13A visa (spouse of a Filipino citizen)
The 13A is the immigrant visa for the spouse of a Filipino citizen. It is a permanent residence status, not a temporary one, which is why it does not need extending every year.
The Bureau charges ₱8,620 for the principal applicant and for a dependent spouse, ₱8,370 for a B16 dependent and ₱7,870 for a B14 dependent, plus US$50 for the ACR I-Card. It is an immigrant visa, so it does not expire the way a 9G does, but the card and the annual report still apply.
What the government charges
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Principal applicant Bureau of Immigration | ₱8,620 |
| Dependent spouse Bureau of Immigration | ₱8,620 |
| Dependent B16 Bureau of Immigration | ₱8,370 |
| Dependent B14 Bureau of Immigration | ₱7,870 |
| ACR I-Card, 1 year Charged in US dollars | US$50 |
Published BI rates, footnoted by the Bureau as updated 6 March 2014. Confirm at filing.
Who needs this
- A foreign national legally married to a Filipino citizen.
- Unmarried children below 21 joining as dependents, with proof of relationship.
Who does not
- Partners who are not legally married, whatever the length of the relationship.
- Spouses of former Filipinos who have not retained Philippine citizenship, who fall under a different route.
How it is done
- Assemble the civil registry proofPhilippine marriage certificate from the PSA. Foreign documents need authentication or apostille, with an English translation where required.
- File the petitionThe CGAF, the joint letter, the proof of citizenship of the Filipino spouse and the proof of relationship, submitted at the Bureau.
- Hearing and evaluationThe visa officer evaluates the file. Expect a request for further documentation rather than an approval on first reading.
- ACR I-Card and probationary statusThe card is captured and issued. The status is initially probationary, then converted to permanent after the period the Bureau sets.
Deadline and what happens if you miss it
The immigrant status does not carry an annual renewal, but the ACR I-Card does, and the ₱310 annual report applies every year from 1 January to 1 March. The probationary to permanent conversion has its own window, and missing it leaves the file in probationary status indefinitely.
Why files get refused at the counter
- A marriage certificate that is not the PSA copy.
- Foreign civil documents without apostille or consular authentication.
- Proof of the Filipino spouse's citizenship that does not match the name on the marriage certificate.
Who does what
You
Provide the civil documents and attend the hearing.
LPP
Check the name consistency across every document before filing, which is where most 13A files fail, and prepare the dependents' set.
Accredited partner
Files the petition and follows it at the Bureau until the card is released.
Have this filed without the guesswork
Send the file to us. We confirm the current fee with the agency, prepare the documents, and tell you in writing what is missing before anything is submitted.
Start this case See our feesSources
- Bureau of Immigration, Immigrant Visa by Marriage (13A): https://immigration.gov.ph/immigrant-visa-by-marriage-13a/
Last verified against the issuing agency on 2026-10-24. If an agency changes a fee or a deadline after that date, this page is out of date and we correct it before quoting.