Step by step

• 1. Check eligibility. The US citizen petitioner and fiancé(e) must both be legally free to marry, intend to marry within 90 days of the K-1 entry, and have met in person within the 2 years before filing (a waiver is possible for extreme hardship or strict cultural custom). USCIS
• 2. File Form I-129F with USCIS. Fee $675 (G-1055, edition 10/16/26). I-129F is filed by mail at the USCIS Dallas lockbox; it is not on USCIS's list of forms available to file online as of Oct 18, 2026. USCIS's checklist includes proof of your citizenship, evidence any prior marriages ended, a passport-style photo of each of you, evidence of intent to marry within 90 days, and evidence you met in person within 2 years. USCIS I-129F page · G-1055 · Forms available online
• 3. USCIS decision. USCIS may send a request for evidence; if approved, it sends the petition to the National Visa Center. USCIS Track your case at USCIS Case Status.
• 4. NVC hands the case to Manila. NVC gives a case number and sends the petition to the US Embassy where your fiancé(e) lives, and mails you a letter when it does. The approved I-129F is valid for 4 months from approval; a consular officer can extend it. State Dept K-1
• 5. DS-160 and documents. Your fiancé(e) completes the online DS-160, pays the K visa fee ($265, State Dept fees) and gathers documents: passport valid at least 6 months beyond the intended stay, birth certificate, divorce/death certificates of prior spouses for both of you, police certificates, evidence of financial support (an I-134 may be requested), two 2x2 photos and relationship evidence. State Dept K-1
• 6. Medical exam at St. Luke's Extension Clinic (SLEC). The panel physician for US visas in Manila is SLEC, and the Embassy says applicants must attend the medical before the interview. As of Oct 18, 2026, SLEC's website was under maintenance and said visa medicals are being done walk-in at its Ermita and BGC clinics, Monday–Friday 7:00 AM–2:00 PM, with payment at the clinic cashier. Vaccinations are optional for the K-1 itself but required later for adjustment of status. slec.ph · US Embassy Manila · State Dept K-1
• 7. Interview at the US Embassy in Manila. See our Manila embassy interview guide. If approved, you get the passport with the visa and a sealed packet you must not open. State Dept
• 8. CFO Guidance and Counseling Program (GCP). The Commission on Filipinos Overseas requires Filipino spouses and other partners of foreign nationals to attend. You reserve online, attend in person with ID, passport, visa and the other listed documents, pay a PHP 30 documentary stamp tax, and receive a CFO digital certificate. CFO GCP · CFO Citizen's Charter · Embassy note on CFO
• 9. Travel to the US. The K-1 allows a single entry within its validity (maximum 6 months from issuance). Present the passport and unopened sealed packet to CBP. State Dept
• 10. Marry within 90 days of entry. USCIS
• 11. Adjust status (green card). File Form I-485 with USCIS ($1,440 paper / $1,390 online for applicants 14+, G-1055 10/16/26), with the I-864 Affidavit of Support (no USCIS fee). Many applicants also file I-765 for work ($260 when filed with a pending I-485 filed with a fee on or after Apr 1, 2024) and I-131 for advance parole ($630 paper / $580 online). If married less than 2 years when approved, residence is conditional for 2 years. USCIS K-1 adjustment · G-1055

Philippine documents to expect

• The Embassy's immigrant visa list includes PSA civil documents (birth, marriage, CENOMAR, Advisory on Marriages, proof of termination of prior marriages), an NBI clearance for applicants 16+, and police certificates from countries lived in 12+ months. That list is written for immigrant visa applicants; K-1 applicants should follow the State Department K-1 list and any instructions the Embassy sends them. US Embassy Manila · State Dept K-1

Timing

We don't publish durations. Use the official tools explained on our wait-times page: USCIS processing times for I-129F and I-485. NVC's published timeframes do not cover K visas, and the State Department's IV Scheduling Status Tool excludes K-1/K-2 cases (NVC Timeframes, IV tool).

FAQ

• Where do we file Form I-129F?
  By mail at the USCIS Dallas lockbox (address on the USCIS I-129F page). It can't be filed at an embassy or USCIS office abroad.
• Does my fiancée need the CFO seminar for a K-1?
  The CFO says Filipino spouses, fiancés and other partners of foreign nationals must register and attend the Guidance and Counseling Program; the US Embassy also flags the CFO requirement.
• How long do we have to marry?
  Within 90 days of the K-1 holder's entry to the US.