Nonimmigrant Visa Application Procedures

ALL APPLICANTS, REGARDLESS OF AGE (excluding those applying for diplomatic visas), ARE
REQUIRED TO APPEAR AT THE EMBASSY FOR AN INTERVIEW.
The application procedure for first time nonimmigrant visa applicants and applicants who were
previously issued a nonimmigrant visa is the same.
If you are not a first time applicant, you may be eligible for an appointment through the Visa
Reissuance Program (VRP). Please read this information to know if you are qualified.
Minor (unmarried 17 years old and below) nonimmigrant visa applicants are required to appear with
at least one parent for the interview. If the minor is an orphan or if both parents are outside of the
Philippines, then a legal guardian must be present during the interview.
Application Process
1. Payment of Application Fee
2. Required Documents
3. Schedule an interview
4. Go for the Interview
5. If Issued a Visa
Step 1: Payment of Application Fee
Nonimmigrant visa applicants must pay the machine-readable visa application fee shown on the
schedules below. The fee is based on the purpose of the trip or visa category.
To pay the fee, the applicant must have his or her passport number available. The applicants
passport number will be tied to the MRV fee paid at the bank. The payment will be activated four
hours after the time the cash payment was made; 24 hours for on-line payment.
There are three ways to pay the MRV fee:
1. Pay in cash (prevailing Philippine peso equivalent of the machine-readable visa fee) at any
branch of the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI)
2. Pay through online bill payment option provided by BPI for their customers
3. Online payment through Bancnet
The following individuals and visa classifications are exempt from paying the machine-readable visa
application fee:
Diplomatic (A1, A2)
Official (G1, G2, G3, G4)
Personal Employees of A and G visa holders (A3, G5)
NATO and NATO-7
Transit to and from the United Nations Headquarters District (C2)
Transit of Foreign Government Officials and Immediate Family (C3)
Applicants for J visas participating in official U.S. government-sponsored educational and
cultural exchanges
Replacement machine-readable visa when the original visa was not properly affixed or needs to
be reissued through no fault of the applicant.
A fee applies to only one visa classification/application. If an applicant wishes to apply for more than
one visa simultaneously, corresponding payment per visa class must be made.
Visa application fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. No exceptions will be made to this
rule. It is valid for one year after the date of actual payment; the interview must fall within the one-
year validity.
Step 2: Required Documents
All basic documentary requirements must be ready BEFORE an appointment can be made. Additional
documents may be required, so please read the information below carefully.
The Nonimmigrant Visa Unit does not accept documents BEFORE the interview except for Treaty
Trader (E1) and Treaty Investor (E2) visa applications. Any documents received will not be returned
and will be destroyed (except the passport).
Basic Requirements:
1. DS-160 ONLINE NONIMMIGRANT VISA ELECTRONIC APPLICATION All applicants must
complete the DS-160 Online Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application. Applicants can access the DS-
160 from the Consular Electronic Application Center website.
In order to avoid delays in processing visa applications, visa applicants or their representatives must
ensure that the following information is correctly provided: Applicants Complete Name (required
format is Surname, First Name(s), Middle Name), Applicants Passport Information (the passport
used in filling out the form must be the same passport presented on the day of the interview), Other
Names (for married female applicants, type your complete maiden name), Purpose of Trip (if the
answer falls under Other, specify the purpose of travel in the blank provided), Primary
Occupation (if the answer falls under Other, specify the occupation in the blank provided), Contact
Person and Contact Address in the United States, Fathers Complete Name,and Mothers
Complete Maiden Name.
2. PASSPORT Signed passports must be valid for at least six monthsfrom the date of intended
departure from the United States. The passport must be in good condition, i.e., photo lamination is
undamaged, and all passport pages are intact.
Applicants must also present all previously issued passports or notarized affidavits of loss, if
applicable.
Taiwanese passport holders who do not have Taiwan personal identification numbers listed above the
date of birth on the biographic data page in their passports must present their original Philippine
residency permit.
3. PHOTO
One 2" x 2" standard photo. The photo must be:
In color
Sized such that the head is between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches (22 mm and 35 mm) or 50% and
69% of the image's total height from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head. View
the Photo Composition Template for more size requirement details.
Taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance
Taken in front of a plain white or off-white background
Taken in full-face view directly facing the camera
With a neutral facial expression and both eyes open
Taken in clothing that you normally wear on a daily basis
Uniforms should not be worn in your photo, except religious clothing that is worn daily.
Do not wear a hat or head covering that obscures the hair or hairline, unless worn daily
for a religious purpose. Your full face must be visible, and the head covering must not
cast any shadows on your face.
Headphones, wireless hands-free devices, or similar items are not acceptable in your
photo.
If you normally wear glasses (without tinted lenses), a hearing device, or similar articles,
they may be worn in your photo.
Dark glasses or glasses with tinted lenses are not acceptable.
Glare on glasses is not acceptable in your photo. Glare can be avoided with a slight
downward tilt of the glasses or by removing the glasses or by turning off the camera
flash.
Please click here for additional information on photo specifications.
Please ensure that your photo meets the requirements stated above. Failure to provide the correct
photo will delay your visa processing.
4. EXTENSION OF STAY/CHANGE OF STATUS Please bring copies of U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services (USCIS) approvals of extension of stay or change of status, if applicable.
5. PROOF OF RELATIONSHIP (if applying with/for dependent/s)
Original marriage certificate printed on Philippine National Statistics Office security paper, if
applicable (if applying with a spouse and/or child)
Original birth certificate printed on Philippine National Statistics Office security paper (for
dependent/s)
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
Additional requirements are based on the visa class that a person is applying for. Please look at
the Types of Visas page and view the details for each visa class.
Step 3 : Schedule an Interview
Book an appointment by calling (02) 982-5555 and (02) 902-8930for calls within the Philippines
and other countries aside from mainland United States or (214) 571-1600 for calls from mainland
United States. The call center is open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, Manila
time, except on U.S. and Philippine holidays. Appointments can also be booked online
through http://www.ustraveldocs.com/ph.
Five or more applicants applying for the same purpose of travel or visa classification, and will travel on
the same date are encouraged to apply together as a group. To request a Group Appointment, follow
the steps in our Group Appointment website. Examples of groups include but are not limited to sports
team, school groups, groups travelling for competitions, and service organizations. Family members
traveling together do not qualify for group appointments.
Applicants who will book an interview online will be asked to create a profile which will be used to
access their appointment record and edit applicant information before their interview date.
The call center and the online appointment website can also provide general information about visa
application procedures and technical assistance related to scheduling an appointment.


Step 4: Go for the Interview
All applicants must appear at the Embassy for interview, except government officials traveling on
official business and applying for A1, A2, G1, G2, or G4 visas. Applicants are requested to arrive
at the Embassy gate 15 minutes before the time listed on the appointment letter.
Applicants must bring all the basic application requirements including the interview appointment
letter, DS-160 confirmation page, valid passport, one 2 x 2 photo, and all prior passports and U.S.
visas, if available. It is helpful to bring a government-recognized photo ID (in addition to the passport)
to present upon entry.
Embassy personnel are available to provide assistance at each stage. Applicants who require
interpreters must inform the interviewing officer on the day of their interview. There is no need to
bring a relative or a friend to act as an interpreter as the Embassy can provide language assistance
when an applicant requests for it.
Important note: American citizens and US Legal Permanent Residents are not allowed to accompany
nonimmigrant visa applicants to the interviewing area.
Step 5: If Issued a visa
A consular officer will inform the applicant at the conclusion of the interview whether he/she qualifies
for a U.S. visa. If a visa is approved, the passport with U.S. visa will be delivered by the courier
service at the address provided when the made the appointment. If the applicant is not present at the
time of the delivery of the passport, the applicant must leave an authorization letter to a
representative and a government-recognized photo ID for both representative and applicant. Both the
applicant and the representative must sign the authorization letter.


The vast majority of nonimmigrant visa applications received at the U.S. Embassy in Manila are for
tourism or business travel.
B-1 visas are for business, including 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; or, where an applicant will be traveling to the
United States on behalf of a foreign employer for training or meetings. The individual may not receive
payment (except for incidental expenses) from a United States source while on a B-1 visa.
B-2 visas are issued for general pleasure/tourist travel, such as 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.
In most instances, consuls will issue a combined B-1/B-2 visa, recognizing that most business
travelers may also wish to travel for tourist purposes.
How to Apply B1

To apply, please check the Nonimmigrant Visa Application Procedurespage. In addition to the basic
documentary requirements, as specified on the application procedures Step 2, the interviewing officer
may request the following documentation:

1. Evidence of ties and financial status of the applicant, or the applicants parents, if minor, in the
Philippines.

2. If the purpose of the travel is for:
Business a letter from the U.S. organization indicating the purpose of the trip, the intended
length of stay, and the firms intent to defray costs, if applicable. Applicants traveling on
business for a Philippine-based employer should present a letter from the employer outlining
the travel and business plans, including dates of travel.
Pleasure documents concerning purpose and length of the trip and ability to cover the costs
of the trip.
Personal/domestic employee please refer to the Traveling with Personal/Domestic
Employees page for more information.
Medical Cases such as Treatment or Donation of Organ, Bone Marrow, etc. please
refer to the Medical Cases page for more information.
Emergency Cases such as:
Visiting an Ailing Family Member an up-to-date statement from a U.S. physician
indicating the condition of the patient, including contact information so that, if necessary,
the consul may contact the physician.
Attending a Funeral provide a death certificate or other documentation of the family
member's death.
3. Proof of travel medical insurance for applicants who might be at risk of requiring medical care while
in the United States

Notes:
In certain cases, additional documents may be requested.
All documents must be originals. Photocopies will not be accepted, unless specified. The
applicant must submit these documents to the interviewing consular officer during the
interview. The Nonimmigrant Visa Unit does not accept documents before the interview. Any
documents received will not bereturned and will be destroyed. Please note, however, that
presentation of the documents will not guarantee visa issuance. Applicants must still qualify
under INA Section 214(b).
The following documents are not considered helpful:
In general, affidavits of financial support will be of little value to an applicant (exception: a
student visa application must have an affidavit of financial support). The affidavit of support is a
requirement only for immigrant visas. The interviewing officer is less concerned about how the
applicant will be supported during his/her stay in the United States than in whether s/he has
reasons to return home.
Letters of invitation (except for business travel).
Purchase of airline ticket. This should not be made until a visa has been issued and the
applicant is in receipt of the passport with the visa in it.