" Paul asked.
"This won't work," Karine said. "Shut up! I'm getting really angry... All that I see is that you want to humiliate me."
Karine felt Paul was never going to change, and she said she was tired of crying and having Paul blame her for things she was not guilty of. Karine called him a "jerk" and told him that he was never going to change.
Karine burst into tears and left the conversation, but Paul chased after her and knew things were bad. Paul could tell Karine was not happy with him and that he had "f-cked everything up."
"I'm going to fix it," Paul noted. "I'm definitely concerned about losing everything I had. I don't know if it was real."
Karine wanted to be alone, but then Paul insisted he was sorry and had made a mistake because he was upset. Karine was tired of having this fight over and over again, but Paul said he was sad too.
When Paul asked Karine if she loved him, she simply said, "No."
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As Paul tried to hug her, Karine pushed him away and asked him to leave.
"I really want a divorce. I am tired of what Paul does to me," Karine said in a confessional. "He lives in the past and too many fights make a relationship fall apart. There's no more hope. I'm thinking of my son now."
Karine asked Paul to leave, and she wouldn't let him kiss her goodbye. He didn't know what to do and told the cameras it seemed like Karine hated him.
So did Paul and Karine's marriage survive? Are they still together and married?
Viewers may be happy to hear Karine and Paul are still a couple and they are still married. In addition, they appear to be very happy parents together.Paul and Karine's adorable infant son, Pierre Martins Staehle, was born in Brazil in March.
Paul gushed to Us Weekly shortly after his baby was born that he's "very happy" and "very excited" to be a father.
"I'm also very nervous and want to do everything the best that I can and do everything right," Paul told Us.
"Everyone keeps asking how it feels to be a dad. Anyone can make a baby, but going through the day-to-day process of being a father is going to be a new experience. I'm very happy, very honored and very privileged and I want to make sure I do my absolute best for Pierre."
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And after welcoming their first child together on March 22, it appears Karine and her son officially moved to the United States! (Back in February, Paul revealed in his Instagram Stories that Karine had received a CR-1 spousal visa).
Karine and Paul are therefore currently living together as a couple in the United States.
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And then Karine confirmed her location by posting photos on her Instagram Stories of Paul and herself visiting local attractions in Louisville.
Paul, Karine, their baby, and Paul's mother all posed for a picture in front of the entrance of the Louisville Zoo.
Karine shared a picture of the exterior of Louisville's Hard Rock Cafe, suggesting the couple also visited the Fourth Street Live entertainment and shopping complex downtown.
Paul later shared a family photo of Karine, the baby and himself at a cookout on July 4.
The couple has been posting photos of each other on Instagram Stories in the last few months.
Not only are they making Cameo videos together for money, but Karine also shared a few funny images of Paul on the couch with their son.
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Paul and Karine are definitely not hiding their relationship status considering Paul's Instagram bio reads, "Married to @staehlekarine," along with an emoji of a couple and their child.
Karine's Instagram profile also has Paul in her main photo and reads, "Casada com [Paul]" in her bio at the top, which means she's "married with" Paul.
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
