Afghan nationals arrived yesterday in the Philippines to process and complete their United States Special Immigrant Visa (SIV), the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.
Their transit in Manila is part of a July 29, 2024 agreement between the Philippine and US governments, which permits up to 300 Afghan nationals to temporarily stay in the country while completing their SIV requirements, DFA spokesperson Teresita Daza said.
“The US government is supporting all necessary services for those SIV applicants temporarily in the Philippines, including food, housing, medical care, security and transportation to complete visa processing,” she explained.
During a background briefing on December 20, 2024, a Philippine government official clarified that each Afghan SIV applicant was issued a Philippine entry visa allowing a maximum stay of 59 days.
SIVs are made available to individuals who have worked for the US government, eventually allowing them the opportunity to have permanent residence in the US, as well as the possibility of becoming a US citizen.
It was explained that the Afghan nationals temporarily staying in the country are eligible for the SIV program because they worked closely with the US government during military operations in Afghanistan from 2001 to August 2021. The Taliban seized Kabul in August 2021 after US and other foreign troops withdrew from the country.
“The DFA issued the appropriate Philippine entry visa to these applicants in line with current rules and regulations. All applicants completed extensive security vetting by Philippines national security agencies. They also underwent full medical screening prior to their arrival in the Philippines,” Daza assured.
