New to the prospect of Marriage to a Filipino woman

If you intend to get married in the Philippines,  then you will need a spousal visa to get her to the USA.  A fiancee visa would get her into the USA, requiring that you marry her shortly thereafter.  In 1994 I needed to go to the US embassy and prove I could marry by bringing a notarized copy of my divorce decree.  In addition my future wife brought the letters and envelopes from letters we had exchanged to prove we had a relationship for 2 years.  After the marriage you need to apply for her visa while she will have background checks and a physical, while you will need to prove you can support both of you, including tax returns, a letter from your employer etc.  I hired a lawyer to make sure all the details were correct, took 10 months to be approved.                           
          Have you ever been to the Philippines?  You need to learn all about her family and her expectations.  If you have never been to the Philippines before or only have two weeks you might not want to plan a wedding on the first trip.  Best of luck.

I have heard currently that a spousal visa takes more than a year, while another recently received a fiancée visa in 6 months.  We had to wait 10 days to get married after applying for a marriage license in the Philippines, so you want to take a 3 week vacation to get everything done.  Where does your friend live?  Does she expect a Catholic or other kind of church Wedding?  Most prefer to be married in the Philippines in their own church, which may require some studying on your part.  You should speak to a lawyer.  In 1994 I was told to have $10,000 ready for the whole process, you may need a few dollars more than that in 2017.

Where do you plan to live?  US or Philippines?  If you plan to live in US, don't get married in the Philippines.  It is much easier to obtain a fiance visa, less time, less money.  You have 90 days to get married from the day she arrives in the US.  My wife and I did this a few years ago.  It took 7.5 months for her to get her fiance visa.  We got married shortly after she got to the US.  We immediately filed for an Adjustment of Status, along with a travel and work visas.  We got the travel and work visas within 90 days.  The AoS took about 9 months, but she can travel in and out of the states with the travel visa.  Friends who got married in the Philippines took on average about twice as long to get their spousal visa.

We then planned a wedding celebration back in the Philippines for her family and friends.  The one in the US was small, the one in the Philippines was her dream wedding.  We didn't need to worry about licenses, etc in the Philippines, as we were already married (as it was considered a renewal of vows).   Also, we used rapidvisa dot com for her visa application.  Good service, made sure we had everything together before we sent it in, very reasonable price.

As for what you need, if you get married back in US, you just need your passport (with 6 months remaining).  You do not have to meet her, but it is advisable.  First, it will enhance your getting her the visa.  Take lots of pictures TOGETHER, everywhere you go, with her family, etc.  You'll need these for the application and her interview.

Good luck and safe travels.

Btw way, what part are you heading to?

Personally I would NEVER recommend that you Marry in Philippines. As I married on 22 nd November 2016 and returned home on the 26 th. She gave problems immediately after I left and now wants an Anullment. Which she thought was cheap and easy,sad to say it is expensive and can take years. Ive looked into getting a Divorce here in South Africa and told by the Court,it cant be done here.
Im concerned that you have not been to Philippines. Best you first go visit and see how it is and see how she and her family are. Im sure you just might get a shock,especially as you will be paying for everything. Even if you are invited,most likely you will also pay for all. Foreigners are taken advantage there,so be very careful!

Live with your  GF first. Get to know her family before you decide to marry. Rent property don't buy until your sure you want to live in the Philippines a long time.

you will need to apply at local reg office, there is a 10 day waiting period, and you will have to take a class, you really must know and meet her family,you will have to ask permission from US embassy, to marry a local, please treat them like family, because now they are, be patient, most are shy to speak english, but do speak well, and please cook dinner, or take them out to eat,

I agree with what most have stated.  I got married in the Philippines and needed quite a few legal papers done prior.  Legal capacity to marry from the us embassy.  If you have been married prior you will need an original copy if your divorce decree.  Then you will need the legal capacity, license, nso check, NBI clearance, barangay clearance, church clearance if married in the church.  If so you will have to attend some classes.  The whole process can take a month or so.  Just getting the papers in order is enough, but you will also need to plan the wedding.  If you reall have not met her and only a long distance relationship, I highly advise you not get married immediately.  Get to know her, her family and what responsibilities you will have to rake on.  Does she expect and does the family expect you to support them all?  This does happen and with large families costs can escalate rapidly.  So first know what you are getting into and expectations and whether you want to shoulder those.  I would highly advise a long courtship and engagement to make sure that you have a good solid stable relationship and both of you ha a clear idea of what you will be facing.  You did not state where you intend to live but the insinuation is the USA.  The k-1 visa or fiancé is easier to get and quicker than the spousal visa.  I only just now have received our spousal visa and still have to wait ?6 months more for the children.  Read the travel.gov.com website and follow instructions carefully.  It can also be costly.  Good luck in your venture and God bless.

Another person who wants to marry somebody they never met?  Whiskey Tango Foxtrot???

Besea, To be fore-warned, is to be fore-armed. After 65+ years of the "G.I. Joe (Greencard) / Filipina" marriage history, a few words to the wise , should be sufficient.

FYI ~ First, your best bet scenario, with any SE Asia woman (even the one's who speak excellent English), is with the Filipina who has managed to get herself into the U.S., and well-established, before you ever met her.

Yeah, yeah, yeah for sure, you will probably want to delude your SirLancelot self, into believing that your particular Filipina girl (online, in the P.I.), is different from the rest. Rest assured (from a cultural point of view), she is not.

Notice: The difference between the wise man, and the fool, is a simple equation. The wise man learns from the lessons taught, through his predecessor's experiences.

Thus, pay very close attention to the advice given, in posts # 4 & 5 above. If you do not, then, 100% guaranteed, you'll eventually come to regret it!

Simple solution:

Do not get married.

FortuneFavorsTheBold wrote:

Another person who wants to marry somebody they never met?  Whiskey Tango Foxtrot???

Indeed, another guaranteed future event in the making, as usual

Yep, his next question will be.....I just found out I can't get divorced, how do I get an annulment?

Looks like we scared him off...LOL!

Sometimes our best friends in life, anymore, are the one's we'll never meet, in person. Let's just hope that wisdom prevails, in Besea's regard. But, I'm hedging a bet that it won't!

If we scared him off we probably saved him a lot of grief.

True, but I doubt it.  Hope he decides to take it slow, but doesn't sound that way

There's no sound from that OP at all. Not even a "thank you, for all the helpful advice" reply.

That leads me to believe that his "online" Filipina, has already hooked, reeled-in, and taken him "out-to-lunch", eh?

FortuneFavorsTheBold wrote:

Simple solution:

Do not get married.

Indeed, but if he does, then not until after he's danced the Foxtrot together with her, at least once, for heavenly sake, eh?

ChuckG wrote:

Looks like we scared him off...LOL!

Most people can't handle the truth, so saith Jack Nicholson.

He will be back asking about lawyers.

I enjoy so much reading the above posts..  What a great book to read if one could compile all the stories into chapters...