Visa applicants are now required to be fully prepared before their interviews at the U.S. Embassy. Both the National Visa Center and the U.S. Embassy inform applicants of the necessary documents ahead of their scheduled appointments. The embassy emphasizes that this procedural change will not affect the number of visas available for Filipinos, but aims to increase efficiency and reduce processing delays due to missing documents.
Applicants without all required documents should reschedule their appointments through www.usvisascheduling.com, with wait times varying from a few weeks to one or two months. Those undergoing additional medical testing at St. Luke’s Medical Extension Clinic can proceed with their interviews, as results will be forwarded directly to the embassy.
The National Visa Center sends appointment details via email, which can be presented at visa interviews. Immigrant visa applicants must present police certificates from any country where they have lived for a year or more after age 16, with instructions available on travel.state.gov.
NBI clearances should include maiden names and any aliases used, while a Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR) is required for specific visa categories if the applicant is 18 or older. Petitioners must file an Affidavit of Support (Form I-864) and provide financial documentation, including IRS tax transcripts.
For those previously married, original or certified copies of divorce or annulment documents are necessary. Applicants born outside the Philippines need to bring their original birth certificate and its English translation if applicable.
Petitioners in IR5 and F4 petitions must provide their own birth certificates to verify relationships, while stepchildren require the marriage certificate of the petitioner and biological parent.