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 2, 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 ith 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.
Visa Type Purpose of Travel MRV Fee
Non-Petition Based Nonimmigrant Visas (except E)
B-1

For general business purposes e.g. to participate in business
meetings, negotiate a contract, to appear in a court trial



US $140






B-1

For personal/domestic employees of B, E, F, H, I, J, L, O, P,
and Q visa holders and U.S. citizens temporarily assigned to
the United States
B-2 For general pleasure, visit to friends and relatives, medical
treatment, and amateur/unpaid participants in cultural or
sports events.
C-1 People transiting through the U.S.
C-1/D Crew members
F Students in Academic or Language Programs and Dependents
I Journalists and Members of the Media
J Exchange Visitors and Dependents
M Students in Vocational or other Non-Academic Programs and
Dependents
TD NAFTA Derivative
Petition-Based Nonimmigrant Visas
H-1B Temporary Workers in Specialty Occupation

US $150
H-2A Temporary or Seasonal Agricultural Workers
H-2B Temporary or Seasonal Non-Agricultural Workers
H-3 Trainees other than medical or academic
H-4 Dependents of Temporary Workers
L Intra-Company Transferees and Dependents
O Temporary workers with extraordinary ability
P Athletes and Entertainers
Q Cultural Exchange Visitors
R Religious Workers and Dependents
Treaty Trader and Treaty Investor Nonimmigrant Visas
E-1 Treaty Traders
US $390
E-2 Treaty Investors
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 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:
O Diplomatic (A1, A2)
O Official (G1, G2, G3, G4)
O Personal Employees of A and G visa holders (A3, G5)
O NATO and NATO-7
O Transit to and from the United Nations Headquarters District (C2)
O Transit of Foreign Government Officials and Immediate Family (C3)
O Applicants for J visas participating in official U.S. government-sponsored educational and cultural exchanges
O 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: Applicant's Complete Name (required format is Surname, First
Name(s), Middle Name), Applicant's 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, Father's Complete Name,and Mother's
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:
O In color
O 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.
O Taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance
O Taken in front of a plain white or off-white background
O Taken in full-face view directly facing the camera
O With a neutral facial expression and both eyes open
O Taken in clothing that you normally wear on a daily basis
O Uniforms should not be worn in your photo, except religious clothing that is worn daily.
O 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.
O Headphones, wireless hands-free devices, or similar items are not acceptable in your photo.
O If you normally wear glasses (without tinted lenses), a hearing device, or similar articles, they may be
worn in your photo.
O Dark glasses or glasses with tinted lenses are not acceptable.
O 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.
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)
O Original marriage certificate printed on Philippine National Statistics Office security paper, if applicable (if
applying with a spouse and/or child)
O 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 Intervie
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://.ustraveldocs.com/ph.
Three 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 Intervie
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.
For more information about visa processing, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page.