Phl hosting Afghans awaiting American visas

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Tuesday the Philippines and the United States have agreed to permit a “limited” number of Afghan nationals to stay temporarily in the Philippines while they complete their visa requirements for entry to the US.

The DFA in a statement said the Afghans will transit through the Philippines as they finalize their Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applications and prepare for resettlement in the United States. The US government will cover all the expenses of the Afghans during their stay, including food, housing, security, medical care, and transportation.

“The agreement is currently undergoing the final domestic procedures required for its implementation,” the DFA said.

In a separate statement, the US government, through the Department of State, expressed its gratitude to the Philippines for its “support of Afghan allies of the United States.”

“The United States appreciates its long and positive history of bilateral cooperation with the Philippines and thanks the Philippine government for supporting Afghan allies of the United States,” the department said.

Senators cite security risks

Several senators, including Senator Imee Marcos, raised concerns about the proposal last year, citing potential security risks.

All applicants will have been medically screened in Afghanistan and will need to leave their billet facility only once for their consular interview at the US Embassy in Manila.

Marcos, who chairs the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, led a Senate inquiry into the US request for the Philippines to grant special immigrant status to Afghans who had worked for the US in Afghanistan while their SIV applications are being processed.

Marcos questioned the agreement, emphasizing that the country already faced numerous problems.

“Did they get past us? Who are the ones arriving? How many are they? Where will they stay? They aren’t prisoners, will they be roaming around the whole Philippines?” Marcos had said.

In a Senate hearing in June 2023, Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez said that if the request were granted, not all the Afghans applying for SIV status would arrive at once, but in batches of 1,000 to 1,500.

At the time, over 50,000 Afghans were awaiting approval of their SIV applications in the United States.

Designated facility

According to the DFA, the Afghan nationals will be housed in a designated facility while their applications are processed by the US Embassy in Manila.

“The US government, together with the International Organization for Migration as facility manager, will ensure that the applicants, especially the children, will have adequate social, educational, religious, and emotional support during their stay in the billet facility,” the DFA said.

“All applicants will have been medically screened in Afghanistan and will need to leave their billet facility only once for their consular interview at the US Embassy in Manila,” it added.

“The agreement is currently undergoing the final domestic procedures required for its implementation,” the DFA said. “The agreement will need to be ratified by the President before it becomes effective.”