Welcome to the Nonimmigrant Visa Unit Homepage!

Thank you for your interest in traveling to the United States.  We hope that this website makes it easier for you to select and apply for the proper nonimmigrant visa.

The type of nonimmigrant visa you will need and the requirements to apply for that visa depend largely on your purpose of travel to the United States.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Notice to J-1 Visa Applicants

J-1 visa applicants are encouraged to schedule their visa appointments no more than two months before the start of their exchange visitor program, whose date is specified in the Form DS-2019.  J-1 visa holders may only enter the United States 30 days before the initial program start date.  The wait time for J visa appointments is generally short, so rest assured that your application will be processed in time.  If you have questions regarding this policy, please send an email to ConsManilaNIV@state.gov or call (02) 301-2104. 

Notice to NIV Applicants Scheduled on January 23, 2012

US Embassy Manila will be closed for business on Monday, January 23, 2012.  All NIV applicants scheduled on this day are advised to reschedule their appointments.  The Embassy will attempt to contact everyone scheduled on this day.  If you have an appointment on this day and you have not received a call or e-mail from the Embassy, please contact our call center at (02) 902-8930 and (02) 982-5555, open from Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Important Notice For Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants: The MRV fee that you pay before making your appointment for an NIV interview includes the cost of making the appointment and courier delivery of your passport after the interview. There are never extra fees for making an appointment or courier delivery. If someone asks you to pay an additional fee, please contact the U.S. Embassy in Manila as soon as possible at ConsManilaNIV@state.gov.

• Visa Reissuance Program  NEW!!!
• Call Center Hours and Contact Information
• Immigration and Visa Information for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
• DS-160 Online Visa Application Form 
• Legal Rights for Workers in the United States 
• Electronic Devices Not Permitted on Embassy Grounds  
• Average Visa Processing Time and Delivery 

VISA REISSUANCE PROGRAM

As of July 25, 2011, some visa applicants may be eligible for an appointment through the U.S. Embassy in Manila's Visa Reissuance Program (VRP).  If qualified for a VRP appointment, applicants need only to pay the fee, fill out the form, schedule an appointment, appear at the Embassy at the appointed time, and then have the application screened and give 10-print fingerscans.  No need for an interview, and appointments are available within a few days! 

To qualify for the VRP, you must be able to answer "yes" to ALL of the following:

1. I am a Philippines passport holder.

2. I have previously been issued, in Manila, a full-validity B1/B2 visa* (a visa good for five or ten years).

* The visa must be issued in a Philippine passport.

3. My visa is still valid or it has expired within the last twelve months. 

(If your answer is yes, your VRP appointment must fall within this twelve-month period of expiry.  For example, if your visa expired on September 20, 2010, you visa appointment must be on or before September 19, 2011.)

4. I have in my possession all of my passports covering the entire period of time since I received that full-validity visa. 

(If your answer is yes, you are required to bring these passports on the day of your VRP interview.)

5. I have not been refused a U.S. visa in the last twelve months.

6. My visa is not annotated "clearance received".

7. I have not ever stayed in the U.S. longer than 6 months on a B1/B2 visa (even if the Department of Homeland Security approved the extension of stay).

8. I have not ever been arrested or convicted for any offense or crime, even if subject of a pardon.

9. I can provide the visa control number from my visa (located in the upper right hand corner of the visa).

Important Reminders:

1. The U.S. Embassy in Manila reserves the right to interview any applicant.  If an interview is required, a representative of the U.S. Embassy will contact the applicant within two business days of his/her VRP appointment.

2. If you schedule a VRP appointment, but are not actually eligible for a VRP appointment, you will be turned away at the Embassy and asked to schedule a regular appointment.  Please make sure you are eligible for a VRP appointment based on the above criteria.

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CALL CENTER HOURS AND CONTACT INFORMATION

The Embassy’s call center numbers for information and appointment scheduling are: (02) 902-8930 and (02) 982-5555.  For calls from the continental United States, dial (214) 571-1600.  The call center is open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Manila time, Monday through Friday. 

Appointments can also be scheduled online at http://www.ustraveldocs.com/ph.

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Immigration and Visa Information for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

For the most up-to-date information on immigration and visa rules for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, please see the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website at http://www.uscis.gov/cnmi. 

The following links will also provide useful information:  

USCIS Publishes CNMI Transitional Worker Final Rule

Final Rule - CNMI Transitional Worker Classification Q&A

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DS-160 Online Visa Application Form

All nonimmigrant visa applicants are required to complete and submit an online visa application form known as the DS-160 Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application. The DS-160 Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application has replaced nonimmigrant visa paper application forms DS-156/157/158, and other related paper forms.

Applicants can access the DS-160 from the Consular Electronic Application Center website or from the link on the U.S. Embassy website in Manila.

In order to avoid delays in processing visa applications, visa applicants or their representatives must ensure that the following information is correctly provided:  

·   Applicant’s complete name (required format is Surname, First name(s), Middle Name(s))  

·   Applicant’s passport information (the passport used in filling out the form must be the same passport presented on the day of interview)  

·   Other Name(s) (for married female applicants, type your complete maiden name)  

·   Purpose of Trip to the U.S. (if the answer falls under “Other,” it is a requirement to specify the purpose of travel in the blank provided)

·   Primary Occupation (if the answer falls under “Other,” it is a requirement to specify the occupation in the blank provided)  

·   Contact Person and Contact Address in the United States  

·   Father’s Complete Name (required format is Surname, First name(s), Middle Name(s))  

·   Mother’s Complete Maiden Name (required format is Surname, First name(s), Middle Name(s))

Please review the Frequently Asked Questions for instructions about the DS-160.

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Legal Rights for Workers in the United States

The William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (WWTVPA) came into effect in December 2008.  The Act requires that an individual applying for an A-3, G-5, B1 domestic employee, J1, or certain H1B and H2B visas is made aware of his or her legal rights under federal immigration, labor, and employment laws. This includes information on the illegality of slavery, peonage, trafficking in persons, sexual assault, extortion, blackmail, and worker exploitation in the United States. Please read this pamphlet prior to your visa interview. You will be asked if you have received, read, and understood its contents.

For inquiries related to this matter, please e-mail us at ConsManilaNIV@state.gov.

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Electronic Devices Not Permitted on Embassy Grounds

For the safety and security of all applicants and employees, visa applicants are NOT PERMITTED to bring any kind of electronic and battery-operated devices (cellular phone, digital camera, laptop, music player, portable game consoles such as PSP, etc.) into the U.S. Embassy. Applicants who bring such devices will be denied entry.

Please make arrangements to leave your electronic equipment in a safe location off Embassy grounds BEFORE your interview appointment. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your cooperation.

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Average Visa Processing Time and Delivery

Depending on the volume of visa issuances of the Nonimmigrant Visa Unit, visa processing after the interview usually takes at least one week*.

After the one-week visa processing, the receipt of a passport with a visa may take longer, depending on the applicant’s delivery address.

 * – Average Visa Processing Time: This means the number of working days it takes for an approved applicant to receive his/her passport back from the Embassy with the U.S. Visa at the address given to the courier company.

All applicants should be aware that the one week processing time is an AVERAGE, and that the processing time of a specific case can vary due to individual circumstances and other special requirements