U.S. TOURIST VISA APPLICATION Necessities & Course of for Filipinos + Interview Questions

Planning to journey to the USA for the primary time? You’ve come to the fitting place! Welcome to our step-by-step US Visa Utility Information for Filipino vacationers. On this article, we’ll stroll you thru your entire utility course of from reserving an appointment to nailing the interview on the US Embassy.

For Filipino nationals, any plan to journey to the USA begins with a visa. And the US visa is likely one of the most extremely coveted for a lot of causes. First, the US has a large Filipino diaspora that almost all of us know somebody there. Second, the American affect on Philippine tradition is simple. Many people dream of stepping foot in New York or Las Vegas or California. And lastly, additionally it is a strong visa to have. When you will have a US visa, you might be allowed entry not simply to the USA but in addition a number of different international locations that in any other case require a separate visa.

It’s no marvel that at any given day, there’s all the time a protracted queue on the US Embassy in Manila. However for many people, the US visa isn’t notably straightforward to safe. That’s why we’re half-grateful and half-relieved once we lastly received ours. Sure, we have been simply granted a US B1/B2 visa. Right here’s how I received it.

WHAT IS A B1/B2 U.S. VISA?

A B1/B2 visa is a non-immigrant short-term visa that can allow you to enter the USA for enterprise (B1), for tourism (B2) or BOTH.

You need to use it to do any of the next:

• BUSINESS (B1)
  Assembly with enterprise associates
  Attending a convention, seminar or conference
  Negotiating a contract or settlement
  Settling an property
• TOURISM (B2)
  Trip (leisure/vacation)
  Visiting family members or pals
  Attending social occasions (live shows, festivals, reveals)
  Medical therapy

You can’t use a B1/B2 visa to review, work, or keep for good in the USA.

A B1/B2 visa is normally:

• multiple-entry
• legitimate for 10 years

Sure, the 10-year validity is one of the best half. When you’re granted a visa, you gained’t must renew or apply once more for a very long time.

I utilized for a B1/B2 visa, so each factor you’ll learn on this article is about that particular kind of visa. In the event you’re making use of for a piece visa, scholar visa or inexperienced card, we gained’t be of any assist as a result of they’re outdoors our private experiences.

HOW TO APPLY FOR A U.S. VISA?

Right here’s the total utility course of when making use of for a US B1/B2 visa.

Observe that Steps 1 to three are literally interchangeable. However I consider that how I organized it under is the order that makes probably the most sense.

Step 1: Create a USTravelDocs.com account.

To enroll in an account, go to this web page.

1. Click on NEW USER on the backside of the web page.
2. Enter your e-mail tackle and full identify on the subsequent web page.
3. Set a password.
4. Click on SUBMIT.

USTravelDocs.com is the official visa appointment service portal of the U.S. State Division. That is the web site the place you’ll ebook an appointment, however you don’t want to try this this early. You gained’t have the ability to safe a slot till you’ve paid the visa payment. For now, all it is advisable do is create an account.

Why? As a result of as quickly as you will have an account, you’ll have the ability to see the EARLIEST AVAILABLE APPOINTMENT DATE.

That is particularly essential in case your journey dates usually are not versatile: say, you’re attending a marriage, a live performance, or a convention. Having visibility on the earliest out there date will can help you gauge in the event you’ll have the ability to get a visa in time on your journey and resolve appropriately.

The very last thing you need is to pay the hefty visa payment solely to search out that there aren’t any extra appointment slots earlier than your meant journey date.

Observe: The earliest appointment date modifications occasionally, when candidates ebook, transfer or cancel their reserved slots. So simply because there aren’t any slots in your goal month doesn’t imply there gained’t be sooner or later.

If all the things seems to be good, then proceed to Step 2.

Step 2: Accomplish the DS-160 Kind.

The DS-160 type serves as your utility type. To fill it out, go to to this web page.

Each visa applicant should full a DS-160 type. In the event you’re touring as a gaggle, every one in all you have to fill it out individually.

Comply with these steps:

1. Beneath LOCATION WHERE YOU’LL BE APPLYING, select PHILIPPINES, MANILA. Enter the CAPTCHA code under it. Then click on on the crimson START AN APPLICATION button.
2. On the subsequent web page, you’ll be assigned an APPLICATION ID.
3. Choose a safety query and enter a solution. DO NOT neglect your reply to this to keep away from getting locked out of your account.

Then it’s time to lastly fill out the DS-160 type. It’s a really prolonged type — with 10 pages — so allot loads of time. In the event you really feel such as you gained’t have the ability to end, simply save your progress. Don’t rush it. And ensure each reply is correct. These are the main points it is advisable put together:

1. PERSONAL DETAILS. Identify, start date, start place, and so on.
2. TRAVEL DETAILS. You’ll be requested to pick out the aim of your journey. Because you’re making use of for a B1/B2 visa, select Non permanent Enterprise Pleasure Customer. Beneath SPECIFY, choose Enterprise & Tourism (Temperoary Customer).

   Beneath it, provide the main points of your journey. When you have a concrete journey plan, enter your journey dates. In the event you haven’t finalized these but, simply choose an meant date of arrival within the US and meant length of your keep.

   Please take a screenshot of this half so that you gained’t neglect the main points you entered. The consul/visa officer will probably be asking you about your journey particulars when it’s time for interview.



3. TRAVEL COMPANIONS. Declare the individuals with whom you may be touring to the USA.



4. PREVIOUS US TRAVELS. If it’s your first time touring to the US, simply reply NO. You’ll even be requested in the event you’ve been denied a US visa earlier than or denied entry into the nation. Reply honestly as a result of they’ve a document of it anyway.
5. ADDRESS. Enter your present tackle.
6. CONTACT INFORMATION. Apart out of your contact numbers, you’ll additionally want to offer your social media account handles/usernames together with Fb, X (Twitter), YouTube, and Instagram. You’ll additionally enter your passport particulars right here.



7. U.S. CONTACT. If you recognize somebody within the US, present their identify and your relationship with them. Ideally, this individual ought to have the ability to confirm your id if deemed essential.



8. FAMILY. Enter the names and start dates in case your mother and father. When you have family members in the USA, you also needs to present their particulars right here.

   In the event you don’t know anybody within the US, simply enter the identify and tackle of an institution that you just plan to go to as a part of your journey. It may be a museum, a theater, or a theme park, so long as it’s a part of your itinerary.

9. WORK AND EDUCATION BACKGROUND. Listing down your present and former employers and work experiences (together with job descriptions) and universities/faculties you attended. Sure, this half really feel such as you’re constructing a CV.



10. SECURITY AND BACKGROUND. Final web page! Reply a sequence of questions in regards to the international locations you visited, organizations you might be affiliated with, and army connections, if any. You’ll additionally reply health-related questions.

After this, you’ll be prompted to UPLOAD A PHOTO. It needs to be in coloration and brought inside the previous six (6) months. No eyeglasses, hats, or head cowl (apart from faith or medical causes). The hyperlinks under can information you:

After importing a photograph, assessment all the data you equipped. Make sure that each single factor is appropriate. If that’s the case, submit your utility.

⚠️ IMPORTANT! The second you hit SUBMIT, you gained’t have the ability to make any modifications to the shape, so guarantee each bit of knowledge is appropriate. If there are nonetheless particulars that it is advisable double-check or verify, you’ll be able to simply save your utility within the meantime and simply return to it when you have already got the right information.

After submitting the shape, the subsequent web page will show your DS-160 CONFIRMATION PAGE, which comprises your affirmation quantity and barcode. You’ve got the choice to print it out or e-mail to your self. (I selected to e-mail it to myself so I may get again to it anytime sooner or later.)

You’ll must current this DS-160 Affirmation Web page on the U.S. Embassy when it’s time on your interview.

Step 3: PAY THE VISA FEE.

The U.S. Visa payment prices USD 185 (roughly PHP 10,800 on the time of this writing).

There a couple of methods to settle this payment however I selected to pay through PesoNet.

1. Go surfing to this USTravelDocs web page. As quickly because the web page masses, it can generate a reference quantity.
2. Save the reference quantity. You may take a screenshot of it or copy-paste it someplace. You’ll want this quantity when it’s time to ship the cost.
3. Comply with the step-by-step cost directions on the backside of the web page. As a result of we’re speaking about paying a giant quantity right here, no want for me to repost the steps right here as some particulars would possibly change sooner or later. Simply comply with the steps on the web page to a tee, ensuring that you just’re getting into the right reference quantity.

That’s it! It would take some time for the cost to mirror within the system. In keeping with the web site, it ought to register on the subsequent enterprise day, after 1:30 PM.

However in my case, I needed to wait a pair extra days earlier than I may transfer on to the subsequent step.

Step 4: BOOK AN APPOINTMENT.

Assuming your cost is already within the system, chances are you’ll now ebook an interview appointment. Log into your USTravelDocs.com account on this web page. This is identical portal on Step 1.

On the left sidebar, it can show the earliest out there appointment date. This may be months from now. In my case, I utilized in September however the earliest out there schedule was in January of the subsequent 12 months. However don’t lose hope. From time to time, some candidates cancel their appointments and new slots open up. We discovered that this normally occurs within the wee hours of the night time. True sufficient, after staying up at night time, we have been capable of snag an appointment in October, which was only a month away.

Anyway, in the event you’re lastly able to ebook an appointment, simply comply with these steps:

1. Click on on NEW APPLICATION/SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT on the left sidebar. On the subsequent web page, choose NONIMMIGRANT VISA after which choose BUSINESS/TOURISM.
2. Fill out the subsequent type along with your private particulars and your DS-160 Affirmation Quantity. Be sure to’re getting into the right quantity as a result of the system will use it to hyperlink your appointment to the fitting DS-160 type. When you have dependents who will probably be with you on the interview, enter their particulars and their very own DS-160 affirmation numbers.
3. Select the way you need to obtain your passport again: FREE PICK UP or DELIVERY. The latter entails a separate payment, to be paid money upon supply.
4. On the PAYMENT web page, enter your RECEIPT NUMBER. In case your visa payment cost is already within the system, you need to have the ability to ebook an appointment. In any other case, simply come again to this web page one other time. Don’t fear, it can save you all the data you entered so that you gained’t must fill out the shape once more while you log in once more.
5. Choose the date lang that finest works for you. You may change or reschedule it later in the event you discover a higher date.

That’s it! You have already got an appointment.

USEFUL TIPS:

• You may reschedule your appointment. Simply click on on the RESCHEDULE APPOINTMENT button on the left sidebar and choose an earlier or later date. Sure, it’s doable to likelihood upon an earlier schedule. That’s what occurred to me.
• GROUP APPOINTMENT choice is accessible, however I haven’t tried it but, so I do not know the way it works. However in the event you’re making use of with a gaggle, attempt clicking the GROUP SCHEDULING REQUEST button on the left sidebar.

Step 5: GATHER THE U.S. VISA REQUIREMENTS.

Whereas ready on your interview appointment date, collect all of the required paperwork.

1. Legitimate passport
2. Appointment affirmation web page
3. DS-160 affirmation quantity
4. your MRV payment cost receipt quantity
5. Current ID picture (2×2)

These are the essential necessities. In lots of circumstances, these three are all you want. BUT — and it’s a giant however — it’s finest to have all the opposite doable supporting paperwork listed on the embassy’s web site:

6. All of your outdated passports
7. Proof of earnings, property possession, ITR
8. Letter out of your employer detailing your place, wage, and so on.
9. Journey itinerary

And others, relying in your objective of journey. See screenshot of the official web site under:

I indicated “doable” supporting paperwork as a result of in some cases, they don’t ask to see these docs. Actually, I accomplished and introduced all of those however they didn’t examine any of those, apart from my passport and appointment affirmation. In Vins’s case, the one different factor they checked was his 2×2 picture.

But it surely doesn’t imply that you just’ll expertise the identical. Among the candidates subsequent to me on the road have been requested to current a few of these supporting paperwork. It’s actually finest to be ready.

By the best way, in the event you discover: the US Embassy doesn’t require financial institution certificates, financial institution statements, or any proof of funds. They’re not on the listing, so don’t hassle. It’s not wanted in any respect.

Step 6: INTERVIEW

On the day of your appointment, present up on the U.S. Embassy for the interview. Right here’s the tackle:

Embassy of the USA of America
1201 Roxas Blvd, Ermita, Manila, 1000 Metro Manila

Arrive no less than quarter-hour earlier than your schedule. Really, they begin letting candidates in an hour earlier than the indicated schedule.

Visitors is horrible in Manila, so allot loads of lead time. In the event you’re coming from far-off — particularly in the event you’re flying in from the province — and also you’re on the lookout for a spot to remain, take into account a lodge that’s near the U.S. Embassy. There are a whole lot of good selections within the surrounding space. SEARCH FOR MANILA HOTELS HERE! ✅

However keep in mind these:

• Devices or objects with batteries and ON-OFF swap are NOT ALLOWED inside. Sure, that features cellphones, tablets, laptops, and even digital watches (Apple watch, and so on.).
• Meals, sharp objects, crayons, and markers are additionally prohibited. You might be refused entry and your account could also be locked for 30 days in the event you’re caught sneaking any of those in.
• No lockers or baggage counters within the neighborhood. The perfect factor to do is to go together with a companion and ask them to attend for you someplace shut. There’s a Starbucks cafe and McDonald’s on the opposite aspect of the highway. Simply agree to fulfill at a sure time, old-school-style.

When you’re gadget-free, chances are you’ll now go inside. You’ll must fall in line each step of the best way. Listed below are the steps:

1. Current your printed appointment affirmation web page on the employees outdoors. They may affix a sticker with a QR code on the again cowl of your passport.
2. Enter the constructing for the safety examine. They’re very thorough, so don’t try to sneak in something prohibited.
3. Comply with the indicators and the employees to the subsequent constructing. You might be requested right here to current your passport and a few of your necessities. In my case, they solely checked my passport. In Vins’s case, passport and a couple of×2 ID picture.
4. Bear biometrics scan. They may take your fingerprints at one of many counters. After that, you’ll be assigned one other counter for the interview correct. Queue up at that counter and wait on your flip.
5. Interview correct. This normally simply takes round 5 minutes. It’s very fast as a result of most likely, functions have been evaluated even earlier than the interview. It’s very probably that they have already got a tentative choice previous to your appointment and the interview is only for validation or to settle any doubts, if any. It’s also a chance to examine supporting paperwork ought to they really feel the necessity to. In my case, they didn’t examine something. However a few of the different candidates within the space have been requested to current supporting docs. I’ll share all of the questions within the subsequent part under.
   – In case your utility is permitted, they’ll take your passport so they may affix the visa sticker.
   – In case your utility is rejected or denied, they’ll inform you proper then and there. (Sure, inside listening to vary of different candidates on the queue.)

Step 7: WAIT FOR YOUR VISA!

It’s best to obtain your passport with a visa just some days after your interview.

In my case, I received mine by way of LBC Padala simply 2 days later. If I used to be interviewed on Monday, I received the visa on Wednesday morning. I paid PHP 440 upon supply.

In the event you selected PICKUP while you booked an appointment, chances are you’ll declare your passport/visa at LBC Mall of Asia.

U.S. VISA INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

Right here’s a rundown of all of the questions the consul/visa officer requested me throughout the interview.

• The place within the US are you going?
• What’s the aim of the journey?
• How lengthy is the journey?
• Are you married? Do you will have youngsters?
• With whom are you touring?
• What do you do for a residing?
• How lengthy have I been doing this job?
• What’s the identify of your employer?

That was it. Eight questions. Or 9. Vins received even fewer questions: six.

The officer’s tone was very informal and pleasant, so I responded in the identical style.

After the final query, the officer typed one thing on the pc, confronted me once more, and mentioned, “OK, your visa is permitted. We’ll simply mail the passport to you.”

However as a result of the interview is carried out in an open space, whereas I used to be in line, I may truly hear the questions that the opposite candidates have been getting. These embrace:

• Will you be visiting somebody within the US?
• Have you ever visited different international locations earlier than?
• The place in (state) are you going?

⚠️ IMPORTANT! These questions that the officers/consuls are asking are the identical questions on the DS-160 type, so it’s essential that you recognize and keep in mind the solutions you entered while you have been carrying out it on-line. They’re not asking as a result of they need to know — they already know — however they in all probability are simply attempting for verify or take a look at in case your solutions are constant.

The issue is, when a whole lot of time has handed between the day you completed the DS-160 type and the day of your interview, it’s straightforward to neglect the main points. So make a copy of your solutions on the DS-160 type.

There you will have it. That’s your entire U.S. visa utility course of as I skilled it.

Earlier than I finish this text, I simply must commend the folks working on the U.S. Embassy for the sleek course of and nice expertise. From the Filipino employees and the American interviewers, each one was pleasant, light, and respectful. Even after they have been delivering rejections, they did it in a means that weren’t condescending or belittling. At different embassies, I’ve seen fairly excessive horses when making use of for a visa, so this was actually a breath of contemporary air. Kudos to all the employees on the US Embassy!

The place to Keep Close to the U.S. Embassy Manila

In the event you’re coming from the province and also you need to spend the night time at a lodge near the U.S. Embassy, listed below are some properties across the space.

Seek for extra Manila Accommodations!