PH transit visa processing for Afghans to begin in coming months – US envoy

Metro Manila, Philippines—The processing of special immigrant visas (SIVs) for around 300 Afghan nationals temporarily in the Philippines will begin in the coming months, United States Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson said in a press briefing on Monday, Dec. 16.

Carlson confirmed that discussions between the US and Philippine governments are ongoing to facilitate the agreement in August, which allows a limited number of Afghan nationals to transit through the country.

The Afghan nationals will complete their SIVs and eventually resettle in the United States.

“We have been working with the Philippines for some time to ensure that Afghans who worked closely with American officials in Afghanistan will have the opportunity to transit en route to the United States so that we can process their visa paperwork in conjunction with Philippine authorities, to make sure they are entitled to enter here, and they can quickly get their medicals done and paperwork stamped and travel to the United States,” Carlson explained.

“We are looking at maybe 300 people [to] be processed through in the coming months or so to the United States and see [how] to explore what we might be able to do,” she added.

The US government previously said it is providing necessary support for the Afghans temporarily staying in the Philippines, including food, housing, security, medical care, and transportation to facilitate their visa processing.

Afghanistan fell under Taliban control in August 2021, triggering a chaotic withdrawal of American forces just days before the US formally ended its 20-year military presence in Afghanistan.

This situation left thousands of Afghan nationals, who had worked with the US mission, stranded and seeking resettlement opportunities.