How to Apply US Tourist Visa in the Philippines

A tourist visa for the United States is difficult to obtain especially when the purpose of your trip is to visit your loved ones. I was denied the first time I applied, then my fiancé now my husband never gave up in trying to get me a visa to visit his family before we get married.

 

On my first application I completed my DS-160 form and got my schedule 3 weeks after. Then I reapplied again after 4 days.

 

Steps to apply:

1. Create an account and fill out the DS-160 online application form. 
2. Pay the Visa Application Fee 
3. Make an Appointment for the Interview  
4. Attend the scheduled US visa interview 

In order to pass the interview you must prove to the Consular Officer that: 

• Your visit is for a limited time; business, tourism , or medical treatment and you will go back home after visit 
• You will be able to afford your expenses while in the United States because you have sufficient funds (in my case I don’t need this)
• You have a permanent address outside of the United States and other strong social or economic links that will ensure you return home at the end of your visit.

Requirements for us tourist visa application in the Philippines

• Completed DS-160 (Non-immigrant Visa Electronic Application) form
• Valid passport (at least six months validity beyond your intended period)
• One 2″x2″ photo taken within the last six months
• Receipt of your US visa application processing fee of $160

While filling out DS-160 form online, you will need to submit a software copy of a 2×2 photo US standard size and upload it in the site to proceed the application. You can also use the app that I used to ensure that’s the right size.

 

Steps to complete DS-160 form:

1. On the menu click “New Application/Schedule Appointment “
2. Select the location where you will be applying for a visa: 
3. Visa Category: Business/Tourism or B1/B2
4. Fill out the application information. Please note that you will have to record your 10 digit application ID number. If there are technical issues with the system, or you want to complete your application some other time, you can save your work and later start where you left off.
5. Fill in your personal information
   Note when filling up your personal information know that the Americans only use Surname and Given name. For example if your name is James Bond Cruz Gomez you should fill up Surname: Gomez Given Name: James Bond Cruz. Then you will be asked to fill up your travel history, address and phone, passport, US contacts, family, work/education training, security and background check.
6. After carefully filling up your information you have to electronically sign that you have read and understood the questions in the application and that your answers are true and correct to the best of your knowledge and belief.
7. Click submit your application. Once you signed and submit it you cannot edit it anymore
8. An email will sent to you and you need Print your confirmation page 

Family interview for US tourist visa Philippines

You will be taken to a “Thank You” page after selecting “Email Confirmation” on the Confirmation page. Select the option to create a family or group application. Then create an individual application for each person.

Note: please carefully fill up the personal information and questions in the DS-160 form because the consular officer will read it thoroughly to know you better and decide to grant your visa or not 

Pay the US Visa fee Application 

You must pay the $160 (PHP 9,600) US visa fee in cash or online. The application fee for a visa to the United States is non refundable. 

 

Pay cash in RCBC

When paying your visa fee, you must download and present (link) this visa fee deposit slip to the bank. Keep in mind that these deposit slips contain an expiration date, so make sure you pay within that time range. You will not be able to pick an interview date if you are unable to do so.

 

Online payment 

• You can choose either BPI or Bancnet for your online transactions.  You can follow the steps here in paying online 

Make a schedule for interview:

After paying and completed filling up the online form you can set a schedule here. The waiting time is usually 3 months but in my case I keep checking it everyday and I saw that there was an early date. I scheduled mine in 3 weeks after I completed the form.

• Login to CGI Federal Inc (link) 
• Enter your account 
• Provide your passport, MRV fee payment, application ID number 
• Select interview date 
• Print out confirmation sent in your email.

Note: Due to COVID situation there was a major backlogs in getting an appointment. It’s better to schedule an appointment as soon as possible you will get your appointment next year 2023. As of April 10 the earliest appointment is on November 2023 but check it from time to time the earliest schedule will pop up randomly.

Attend the Scheduled US Visa Interview 

On the date and time of your visa interview, go to the US Embassy in Manila. Arrive at least 15 minutes early for your scheduled interview and make sure you have all of the documents with you. 

If you completed your DS- 160 form and you have changes on it like your intended travel date you have to update especially now with COVID that there’s a long wait to get an interview dates. The fixers outside will charge you 400 per page.

 

My Experience

My first visa appointment was at 10:15am. It’s traffic going there so I took a cab around 8:30am. The driver dropped me off at the foot bridge and I climbed up the stairs and crossed to the other side of the road. When I came down from the bridge I saw busy people who are in line waiting to get in, vendors and accompanying person who waits outside.

 

The guard greeted me and checked my appointment time. I lined up to the second  Embassy staff checked my passport, photo and the MRV fee and told me to pass through security and scanned my things luckily I did not bring my phone or any electronic gadgets even USB is prohibited. If you bring your gadgets you will pay 500 to leave outside. After security check there were people sitting on the waiting area outside the building waiting for their turn to come in.

 

 

When the time that I got in the building there was still another security check and the guard said to go to the left side for the nonimmigrant applicants the right side is for the immigrants. There was still a long line waiting for the interview. I have to go through the initial screening which was a filipino. She asked for my passport, 2x2photo and confirmation page and checked my application she asked me a question what is the purpose of my trip? I answered “to visit my fiancé in the States” then checked my passport to correct my name and then I proceeded to the next window for biometrics.

 

 

Frustrated by my failure at the biometrics, I dabbed my fingers on my pocket to dry them off a few times and it seemed to work. After that the lady staff asked me to take a line in window 23. This is actually the nerve wracking part. I can actually hear parts of the interviews while waiting in line and see if they are approved or denied. Ahead of me he keep denying applicants. When it’s my turn I handed him my passport bringing all the documents with me and asked me only these few questions:

Interview Questions:

 

 

Purpose of the trip? To visit my fiancé

How long you will stay? 2 weeks

Fiancé’s work- Salesman

Countries you have traveled? Thailand, Hongkong, Nepal, Laos, Myanmar

What do you do? – I’m currently taking my masters in Medical Technology

Course in College? Medical Technology

 

Then he handed my passport back and a blue paper saying the reason of refusal of my tourist visa. It lasted for 2 minutes I guess. I sat down and read the blue paper and was discouraged. I wished they looked at my papers that I worked so hard to get it that I will really come back after my visit. The Masters degree means a lot to me, and I want to finish it before settling down.

 

The reason for denying me was that the interviewers thought I would do things like marry and work without a visa and shortcut the process of the immigrant visa because of my profession as a healthcare worker.

 

 

So I called my boyfriend what happen and he told me to re apply again.  My second interview was a success and I got a 10 year multiple entry visa. Story here