Applying for a US Tourist Visa in Manila have always been surrounded by a plethora of myths. Some say the embassy asks for “show money”, while others say someone in the States should invite you over. That’s why, out of curiosity, I applied for a tourist visa myself. Now let me tell you how it goes.

US Tourist Visa: The Basic Facts

The United States Embassy issues many different kinds of visas depending on your purpose of travel. However, the most common type of visa issued is the B-2 or Tourist visa. If you want to go the US for a holiday, to visit relatives, or anything that falls under general tourism, then this is the visa category for you.

Contrary to popular belief, there are no quotas for this visa category. As long as you can convince the consular officer that you have no intention of illegally immigrating to the United States, you will be fine. Moreover, you may be glad to hear that unlike tourist visa applications for other OECD countries (Japan, EU, South Korea, etc.), B-2 US Tourist Visa, under normal circumstances, require very little documentation.

Apply for a US Tourist Visa well ahead of your planned travel dates. With the sheer number of visa applications being processed each day, there is a slim chance that it may take more than a month or two before your visa is issued.

US Tourist Visa: A Quick Rundown of the Steps

Let me enumerate all the basic steps involved in applying for a US Tourist Visa in Manila:

1. Fill out the online application form.

All US Tourist Visa Applications start online.

Fill out the DS-160 online application form at the US Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs Website. Gone are the days of paper-based processing: today, all visa applications start here. If you are more comfortable with using Tagalog, the website and its forms provide you with a language option.

The same website also offers a Tagalog version.

2. Pay the US$ 160 Visa Application Fee.

Print out a deposit slip form from the Consular Affairs website. Note that each form has a unique receipt number so don’t print more than one. As of August 2014, the application fee for B-2 Visas is US$ 160 or PH₱ 7040.

A US Visa Fee Deposit Slip. Note the top-right hand corner that shows a unique receipt number.

With your deposit slip in hand, it’s now time to pay the visa application fee. The easiest way to pay is through an over-the-counter payment at any Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) branch. Note that there are some BPI branches that are open on Saturdays, such as the one in 5/F Shangri-La Mall in EDSA-Shaw. The BPI teller will machine validate your deposit slip. Keep this document with you because the embassy staff will ask for it on the day of your appointment.

For more detailed information, please click here.

3. Schedule an Interview/Appointment

A day after paying the visa application fee, book your appointment either online or through the US Embassy’s call center. In my opinion, it’s better to just book it online because the system will automatically provide you with an appointment confirmation slip. Print this slip and show it to the consular officers on the day of your appointment.

4. Go to your appointment, be interviewed.

Be at the embassy at least 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment. In my opinion, it’s better to arrive really early because there are other factors that may be involved in this process other than the actual interview. In particular:

4.1 Lining up outside the embassy

Outside the embassy are large signs that tell you where to line up. There’s one for 7:15am appointments, one for 8:00 am, and so on. The order in which your application will be processed, with respect to other applicants who belong to the same time slot, depends largely on your position in the line.

4.2 Biometrics

This is relatively quick and easy, except if you have scars on your fingers and other stuff that may make it tough for the machine to recognize your prints.

This is how a fingerprint scanner in the US Embassy looks like.

4.3 2×2 Photos

The consular officer will decide whether your 2×2 pic is acceptable or not. In my case, the officer rejected the pics I brought because it has shadows. Luckily, there’s a Kodak Shop inside the embassy grounds and you can get one in just 5 minutes, but the wait time can be longer if there are lots of people.

4.4 Emergency Appointments

Some applicants don’t undergo the usual appointment setting process (e.g. groups, seamen, PWDs, elderly, etc.) and they are usually the first ones to be interviewed. This is the same reason why I was interviewed at 10 AM despite my appointment being set at 730 AM.

4.5 Issues with Electronics

The US Embassy prohibits entry of any electronic or flame-generating devices into its grounds. These include mobile phones, lighters, cigarettes, digital watches and USB dongles. That’s why I strongly advice against bringing these stuff.

After the interview, the consular officer will typically inform you about the results, i.e. whether you passed, failed, or something else. But that will be discussed in my next blog post.