How do I Get a Visa for a Visitor From The Philippines?
If you're a Filipino citizen and you've decided to travel to the United States for business or pleasure, your trip will require some planning even before you decide on specific destinations and attractions to visit. Citizens of the Philippines are required to have a visa, a statement of permission from a U.S. government official stationed in the Philippines to enter the United States. Getting a visa is not always an easy process because the onus is on the applicant to prove to a U.S. immigration officer that the visit is for temporary purposes only.
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Things You'll Need
- DS-160 Online Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application
- US$140 or more, depending on visa type
- A valid Philippines passport
- 2"x2" full frontal face photo of yourself and anyone else on your visa application
- Proof of relationship for any dependents on your visa application--i.e., birth certificates for your children
Instructions
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Decide what kind of visa you need. For a business visit you need a B-1 visa; for a pleasure trip, you need a B-2 visa. There are also visas for students, government workers, journalists, athletes and performers and many other classifications of traveler.
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Fill out a non-immigrant visa application stating who you are and what the purpose of your visit to the United States will be. Applications can be found on the U.S. Embassy in Manila's website.
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Schedule a visa interview through the U.S. Embassy. At the interview, you will have to prove that you have no intention of remaining in the United States permanently by providing documents showing permanent employment and financial stability in the Philippines.
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Pay the fee for applying for a visa. Currently, application fees for visitors to the United States are US$140.
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Go to the interview with officials at the U.S. Embassy. You will need to bring all necessary documentation and be fingerprinted. At the end of the interview, the official will tell you whether or not you have been granted a visa.
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Tips & Warnings
Be sure to gather all documents, including your passport and a passport photo for your visa before you schedule your visa interview.
The validity dates on your visa are not an indication of how long you can stay in the United States. The length of stay will be determined by the officer at the port of entry.
Being issued a visa does not guarantee that you will be allowed to enter the United States. Officials at your port of entry can search you or your luggage and deny you entry if they feel that you pose a threat or are carrying in illegal materials.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit passport approval image by timur1970 from Fotolia.com
