All applicants for nonimmigrant visas worldwide must pay an application fee of $100.  This fee will increase to $131 on 01 January 2008.  Payments are accepted at Citibank – Makati and designated branches of the Bank of the Philippine Islands.  The bank will provide a receipt and Form DS-157 where payment is machine-validated.  Bank locations may be found under Where To Pay The Application Fee.

No. One must call to make an appointment for an interview, unless s/he is applying for a Diplomatic/Official (A/C-3/G) visa, other than A-3 and G-5 visas.

Early interviews will be granted in limited cases and under pressing circumstances. Please see the Early Appointments and Emergency Travel page for more information.

Please see the How To Apply page for suggestions.

Visa eligibility for minors age 20 and under is typically based upon the qualifications of their parents or legal guardians, who must submit their applications. Exceptions will be made only in cases where it is impossible for a parent/guardian to appear for interview.

For minor Philippine national (17 years old and below under Philippine law) applicant:

No. The application form should be completed by the applicant. Completing it should require no special assistance, and we recommend strongly that the applicant write it himself/herself. If an applicant cannot accomplish the form himself/herself, a representative may accomplish and, hence, sign the form. The applicant must review and sign the application form before submission to the Embassy during the scheduled interview.

For business and tourist visas (B-1/B-2), each applicant must qualify under section 214(b) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which states:

"Every alien shall be presumed to be an immigrant until he establishes to the satisfaction of the officer, at the time of the application for a visa . . . that he is entitled to nonimmigrant status . . .

Essentially, the visa officer is looking to see that the applicant has compelling reasons to return to the Philippines. By law, the burden of proof is on the applicant to show that he or she qualifies for the visa. This proof may come in many forms, but when considered together, it must be strong enough for the interviewing officer to conclude that one’s ties to the Philippines will bring him/her back at the end of a temporary stay in the United States.

"Ties" are the aspects of one’s life that bind him/her to his/her place of residence, including family relationships, employment and possessions. In the case of younger applicants, who may not have had an opportunity to establish such ties, interviewing officers may look at educational status, grades, the situation of parents, and an applicant's long-range plans and prospects in the Philippines. As each person's situation is different, there is no set answer as to what constitutes adequate ties.

Please see the Demonstrating Ties section for more information.

We only accept birth/marriage certificates from NSO issued on security paper.

A letter, even from a highly placed person, does not necessarily establish the applicant's ties outside of the United States. U.S. law requires each applicant to qualify for a visa in his or her own right.

Such letters will be considered. However, evaluation of the application will be made in accordance with Section 214(b) of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act. Visa applications are adjudicated based on individual merits, consistent with criteria specified in the Immigration Act, as amended, and the Federal regulations issued pursuant to it. Consular officers are required to deny visas to applicants who cannot qualify under the law, and to issue visas to those applicants who do qualify. Consular officers cannot issue visas based on the assurances of family members, friends or interested third parties.

Full disclosure is best. We understand that many people have relatives in the United States but intend only a short visit, or have immigrant visa petitions on file but do not plan to immigrate at this time. It is therefore to the advantage of the applicant to disclose these facts. When an interviewing officer uncovers any attempt to conceal or misrepresent facts, the application will be denied and the applicant may, in certain cases, be ruled permanently ineligible to enter the United States.

Never purchase documents to present at an applicant’s interview. The genuine documents in one’s possession provide him/her a better chance of qualifying for a visa, whether now or in a future application. When an interviewing officer uncovers any questionable documents or attempts to misrepresent facts, the application will be denied and the applicant may, in certain cases, be ruled permanently ineligible to enter the United States.

Due to the large number of applications we receive, it is impossible for us to match up correspondence with applications. The applicant should bring any information relevant to his/her application to the interview. The Nonimmigrant Visa Unit does not accept documents before the interview. Any documents received will not be returned and will be destroyed.

The B-1 visa allows for temporary visitors to conduct business in the United States. This includes such things as a need to consult with business associates, negotiate a contract, buy goods or materials, settle an estate, appear in a court trial, and participate in business or professional conventions or conferences. This visa does not generally allow for gainful employment. The B-2 visa is issued for the purpose of touring, visits to friends and relatives, visits for rest or medical treatment, social or fraternal conventions and conferences, and amateur/unpaid participants in cultural or sports events.

While a person may go to the United States on a B-1/B-2 visa on business, working for a short time for a foreign employer, he/she may not be employed or paid by a U.S. party. To be employed in the United States, s/he must have a working visa (E, H, or L).

Please see the Personal (Domestic) Employee A-3/G-5 or B-1 page. Domestic employees may accompany their employers on temporary visits to the United States – during which time they must be paid according to U.S. prevailing wage rates.

The applicant may bring it but the officer may not necessarily examine it. The interviewing officer is less concerned with why the applicant is going to the United States than with whether s/he has ties that will bring him/her back.

In a typical 8-hour day, a consular officer may need to interview 150 applicants or more, which allows about 3 minutes per applicant. The application form, if completed thoroughly, contains most of the information needed to adjudicate the visa. Additional documents are examined only if the consular officer needs to obtain further clarification of the applicant’s situation.

Experience has shown that being an only child has not deterred some travelers from remaining indefinitely in the United States. While this factor may be relevant to an individual's personal circumstances, it would not usually, in itself, be sufficient to establish ineligibility.

Officers interview the applicant and evaluate the application forms, and refer to supporting documents only if they can provide some additional insight into an applicant’s situation. If there are additional documents required, the officer will indicate that during the interview.

Spouses of U.S. citizens are usually issued visas especially if the U.S. citizen spouse is not a resident in the Philippines. While it is possible to receive a nonimmigrant visa even if one has been petitioned for an immigrant visa, the consular officer must be satisfied that the intended stay in the United States for this visit is temporary.

In most circumstances, yes. Please see our page on K-1 visas and the Immigrant Visa page for more information.

There are so many different situations regarding persons who have been petitioned to immigrate that the best answer is "It Depends." While the existence of an immigrant petition is in one sense evidence that a person is an intending immigrant, and thus subject to refusal, we also recognize that s/he may not be intending to immigrate at this time. Having an immigrant petition on file is not grounds for an automatic refusal, but as an applicant, s/he will need to provide strong evidence that s/he intends to leave the United States after his/her planned visit.

One may apply for a B-1/B-2 visa, but must surrender his/her "Green Card" before a visa can be issued.  In Manila, one may do this at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (Window # 35 in the Immigrant Visa Section, any workday, between 8:00 and 11:00 A.M. or 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.).  If time permits, please do this prior to the NIV interview.

The qualified dependents of H-1B visa holder are his/her spouse and unmarried children age 20 and below.

The rules on this matter are complicated. Please see the page Visas For Entertainers and Performers.

The interviewing officer will inform the applicant of the outcome of the visa application at the conclusion of the interview.

If an application is approved, an arrangement for the delivery of the passport and visa must be done with the courier service after the interview. The courier is located in the Embassy’s Pavilion Area at Gate 4.

The request must be made during the interview. The interviewing officer will decide whether it is meritorious request. Failure to have obtained an earlier appointment will generally not be considered a valid reason for expedited issuance.

B-1/B-2 visas issued to Philippine citizens are generally for multiple entries and valid for 5 years, unless the consular officer feels there is cause to issue a more limited duration visa. Other classes of visas typically have shorter durations. The length of validity for other nationalities varies.

The period of one’s stay is determined by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officer at the U.S. Port of Entry, not by the consular officer who issues the visa. USCIS generally grants permission for the visitor to remain in the United States for the amount of time needed to accomplish the purpose of the visit. If one wishes to remain beyond the time granted, s/he must submit a request for extension to the USCIS. Failure to do so could result in his/her being ineligible to enter the United States again.

If an applicant is refused under Section 221(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and is requested to provide additional information or supporting documents, s/he will receive a 221(g) letter outlining what s/he needs to present and instructing him/her on when s/he may return. S/he will not need to make another appointment or pay another application fee. S/he has one year within which to comply with the requirement of the 221(g) letter.

One should apply for replacement of the visa by submitting the passport and documents at Window 12 on any workday between the hours of 7:30 am to 8:30 am.  S/he will need to bring, at a minimum, the passport and defective or detached visa, a completed Nonimmigrant Visa Application Form DS-156, a completed Nonimmigrant Visa Supplemental Application Form DS-157, and a 2” x 2” colored photo against a white background.  If s/he wishes to retain the validity of his/her visa, s/he does not have to pay the application fee.  If s/he wants the validity to be extended, s/he will have to pay the application fee and present proof of validation. An officer may require him/her to submit evidence of economic status at a later date.

Please also visit the Other Visa Concerns page for further information.

No, it does not. Every applicant will still be evaluated on the merits of the application. However, inclusion in PIP does give the visa adjudicating officer a better understanding of the nature of the employer’s business, the employee’s job function, and the business purpose underlying the visa request.

No. PIP can only be used for business travel. An applicant who needs to travel for personal reasons must apply using the normal application process.

A high rate of applicants not returning (as measured by report back letters, company disclosure, or Embassy spot checks), could result in disqualification from the PIP program.

The length of validity and number of entries will be decided by the adjudicating officer at the conclusion of the interview. To date, most PIP travelers have been issued single entry, limited validity B-1 visas. However, some PIP travelers have qualified for multiple-entry B-1/B-2 visas.

No. PIP is only for applicants seeking B-1 visas for short-term business trips. Any other type of work visa (E, H, or L) cannot be accommodated under PIP.

The American Embassy – Manila will only accept Application Form DS-156 that have been filled in electronically and printed with a barcode. The barcode allows the Embassy to scan the information into our computer system and reduces errors for the Embassy and the applicant. Applicants may complete the DS-157 application form by hand.

Wholly owned subsidiaries can use the parent’s PIP number, with the permission of the PIP administrator. Affiliates must obtain their own PIP number.