A Trip to USA? Tips and Guidelines Getting a Tourist Visa For Filipinos

This will be my own version of Tips and Guidelines on getting a US TOURIST VISA.

I tell you my heart almost burst out getting a tourist visa. I'm going to meet my boyfriend for a holiday vacation that's why I'm getting one. We all know how hard to get US VISA, but it is actually easy than it seems. I'll share my experience for your reference to help you on getting a visa and the assurance of not getting the blue form or hearing the consul that you are denied. So here it goes...

First things first, you have to apply for your online application form
which you can get from clicking this link 👉 Apply for a Nonimmigrant Visa

• Select your country and then enter the code just to make sure you are not a robot
• Then click the tab START AN APPLICATION it will automatically give you your application ID. Write it down please!
• Scroll down and your will see SECURITY QUESTION choose what suits you best and remember that question and answer, WRITE IT DOWN if you must. You will need that whenever you want to retrieve your Application form.
• Once you finished it will go to another page where in you have to complete the information needed for your DS-160 Form:
• Personal 1 and 2 information
• Address and Phone
• Passport
• Travel (If I'm not mistaken this section is about your previous travel outside your country)
• Travel Companions (If you're not traveling alone)
• Previous U.S. Travels
• U.S. Contact (If you're visiting a friend, family, etc.)
• Information about Family 
• Work/Education/Training
• Security and Background

These are all indicated on DS-160 application form. So if ever you are reading my blog go before you start the form go gather all the documents you need so you can do it in one seating. If not you can always save your application and re-log in by putting your APPLICATION ID NUMBER and ANSWER TO YOUR CHOSEN SECURITY QUESTION.

Once your application is completed you are ready to make your appointment
just click this link 👉 Apply for a US VISA in the Philippines this site actually can help you if you have any further questions about the visa you are applying for and this is also where you have to schedule your date and time for your appearance to the consul. It's easy...

• Create account
• Put your EMAIL address, Full Name, Password then put the CAPTCHA code to know that you are not a robot click submit
• The site will take you to the APPLICATION HOME it has your information dashboard includes: VISA INFORMATION, FEE PAYMENT, FAMILY DETAILS, of course APPOINTMENT SCHEDULE
• Make sure to put your address for the delivery of your passport

How to make a SCHEDULE?

• Click the NEW APPLICATION/SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT tab just by the top left corner of your screen
• Indicate what type of VISA you applied for
• Then it will gave you the VISA category: I choose Business/Tourism
• If you choose that it will gave you VISA CLASS, choose which one you're applying for
• Once it done it will take you to where you have to input your Personal Data again. There will be a pop out window about TERMS AND CONDITIONS (READ AND ACCEPT)
• Just input your personal details including your APPLICATION ID number after that it will take you to the DEPENDENTS page in case there's another person applying for a visa with you like family or friends, if not leave it blank and click CONTINUE
• STEP 7 only ask if you're applying in a group or renewing your visa click YES OR NO
• then specify the DOCUMENT DELIVERY
• PAYMENT. There will be a pop out window that tells you the visa is non-refundable
• for payment/visa fees how to pay click 👉 VISA FEES AND WHERE/HOW TO PAY
• Once you paid the visa keep the receipt and indicate your receipt number once done it will let you schedule your appointment. Earlier the better. In the site it will tell you when is the first available appointment. Once you've chosen the date they will email you an APPOINTMENT CONFIRMATION NUMBER print and keep

TAKE NOTE: Make sure to remember all the information you put in your DS-160 form and documents the consul is actually basing their question whatever you put in there. That is pretty much about it.

I made my form last year November 2016 as far as I can remember, but anyways I was working on the ship that time and since I barely have time to do it took me 1-2 weeks to finish it. I also need to gather information for my form, its a hassle. For the payment? I ask my mom to do it for me, send money back home, she send the receipt number to me and viola appointment schedule done. 

REMEMBER: You can only change your schedule 3 times...

TAKE NOTE: Try to print screen or write down whatever you put on your application form in case you decided to do your interview appointment after 3-4 months.

So, application form DONE! Appointment schedule DONE! The only thing you have to do is wait and prepare for your interview which for me is kind a bit of a nerve wrecking moment. What I did is prepared myself and search in the net for others who shared their experience about visa interview. So the internet world helps me a lot. 
These are the links I checked during the preparation:

👉 https://www.path2usa.com/us-visa-interview-questions
👉 http://twomonkeystravelgroup.com/usa-visa-tips-for-filipinos/
👉 http://tripadora.com/2013/08/common-us-visa-interview-questions/
👉http://www.immihelp.com/experience/view-1-29-usavisitorvisa_b2visa.html

They're pretty much good for a reference, but not entirely they only share the common question the consul usually ask, but it depends what are the reason why are you going there. This will be a reminder from what I learned during the interview. The consul is basing the next question to your answer aside from the FORM, most of it. 
A week before my interview I went to usvisatraveldocs.com to check what I need to bring 👉Supporting Documents I collect all important requirements/documents needed to back up whatever the consul might need for me to show them, the application form and of course my LATEST PASSPORT. 
What documents I actually brought?

1. Appointment Confirmation Form (after you made an appointment they email you the form, print it and bring on the day of your appointment)
2. The Application form DS-160
3. Latest passport type photo
4. Latest Passport
5. My old Passport (I have a C1-D visa so in case they ask me about I can show it to the consul)
6. A copy of property (I bought a house so it's one of the things. They have to make sure we have enough SOCIO-ECONOMIC TIES)
7. My Employment Contract/Employment Certificate
8. Bank statement
9. Photo of my Family

That's what I prepared and brought on my interview. About the SOCIO-ECONOMIC TIES you or me have to prove that we're going back to the Philippines, so it is important that you can prove you will not violate the rules and regulations of the tourist visa or even plan on not going home anymore. They base it through your socio-economic ties.

The day of the interview, my schedule was  at 8:45AM. I arrived there by 7:40, I'm quite early I know. As soon as I get their I saw that there's a post just by the entrance to the embassy, time are indicated in each post. I didn't see 8:45 so I approached the guard and ask if I can go in since my schedule is 8:45AM. He let me in and told me to follow the line. I pull out my appointment form and showed to one of the agent who checks it and told me to line to the number she told me. The next procedure is I handing out my passport to the next agent. They attached a sticker that indicated my application ID number. 

REMEMBER: ANY DIGITAL DEVICES ARE NOT ALLOWED INSIDE THE EMBASSY. NO CELLPHONE, NO CAMERA, ETC.

After that, I proceed inside where I have to put my bag to the XRAY machine and walk through the metal detector, It is better if you don't have to bring any bag just your papers will do (hassle free). Inside they have signage/guide on where to go next, in case not sure there's always someone who can assist you. I went straight inside and have to do the 2 step process before getting to the final interview.

1.  Pre-screening. They check my passport and since I didn't upload any photo I gave one and the agent asked me when did I took the photo and asked my full name and date of birth
2. Finger scanning. They asked the full name and date of birth again

Once I completed the 2 steps another agent will guide you before getting in the life. They make you sit and wait for about 15-20 minutes before proceeding in line for the interview. This is the make and break of your life. I waited at least 30 minutes before I face the consul. What did I do while waiting? I brought a book with me, it makes me nervous seeing people leaving either with the blue form with their passport and people who are smiling because they got approve. I keep playing in my head the question a consul might ask until one agent called us up to go in line. I'm a single woman going for a vacation, meeting my boyfriend and I saw women either same age like me or a few younger than me or few older than me get denied for reasons I don't know. I waited anxiously and my hearts keeps pounding until I have to go to Window 25 for my interview, but got called up to another window. I gave my passport and greeted the gentle man a good morning. I will proceed with the question he asked me below:

• What part of the US are you going? Florida
• How long are you going to stay there? For about a month
• What do you do for a living? Room service phone operator in a cruise ship
• How much is your monthly salary? $$$$$
• How long have you been with the company? for about 2 and Half years
• Accoring here it's 3 years. Have you worked to another company? Yes. I worked in NCL before moving to RCL.
• When is that? 2013 (due to my C1-D visa that I put in my application form)
• Why are you going there? To visit my boyfriend for a holiday vacation
• How long do you know your boyfriend? 4 years
• How did you met him? I met his parents in the cruise ship and met him as well.

That's all I can remember. Just to remind you whatever is your answer will always be the basis of their next question. He didn't ask me to show any credentials or documents after the last question he told me that my visa is approved and it will take 5-7 working days to be processed. I thanked him politely and told him have a good day. I think it is not only luck you need, it is also depends what kind of consul you have to face and prove to get the visa. I remember one lady who's been there for a quite awhile I think her interview took at least 10 minutes only she got denied. The consul well trained for this of course, they have to make sure that you will not violate the rules and regulation of your visa once it is approve. Confidence is also a needed, I know it's hard to build confidence when your heart is beating so fast that it might pop out of your chest which what happens to me while I'm there, thought I'm giving birth to xenomorph (Alien Franchise). Just remember what you put in the form and answer the question with confidence and truthfully. 

I hope this blog helps especially to filipinos/filipinas who wants to get a tourist visa and visit their partner.

Adventure is out there!!

xoxo