Metro Manila, Philippines — Around 300 Afghan nationals arrived in the country on Monday, Jan. 6 as part of an agreement with the United States to process their Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs).

The agreement, signed in July 2024 and ratified by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., allows the Afghan nationals to stay in the Philippines for up to 59 days while they complete their US visa processing.

The US State Department had said the Afghans — who are not classified as refugees — were instrumental during the stay of American forces in the Central Asian country until they withdrew in 2021.

The Philippine government said there were no outside pressures or negotiations in this arrangement.

“There was never any pressure. There was never any negotiating leverage exercised with us in regard to this particular project,” a senior Philippine government official said.

The entire processing project is expected to be completed within 100 days from the arrival of the first applicants.

“I think that is something that the Philippine government has made very clear to the US government: that this is a 100-day agreement and that it will terminate at the end of those 100 days. By then, it is our expectation that all of the applicants will have departed the Philippines,” the official added.

All expenses related to the Afghan nationals' stay will be covered by the US government.

Their movement will be restricted as well, and they will be housed in a designated area coordinated by the US embassy and its partner organizations.

Identity of Afghan nationals

Philippine and US officials have clarified the status of the Afghan nationals who worked with the US in Afghanistan.

Government sources said some of the arriving Afghans are children.

“These are not refugees. These are individuals, families with whom the United States government has had long, extensive, and secure cooperation over the years in Afghanistan. These individuals have been vetted at the highest levels and deemed eligible for Special Immigrant Visas to the United States,” a senior Philippine official explained.

A US State Department official described the critical role these Afghans played during the US mission in Afghanistan: “The brains of our operations in Afghanistan for those 20 years were our Afghan staff. As the brains of our embassy here are our Filipino staff. They were with us day in and day out for years, while we diplomats came and went. Some fought with us on the battlefield, but many worked with us at our embassy and facilities and in the field.”

In August 2021, the US military withdrew from Afghanistan, leaving the country under Taliban rule. The chaotic two-week evacuation saw the evacuation of more than 120,000 people, including thousands of Afghans who worked alongside US forces.

US President Joe Biden made a commitment to assist those who helped the US and its allies during the conflict, making sure they had the opportunity to seek refuge in the US.

“We think we owe them the future that we tried to build in their country, and in America. And we are very grateful to you, the Filipino people, for helping us fulfill our promise to them — a pathway to safety and opportunity,” the US State Department Official said.

The Philippines as host

The US government has said that the Philippines was at the top of its list to host Afghan nationals pending their SIV largely “because of the size, capability, and capacity of the consular section in the Philippines.”

Manila and Washington have reassured the public that the Afghan nationals have undergone thorough vetting by security agencies from both countries to ensure safety.

On the cusp of a new administration, there is confidence that the US will honor its commitments to the Afghan visa applicants.

“These are SIVs. These are people that the United States has a commitment to. I have every expectation that any administration would honor them,” a US State Department official said.