The Best Ways to Get Your Filipina Girlfriend to The USA

You’ve been chatting with this girl for a while and you’re starting to feel the feelings for her and she is too. You want to bring her to the USA but you’re not sure the best way to do it. In this article, I will go over a few ways to bring your Filipina girlfriend to the USA.

Table of Contents

How Can I Bring My Fiance to the US From The Philippines?

There are a few ways you can go about getting your girl to the US from The Philippines. The most common ones are: A fiance visa (K-1 visa), a spousal visa (IR1 or CR-1 visa), and a tourist visa (B-2 visa). Most people do either the spousal or the fiance visa, however, the tourist visa is a great option (if she qualifies) if you’re not ready to take the plunge yet because there’s no requirement of an affidavit of support. That means you won’t be on the hook to take care of her in case things don’t work out.

Which is Better the Spousal Visa or the Fiance Visa?

Most guys I know use the K-1 Fiance visa to bring their Filipino lovers to the USA. The main reason is that the k-1 is faster. However, there are other things you need to consider prior to applying for the k-1. If you’re still unsure then contact FilipinoVisa to help you determine which visa is right for you.

The Pros and Cons of a k-1 (fiance) & k-3 (marriage or spouse) visa :

The K-1 Visa is cheaper than the CR1 ($1,200 vs $2025)
With a CR-1 she can work right away and help support the household with a k-1 you’ll have to wait several months before she can work
With the k-1 she’ll get her green card right away while with the k-3 she’ll have to wait 90 days before she gets her green card
If she has minor children it is easier to bring them with a k-1 than a CR1
You must be a lawful US Citizen to apply for a K-1 visa (source)

What is the Minimum Income Requirement for Fiance Visa?

Your income must be at least 125% of the federal poverty line for your state. This is to prevent your bride from becoming a public charge and the taxpayers having to support you two. The income requirement changes every two years. As of 2019 the income requirement to be issued a k-1 visa is per the USCIS:
For the 48 Contiguous States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands:

Sponsor’s Household Size	100% of HHS Poverty Guidelines*	125% of HHS Poverty Guidelines*
	For sponsors on active duty in the U.S. armed forces who are petitioning for their spouse or child	For all other sponsors
2	$16,910	$21,137
3	$21,330	$26,662
4	$25,750	$32,187
5	$30,170	$37,712
6	$34,590	$43,237
7	$39,010	$48,762
8	$43,430	$54,287
	Add $4,420 for each additional person	Add $5,525 for each additional person

For Alaska:

Sponsor’s Household Size	100% of HHS Poverty Guidelines*	125% of HHS Poverty Guidelines*
	For sponsors on active duty in the U.S. armed forces who are petitioning for their spouse or child	For all other sponsors
2	$21,130	$26,412
3	$26,660	$33,325
4	$32,190	$40,237
5	$37,720	$47,150
6	$43,250	$54,062
7	$48,780	$60,975
8	$54,310	$67,887
	Add $5,530 for each additional person	Add $6,912 for each additional person

For Hawaii:

Sponsor’s Household Size	100% of HHS Poverty Guidelines*	125% of HHS Poverty Guidelines*
	For sponsors on active duty in the U.S. armed forces who are petitioning for their spouse or child	For all other sponsors
2	$19,460	$24,325
3	$24,540	$30,675
4	$29,620	$37,025
5	$34,700	$43,375
6	$39,780	$49,725
7	$44,860	$56,075
8	$49,940	$62,425
	Add $5,080 for each additional person	Add $6,350 for each additional person

How to Get a K-1 Visa

The First Step: Filing the Petition

You, the U.S. citizen sponsor, must file Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e), with the USCIS office that serves the area where you live. See Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e) for information on where to file the petition. Note: Form I-129F cannot be filed at a U.S. Embassy, Consulate, or USCIS office abroad.
After USCIS approves the petition, it is sent to the National Visa Center (NVC). The NVC will give you a case number and send your petition to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where your fiancé(e) lives.

The Second Step: Applying for a Visa

The NVC will mail you a letter when it sends your fiancé(e) case to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Once you receive this letter, inform your fiancé(e) to take the below-listed actions to apply for a K-1 visa and prepare for the interview.

Eligible children of K-1 visa applicants may apply for K-2 visas. Separate applications must be submitted for each K visa applicant, and each K visa applicant must pay the visa application fee.

Required Documentation

You, the foreign citizen fiancé(e), (and eligible children applying for K-2 visas) will be required to bring the following forms and documents to the visa interview:

Completed Form DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application. You (and any eligible children applying for K-2 visas) must: (1) complete Form DS-160 and (2) print the DS-160 confirmation page to bring to your interview.
A passport valid for travel to the United States and with a validity date at least six months beyond your intended period of stay in the U.S.
Divorce or death certificate(s) of any previous spouse(s) for both you and the U.S. citizen sponsor
Police certificates from your present country of residence and all countries where you have lived for six months or more since age 16 (Police certificates are also required for accompanying children age 16 or older)
Medical examination (vaccinations are optional, see below)
Evidence of financial support (Form I-134, Affidavit of Support, may be requested)
Two (2) 2×2 photographs.
Evidence of relationship with your U.S. citizen fiancé(e), this should include lots of photos, emails, text messages, etc
Payment of fees, as explained below

Note: The consular officer may ask for additional information, such as photographs and other proof that the relationship with your U.S. citizen fiancé(e) is genuine. Documents in foreign languages, other than the language of the country in which the application takes place, should be translated. Applicants should take to the visa interview clear, legible photocopies of civil documents and translations, such as birth and divorce certificates. Original documents and translations will be returned.

Medical Examination and Vaccination Requirements

In preparing for the interview, applicants will need to schedule and complete a medical examination. Before the issuance of an immigrant or K visa, every applicant, regardless of age, must undergo a medical examination which must be performed by an authorized panel physician. You will be provided instructions regarding medical examinations from the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you will apply for your visa, including information on authorized panel physicians.

K visa applicants are encouraged to get the vaccinations required under U.S. immigration law for immigrant visa applicants. Although such vaccinations are not required for K visa issuance, they will be required when adjusting status to that of legal permanent resident following your marriage. Applicants are therefore encouraged to fulfill these vaccination requirements at the time of the medical examination.

Proof of Financial Support and Affidavit of Support Forms

During the visa interview, applicants will be required to present evidence to the consular officer that they will not become a public charge in the United States. You may present evidence that you are able to financially support yourself or that your U.S. citizen fiancé(e) is able to provide support. The Consular Officer may request that a Form I-134, Affidavit of Support be submitted by the U.S. citizen fiancé(e).

The U.S. citizen fiancé(e) will need to submit Form I-864 to USCIS with the application for adjustment of status to that of legal permanent resident following the marriage.

Do the Same Income Requirements Apply to Form I-134 as Apply to Form I-864?

No. The 125 percent of the federal poverty guideline minimum income requirement, the most recent year’s tax return, and other requirements only apply when Form I-864 is needed. Applicants presenting Form I-134 will need to show that their U.S. sponsor’s income is 100 percent of the federal poverty guideline.

Fees

Fees are charged for the following services:

Filing an Alien Fiancé(e) Petition, Form I-129F
Nonimmigrant visa application processing fee, Form DS-160 (required for each K visa applicant)
Medical examination (required for each K visa applicant; costs vary from post to post)
Other costs may include translation and photocopying charges, fees for getting the documents required for the visa application (such as passport, police certificates, birth certificates, etc.), and travel expenses to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate for an interview. Costs vary from country to country and case to case.
Filing Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status

For current fees for the Department of State, see Filipino Visa.

Who is NOT Eligible for a Fiance/Spouse Visa

People who are in the country illegally or have been deported from the United States
Practicing polygamists
Those known to support extreme political parties such as totalitarianism or communism
Convicted of a drug crime
Someone likely to become a public charge (get on welfare)
Someone convicted of prostitution or who is determined to likely to engage in prostitution

How to Get a CR1 Marriage Visa

If you are a U.S. citizen, your foreign spouse may be eligible for a K-3 visa if he or she:

Is married to you;
Is the beneficiary of a Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative that you filed for him or her; and
Seeks to enter the United States to await USCIS’ decision on the Form I-130.

A child of your foreign spouse may be eligible for a K-4 visa if he or she is:

Under 21 years of age;
Unmarried; and
The child of the K-3 visa applicant you filed for.

To obtain a CR-1 visa for your spouse, you (the U.S. citizen) must first file two petitions with USCIS:

Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative: Submit Form I-130 to the correct USCIS address. To find the correct address, go to the “Where to File” section on the Form I-130 page. You will then receive a Form I-797, Notice of Action, indicating that USCIS has received your Form I-130.
Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e): Submit Form I-129F to the correct USCIS address. To find the correct address, go to the “Where to File” section on the Form I-129F page. You may file Form I-129F together with or after filing Form I-130. If you file Form I-129F after filing Form I-130, include a copy of the Form I-797, Notice of Action, to show that USCIS received your Form I-130. There is no fee if you are filing a Form I-129F for a spouse to obtain a K-3 visa.

To obtain a K-4 visa for your spouse’s children, you do not need to file a separate Form I-129F or Form I-130. You must list your spouse’s children on the Form I-129F you filed for your spouse.

Please note, however, that you must file a separate Form I-130 for your spouse’s children before they may apply for a Green Card. In order for you to create an eligible step-parent/step-child relationship, the child must have been under 18 years of age when you and your spouse married.

If USCIS Approves Form I-130 First or at the Same Time as the Form I-129F

If USCIS approves your Form I-130 before or at the same time as your Form I-129F, your spouse and his or her children will no longer need a K-3 or K-4 visa. This occurs in the vast majority of cases. When your spouse’s approved Form I-130 reaches the Department of State, an immigrant visa is immediately available to him or her. Your spouse and his or her children then must apply for immigrant visas and seek admission to the United States as lawful permanent residents.

Because K-3 and K-4 nonimmigrant visas are no longer available to your spouse and his or her children at this point, the K-4 child will not be able to immigrate with your spouse unless the child has an approved Form I-130 at the Department of State at that time.

If USCIS Approves Form I-129F First

If your Form I-129F petition is approved before your Form I-130, USCIS will send your petition to the Department of State. To receive a K-3 or K-4 visa, your spouse must submit a nonimmigrant visa application with the Department of State. Your spouse does not need to submit Form I-864, Affidavit of Support when applying for the K-3 or K-4 visa but will need to provide evidence showing that he or she will not become a public charge while in the United States. For more information on the visa application process, please see FilipinoVisa.

A Tourist Visa

The B-2 tourist visa is the least effective way to bring your gf to the US. It’s the least likely to be approved since she will have to prove that she has the funds to support herself, a stable job, and that she intends to return to The Philippines. The only upside is that it doesn’t require an affidavit of support. By definition, a tourist visa is a non-immigrant visa which means it cannot be converted into a permanent visa.

How to Get a B-2 Tourist Visa

If your girl applies for a tourist visa she must demonstrate the following:

That the purpose of her trip to the United States is for a temporary visit, such as business, pleasure, or medical treatment
That she plans to remain in the United States for a specific, limited period of time
That she has enough money to support herself while the United States
That she has a residence outside the United States, as well as other binding social or economic ties, that will ensure that she’ll go back to the Philippines

Application Items

If you apply for a business/tourist visa, you must submit the following:

A Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application (DS-160) Form. Visit the DS-160 web page for more information about the DS-160.
A passport valid for travel to the United States with a validity date at least six months beyond your intended period of stay in the United States (unless country-specific agreements provide exemptions). If more than one person is included in your passport, each person desiring a visa must submit an application.
One (1) 2″x2″ (5cmx5cm) photograph taken within the last six months. This web page has information about the required photo format.
A receipt showing payment of your US$160 non-refundable nonimmigrant visa application processing fee paid in local currency. This web page has more information about paying this fee. If a visa is issued, there may be an additional visa issuance reciprocity fee, depending on your nationality. The Department of State’s website can help you find out if you must pay a visa issuance reciprocity fee and what the fee amount is.

In addition to these items, you must present an interview appointment letter confirming that you booked an appointment through this service. You may also bring whatever supporting documents you believe support the information provided to the consular officer.

(source)