Prepare the basic and additional/supporting documentary requirements first so that you can accurately answer all the questions in the visa application forms. You need all these before setting up an appointment.
Basic documents include a passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of intended departure for the United States (foreigners eligible to apply at the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines must also present their original Philippine residency permit); birth certificate issued by the National Statistics Office (NSO); police certificate or National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) certificate dating 6 months or earlier; proof of marriage including marriage certificate and photographs for a married applicant, or Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR) for single individuals; valid driver’s license or other government-issued ID cards.
Additional/supporting documents specifically required for U.S. tourist visa applicants include bank certifications, property titles, documented assets and other proofs of financial capacity to travel; official school records (if a student); and income tax return, certificate of employment and monthly payslips (if employed).
Prepare four identical photos printed in quality photo paper. The photo should be 2 by 2 inches standard, full-frontal face position (with both ears shown), in color against a white background and should have been taken within the last 6 months.
Make sure to bring all the original documents to the embassy for the interview.
Book your interview appointment either through the Embassy Call Center (requires additional phone charge) or through the VisaPoint System which allows you to apply online free of charge.
For the telephone appointment system, apply during office hours from Mondays to Fridays, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Philippine time, except during Philippine holidays. This is only available to touchtone phone owners of Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) Company landlines with national/international distance dialing features. Note that this process entails high phone cost. As of April 2010, every phone call made at the call center number costs PHP 53 (approximately USD $1.20) per minute, plus applicable provincial charges if calling from a non-Manila number.
Scheduling an appointment online is available both in English and Filipino (Tagalog) and allows applicants to schedule an appointment 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Applicants can also readily see all available dates and times for visa interview appointments. This is the more practical way to apply for the visa since it is free of charge and more information is readily available. And the forms can easily be printed after a successful online application.
Confirm the appointment made by phone and print out the needed documents via the U.S. Embassy in Manila website as instructed by the call center representative.
For online applicants, fill in the application forms (DS-156 and DS-157) at the embassy website. Provide complete information for all questions.
In addition to your basic and supporting documents, which you will need when filling in the application, you may also need your old expired passports to check on specific information such as visa information and countries visited in the last 10 years.
Print out the DS-156 and DS-157 forms. For each completed form, a successful printout should include three pages with a two-dimensional barcode page. The barcode should be printed clearly and completely, with no lines broken or torn; thus, it is highly recommended that you use a quality inkjet or laser printer.
Note that handwritten or typed forms are not accepted.
Present your Appointment Confirmation Receipt to the bank teller and pay the applicable fee. All U.S. tourist visa applicants must pay the machine-readable visa application fee of USD $131. This fee can only be paid at selected Banco de Oro (BDO) branches and the Citi’s corporate center branch in Makati City, Metro Manila.
Upon payment, the bank issues two copies of the bill payment slip. The copy on blue paper is the U.S. Embassy copy. This is the only document that the embassy’s Non-Immigrant Visa Unit will accept as proof of payment. If the copy is lost, you will have to pay the same amount again.
The amount must be paid in Philippine currency at the U.S. government exchange rate prevailing during the time the payment is made. Note that all visa application fees are nonrefundable. Your scheduled interview should be within the 1-year period starting from the date of actual payment.
Check in at the embassy entry gate, preferably 2 hours prior to your confirmed appointment. Expect very long lines. After the initial security checks, proceed to the Pavilion and submit all documents for data entry. Keep the number given to you by the embassy staff and proceed to each window whenever the number is called. After fingerprinting, most documents, including the application form and passport, will be returned to you for presentation to the interviewing officer.
Approach the required window and present the documents to the interviewing officer. Keep the additional supporting documents handy. Show them only if the interviewing officer asks for them.
You will be advised whether you qualifies for the visa. If you are issued a visa, fill in the courier form and proceed to the courier section. Pay the fee for the sending of your passport with the visa. This will usually reach your mailing address within 1 to 2 weeks.
