QUEZON CITY, (PIA) -- The United States Embassy in the Philippines announced that routine visa services remain suspended as of June 2021.

“Routine visa services remain suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The U.S. Embassy in the Philippines continues to operate with reduced staffing,” advisory states.

“As conditions surrounding the COVID-19 situation improve, the Embassy will add additional services, culminating eventually in a complete resumption of routine visa services. The Embassy cannot predict when the resumption of full visa services, or a specific category of visa classes, will occur.”

For Immigrant Visa (IV), the Embassy said that it continues to have a significant backlog of all categories of immigrant visas.  We are using a tiered approach to triage immigrant visa applications, based on the category of immigrant visa, as we resume and expand processing. 

“While we are scheduling limited appointments within all four priority tiers every month, the following lists the main categories of immigrant visas in priority order:”

• Tier One: Immediate relative intercountry adoption visas, age-out cases (cases where the applicant will soon no longer qualify due to their age), and certain Special Immigrant Visas (SQ and SI for Afghan and Iraqi nationals working with the U.S. government).
• Tier Two: Immediate relative visas; fiancé(e) visas; and returning resident visas.
• Tier Three: Family preference immigrant visas and SE Special Immigrant Visas for certain employees of the U.S. government abroad.
• Tier Four: All other immigrant visas, including employment preference and diversity visas.

Meanwhile for Nonimmigrant Visa (NIV), the Embassy said that it continues to prioritize travelers with travel needs, foreign diplomats, and certain mission-critical categories of travelers, such as those coming to assist with the U.S. response to the pandemic, followed by students and exchange visitors (F-1, M-1, and J-1) and temporary employment visas (H-1B, H-2B, and L nonimmigrants). Visa appointments and processing for B1/B2 (Business/Tourist) remain suspended, with the exception of interview waiver renewals.

“We understand that many visa applicants have paid the visa application processing fee and are still waiting to schedule a visa appointment.  The Embassy will extend the validity of your payment (known as the MRV fee) until September 30, 2022, to allow all applicants who were unable to schedule a visa appointment as a result of the suspension of routine consular operations an opportunity to schedule and/or attend a visa appointment with the already paid fee.”

For NIV expedite appointment requests for emergency travel may be submitted via the U.S. Embassy website at http://cdn.ustraveldocs.com/ph/ph-niv-visaapply.asp. 

Applicant will need to book a regular appointment through the embassy’s appointment system before requesting an expedited appointment through http://cdn.ustraveldocs.com/ph/ph-niv-expeditedappointment.asp.

Likewise, the interview waiver program has been extended. Information is available at https://ph.usembassy.gov/visas/visa-updates/.

“After we resume visa processing, which will be confirmed on our website at https://ph.usembassy.gov/visas/visa-updates, applicants can reschedule the first available visa interview appointment slot by phone at (+632) 7792-8988 or (+632) 8548-8223, or through our online appointment system at http://cdn.ustraveldocs.com/ph/.  There is no fee to change an appointment.  After routine visa processing resumes, if you have difficulties rescheduling a pending consular appointment, applicants may send an email to supportphilippines@ustraveldocs.com for specific guidance.”

Scheduling, case status, passport delivery, and other questions can be directed to support-philippines@ustraveldocs.com.

For Case-Specific Inquiry on an Immigrant Visa: https://ph.usembassy.gov/visas/immigrant-visas/immigrant-visa-inquiry-form/

Case-Specific Inquiry on a Nonimmigrant Visa: https://ph.usembassy.gov/visas/nonimmigrant-visas/nonimmigrant-visa-inquiry-form/

While for Seafarer concerns: MNLNIVSEA@state.gov (U.S. Embassy Philippines/PIA-NCR)