# Bringing Filipina wife to USA



## hozpypr (Jul 5, 2014)

I will be bringing my Filipina wife to the USA to live next year and could use some advice/information from anyone with knowledge on the process, thanks. We had a church wedding back in 2014 so it would not be a fiance visa.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Congratulations Hopypr, well I've never done this but I do know that your wife would need a Philippine Passport. https://www.dfa.gov.ph/2013-04-04-06-59-48

And next here's a link to the US Embassy Immediate Relative Immigrant Visas (Unlimited) https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/family/immediate-relative.html

Hope someone else can add to this, good luck.


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## Tukaram (Dec 18, 2014)

If you live in the PIs I would look into direct consular filing (DCF). I know some guys that did it and they said it was easier & faster than the Embassy.


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## greenstreak1946 (May 28, 2017)

Hey Hozpypr

I have been told it takes longer to get wife to USA then to not be married and file for a fiancee visa. there is a lot of different paperwork that has to be filed for wife to come to states. You will have to file financial statements with immigration in the states first. You should go online and search for requirement to bring wife to states. there will be guidelines for that. I do believe you have to file all the paperwork first with immigration in the states for approval and then they send info to Manila embassy. That is what is done with a fiancee visa.

good luck

art


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## JM101 (Jan 6, 2015)

We entered the USA in November 2016 after being married in PI the previous year. We had started out with the regular filings for a visa and then later found out about the DFC (Direct Consular Filing). The DFC is the way to go as it simplifies everything and keeps it all local. So just go to the US Embassy for the forms and file this way. You do your initial interview; your medical at St. Luke's Medical Center Extension Clinic and the final interviews all right there at the Embassy…it is very easy.

Here are a couple of links to give you a hand.

Apply for a U.S. Visa | Home - Philippines (English)

VisaJourney - Your US Immigration Community - VisaJourney

The worst part is the waiting as you are dealing with the government.

JM101


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## greenstreak1946 (May 28, 2017)

hey jm101

I thought to use the consular services both husband and wife had to be living in the philippines. If husband is back in the usa or his country of origin then I thought he had to file in that country. I had a friend that was back in the usa and he had to file there about 7 years ago. Maybe they have changed the rules recently. 

art


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## JM101 (Jan 6, 2015)

Art, that is correct both must be in the country...I ASSUMED they were together, if not then another avenue must be used.

JM101


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## hozpypr (Jul 5, 2014)

JM101 said:


> We entered the USA in November 2016 after being married in PI the previous year. We had started out with the regular filings for a visa and then later found out about the DFC (Direct Consular Filing). The DFC is the way to go as it simplifies everything and keeps it all local. So just go to the US Embassy for the forms and file this way. You do your initial interview; your medical at St. Luke's Medical Center Extension Clinic and the final interviews all right there at the Embassy…it is very easy.
> 
> Here are a couple of links to give you a hand.
> 
> ...


From what I pieced together from these replies this Direct Consular Filing is the way to go, Thanks for all the help..H


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## thepage (Apr 19, 2017)

hozpypr said:


> I will be bringing my Filipina wife to the USA to live next year and could use some advice/information from anyone with knowledge on the process, thanks. We had a church wedding back in 2014 so it would not be a fiance visa.


Yes not a fiance but a spousal visa, you can do it on your own or hire an agency if you have an extra $ for that.


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## cyberfx1024 (May 21, 2015)

greenstreak1946 said:


> Hey Hozpypr
> 
> I have been told it takes longer to get wife to USA then to not be married and file for a fiancee visa. there is a lot of different paperwork that has to be filed for wife to come to states. You will have to file financial statements with immigration in the states first. You should go online and search for requirement to bring wife to states. there will be guidelines for that. I do believe you have to file all the paperwork first with immigration in the states for approval and then they send info to Manila embassy. That is what is done with a fiancee visa.
> 
> ...


Actually right now the process for a fiancé and the CR1/IR1 visa is about the same timeline due to the backlog. So it's better if people get married and then file because then they will have the green card and can work right away.


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## cyberfx1024 (May 21, 2015)

hozpypr said:


> I will be bringing my Filipina wife to the USA to live next year and could use some advice/information from anyone with knowledge on the process, thanks. We had a church wedding back in 2014 so it would not be a fiance visa.


So you would be doing a IR1 visa instead of a CR1 visa because you have been married longer than 2 years na. That means that upon approval she will receive a 10 year green card instead of the 2 year green card.

If you are living in the Philippines you can utilize the services of the Embassy and do what is called Direct Consular Filing(DCF) which means that you can file the paperwork directly with the embassy and save about 8-10 months wait time compared to filing from the USA. So a IR1 visa timeline is about 4 months right now if your filing with DCF if not it's about 12-14 months. Also there is NO K3 visa anymore so don't believe any information from lawyers about that. 

You can pay someone to help you or you can do it yourself if you have the time to do. I recommend to do it yourself so that everything is done correctly. There are free forums which you can go there to help you sort it all out. 

Philippines - VisaJourney

VisaJourney - Your US Immigration Community - VisaJourney

Direct Consular Filing (DCF) General Discussion - VisaJourney


The forums above are really good for you to look at and help you along the way. They also have a Philippine subforum for any Philippine specific questions. You can look me up by my username on there and I can help you out as well.


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