1. How do I pay my visa application fee?
Where you pay your visa fee depends on your visa category. Are you an immigrant visa applicant? If you didn’t pay at the National Visa Center (NVC), you can pay on the day of the visa interview at the Consular cashier. You can pay in cash, travelers check, or by U.S. Postal Order. The Embassy Manila cashier is located on the second floor.
Are you a fiancé(e) visa applicant?—This includes K1, K2, K3 and K4 applicants. You must pay the visa application fee of $240 before you can request a visa appointment.
There are three ways to pay the K visa application fee:
1. Cash payment at any Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) branch. Please note that K visa applicants are required to present a U.S. visa application deposit slip to pay the fee. Before going to the bank, you must print the applicable U.S. visa application deposit slip. Download the deposit slip on the online appointment website: http://ustraveldocs.com/ph/ph-niv-paymentinfo.asp, then take it to the bank to pay the fee.
There is an expiration date on the deposit slip. Bank agents will not accept payments based on expired deposit slips. Upon payment, the bank will issue a receipt. This receipt cannot be replaced. Applicants will not be able to schedule an appointment without the receipt number.
2. Online payment bill option provided by BPI to their clients.
3. Online payment through Bancnet.
For more details regarding K1 visa payment instructions, visit our website at http://manila.usembassy.gov/wwwh3023.html.
2. I am the principal applicant of a family-based visa petition. Sad to say, my petitioner passed away. Can I still process my visa application?
Although by law a family-based petition like yours is automatically revoked upon the death of the petitioner, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) can reinstate the visa petition (Form I-130), even after the petitioner dies. This allows you to continue the process for an immigrant visa. It is important to note that USCIS must first reinstate a petition on humanitarian grounds. You or your representative in the U.S. should contact the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283 to find out more information.
If USCIS has reinstated your visa petition, you need to have a substitute sponsor who is a Lawful Permanent Resident or a U.S. Citizen. Cases reinstated for humanitarian purposes retain their original priority date. Once your priority date becomes current for processing, the National Visa Center will contact you and your substitute sponsor regarding completion of documentary requirements.
3. My priority date is now current for processing! I have submitted all required documents to the National Visa Center (NVC). How long do I wait until my visa interview is scheduled?
Your wait is determined by the date you submit all the necessary supporting documents and when the case becomes documentarily qualified. This means that NVC has reviewed all of your documents and found them to be complete. Your waiting time for an interview date is approximately 3 to 4 months from the date your case is documentarily qualified.
When an interview slot becomes available for you, NVC will send you and your petitioner an appointment letter and will forward the case file to Embassy Manila. We will process the case as soon as we receive the file.
4. I am the principal applicant. I was issued a visa and I am now in the U.S. I am now prepared to have my wife and children follow me here. What should I do?
If your priority date is current for processing, you and your applicants should visit this website: http://www.ustraveldocs.com/ph to schedule a visa interview appointment. You can also contact the Embassy’s Visa Information and Appointment Service at (632) 982-5555 or (632) 902-8930 to schedule a visa interview date. The call center is open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, except on Philippine and U.S. holidays. Callers in the USA may contact the call center at (214) 571-1600 between 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. (Eastern Standard Time).
You should follow all interview preparation instructions, located on the Embassy’s website at http://manila.usembassy.gov/wwwh3238.html. These instructions provide the required documentation and procedures. The applicant or the representative should compile all the required documents and complete the medical examination before the interview date. Please note that the medical examination may take more than one day to complete.
Special for K2 Applicants: Please be aware that K2 applicants (child of a fiancé(e) visa (K1) applicant), must pay the visa application fee of $240 per applicant before requesting a visa appointment. Also, according to U.S. immigration law, issuance of a fiancé(e) derivative (K2) visa must take place within one year from the date the K1 was issued to the principal applicant. We urge you not to wait until the last minute to request a K2 interview.
5. I was recently petitioned and came to the US. I want my spouse and minor children (below 21) to come to the U.S. on my petition. How do I do this?
The best thing for you to do is contact the NVC and state your request. You may wish to submit Form I-824, which will allow the National Visa Center to determine your spouse and/or your children’s ability to obtain a visa. The National Visa Center mailing address is 31 Rochester Ave., Suite 200, Portsmouth, NH 03801-2915. You can also email NVC at: NVCInquiry@state.gov.
6. I was told that my case was affected by retrogression. What is retrogression? How long do I have to wait until my case can be processed?
Retrogression means that you were originally able to apply for a visa. However, the visa cut-off dates changed and your priority date is no longer current. Visas in the US have per-country limitations. Sometimes demand exceeds supply, and this changes the cut-off date of when you are eligible to apply for a visa.
Understandably, you probably wish to obtain an immigrant visa as soon as possible. Unfortunately, there is no provision within the law that would allow the numerical limitations to be waived in any individual’s case, regardless of the circumstances. You just have to sit tight.
Want to check on your status? Visit the State Department’s website at http://travel.state.gov/visa/bulletin/bulletin_1360.html for information on the movement of priority dates and visa availability.
7. I recently got married but my passport is still under my maiden name. Do I need to obtain a new passport that indicates my married name? On the other hand, my friend just had her marriage annulled; does she need to have her name changed in her passport?
First things first: If you are issued a visa, it must be in the same name as your passport.
Second: As a Filipino woman, you have the choice to choose your surname after marriage. You can keep your maiden name or use your husband’s surname.
If you choose to use your husband’s surname, you can only revert to your maiden name on three conditions: the (1) death of your husband (2) annulment of your marriage or (3) your divorce from a foreign husband.
8. I am the petitioner of a fiancé(e) (K1) applicant. I am currently unemployed. Can I submit a joint sponsor?
As a petitioner for your fiancé(e), you need to be able to demonstrate your ability to maintain an income at or above Federal Poverty Guidelines (will be linked to federal poverty guidelines when posted on the blog). This will make sure that your fiancé(e) will not become dependent on the US government for subsistence.
If you cannot meet these guidelines it may be possible to have a joint sponsor. BUT you must know that the Embassy will need to consider a number of factors in order to accept this sponsorship. Joint sponsors are not legally bound to address the financial needs of the applicant and may not always be sufficient to overcome the immigration laws we need to follow. The consular officer will make a thorough evaluation of the sponsor. Things we may look at include: the the sponsor’s relationship to the applicant or petitioner, the length of time the sponsor and your fiancé(e) have known each other, etc.
And just a quick note, even if you are unemployed, your fiancé(e) will need to submit the I-134 form along with a copy of your most recent Federal income tax return (Form 1040). If you can’t do this, you should submit other evidence of your assets to meet the poverty guidelines. For example, you may want to submit bank statements, investment accounts, real estate, and/or pension statements. The assets owned by the sponsor and members of the sponsor’s household must be available to support the sponsored immigrant(s) and can be readily converted into cash within 1 year.
9. I was told that I need an F2B retention letter. What is this document?
If you are a beneficiary of an F2 visa category and your petitioner has already become a citizen, you may have a longer waiting time than before. An F2B retention letter can help you by allowing you to stay in the visa category that has less waiting time. You can ask USCIS to remain in the F2 category instead of automatically converting to the F1 category. This is good, as the F2 category has less waiting time than the F1 category.
How can you take advantage of this? You may make an appointment with USCIS here.
10. An item in my visa packet needs to be corrected. Should I return the visa to the Embassy?
You need to return to the Embassy’s Immigrant Visa Unit only if any of the following items in your visa needs a correction:
- Name
- Date of birth
- Place of birth
- Gender
- Nationality
- Passport number
- Marital status
- Visa category.
11. I already have my visa. Can the plastic and envelope in the visa packet be opened?
You can open the outer plastic envelope to retrieve your passport. But do not open the yellow packet! This is the packet that has the diagonal cut and it contains documentation that helps out with your visa. You need to present this SEALED envelope at the Port of Entry when you arrive.
12. What is CSPA?
The Child Status Protection Act–CSPA–was created to give families relief from administration time so that their children can still immigrate to the US.
CSPA permits certain beneficiaries to technically stay “children,” even if they have already turned 21. CSPA can protect “child” status for many classes of immigrants. But ingat kayo!: Child Status Protection benefits do not apply to everyone or all children!
If your visa petition’s priority date is current for processing and you believe that your child qualifies for immigration benefits under CSPA, he/she may submit a formal visa application at the Embassy. Your child will be required to take the medical examination at St. Luke’s Extension Clinic, submit Form DS-230, a valid passport and birth certificate issued on security paper by the Philippine National Statistics Office (NSO), and remit the non-refundable immigrant visa processing fee of US$230.00 or its peso equivalent to the Embassy’s Immigrant Visa Branch Check-in Counter (Window 38) on any workday at 7:30 a.m.
Submitting a formal visa application is not a guarantee that an immigrant visa will be issued. A consular officer will interview the applicants, review the documents in support of the visa applications and inform them if they qualify for immigrant visas under CSPA. Please be aware that children of K visa applicants are not covered under CSPA.
Please see our recent blog post for more information!
13. Do applicants need to attend a seminar before they depart for the U.S.?
Philippine law requires that ALL Filipino emigrants over the age of 12 attend the Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS) with the Commission on Filipinos Overseas. Only emigrants aged 12 years and younger are exempted from attending this seminar. In your visa packet, you will receive information regarding the seminar.
Want more information on how to register for the seminar? Visit the Commission on Filipinos Overseas website at: http://www.cfo.gov.ph.
Effective immediately, the Embassy strongly encourages employers traveling with domestic employees to accompany the employee to the Embassy for their visa interview.
By coming along on the day of the interview, the employer will help us speed up processing. It also gives us a chance to explain U.S. labor regulations that apply during travel, and appropriate treatment of employees facilitates future travel.
Please note that it may not be necessary for an officer to interview an employer. The employer should bring his/her passport with valid U.S. visa. The employer need not book a separate appointment to accompany the domestic employee to the interview – the employee’s appointment and a valid visa will be sufficient for entry.
Please see the Embassy wapage (http://manila.usembassy.gov/domestic-employees.html) for more information on traveling with or as a domestic employee – and see you soon!
Effective February 1, 2013, all individuals issued
immigrant visas overseas must pay a $165.00 USCIS Immigrant
Fee before traveling to the United States. Only prospective
adoptive parents whose child(ren) is/are entering the United
States under either the Orphan or Hague Process, Iraqi and
Afghan special immigrants who were employed by the U.S.
government, returning residents, and those issued K visas are
exempt from the new fee. The USCIS below website has more
details on the new fee, including contact information for
USCIS, if there are further questions:
See below for further helpful information.
Qs and As
———
1. When must I pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee?
You must pay the fee prior to departing for the United States.
USCIS will not issue your green card until USCIS receives
payment. However, even if you have not paid the fee, U.S.
Customs and Border Protection officers will admit you, as long
as you are otherwise eligible to enter.
2. What if I was issued an immigrant visa before February 1,
2013? Do I have to pay the fee?
No. Only applicants issued visas on or after February 1, 2013
will pay the new fee. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection
(CBP) officers at the airport or land border will review
immigration records to determine when your immigrant visa was
issued. If the visa was issued on or after February 1, 2013
but the fee was not paid, the Immigrant Visa package will be
collected at the point of entry, but USCIS will not issue a
green card until the $165.00 fee is paid.
3. Who has to pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee?
All applicants issued immigrant visas (including Diversity
Visas), except children adopted under the Orphan (IR-3/IR-4)
or Hague Processes (IH-3/IH-4), Iraqi and Afghan special
immigrants who were employed by the U.S. Government, returning
residents (SB-1s), and K visas, will pay the new fee.
4. How do I pay the new fee?
You will pay the fee by going to www.USCIS.gov/ImmigrantFee,
clicking on the link to the USCIS intake page on Pay.gov,
answering the questions on the USCIS intake page, and
providing your checking account, debit, or credit card
information. Because checking payments must be drawn on a
U.S. bank, someone else may pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee on
your behalf.
I was granted a 10 year nonimmigrant visitor visa. Can I stay in the U.S. for 10 years?
No. The expiration date of the visa is the last day you can use the visa to seek entry into the United States. It has nothing to do with how long you may stay in the U.S. The length of stay in the U.S. is determined by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the port of entry.
How long can I stay in the U.S.?
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the port of entry generally grant permission for the visitor to remain in the United States for the amount of time needed to accomplish the purpose of visit.
What are the consequences if I overstayed my visa?
If you overstayed your visa, you should not attempt to reenter the U.S. on this visa. Your visa will be automatically cancelled. This means you may no longer use the visa with which you entered the United States under U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act Section 222(g). This section renders void the visas of nonimmigrants who remain in the United States “beyond the period of stay authorized by the Secretary of Homeland Security.”
When can I travel again to the United States if I overstayed in the U.S.?
Depending on the length of your overstay in the United States, you may be ineligible to reenter the United States for a number of years after your last trip departure. In this situation, you need to apply for a new nonimmigrant visa in your country of nationality. Applicant’s eligibility for a new visa will be determined at the time of interview by a consular officer.
Based on President Obama’s declaration of December 24 as a federal holiday in the United States, the U.S. Embassy in Manila will be closed on December 24. If your immigrant visa interview was scheduled for December 24, you may appear at the Embassy on December 26, 27, or 28, at 6:15 am, and you will be seen for an interview without an appointment. You must bring your appointment letter with you to the interview. If you cannot appear for your interview on December 26, 27, or 28, you should contact the U.S. Embassy’s call center at (02) 982-5555 to schedule a new appointment. The call center will be open as of December 26 at 8:00 am, Philippine time. The U.S. Embassy in Manila will re-open for business as usual on December 26.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and wish you happy holidays.
Are you interested in receiving a visa to the United States? If so, we have some important information for you! Often people are unsure of the correct process to apply for a visa to the United States, so we’ve launched a campaign, “Walang Sikreto,” to announce that all the information you need to apply for a visa is available on the U.S. Embassy’s official website: manila.usembassy.gov. There are truly no secrets to the visa application process.
Sadly, we have seen applicants victimized by “visa fixers” who charge illegal and unnecessary fees to “help” with the visa process. Many times, these incidents can be prevented by knowing more about the visa process and fees.
There are many myths about how to apply for a visa, what to do and say during an interview, and what you have bring with you to the Embassy in order to be approved. These myths are just that – myths. No matter what anyone says, purchasing and presenting fraudulent documents or lying on your application or in an interview will not help you. In fact, it could actually hurt your situation. We urge applicants to always tell the truth in their applications and interviews.
Be aware of suspicious fees and people that urge you to purchase fake documents. If you want the truth about applying for a visa, the most updated information, or a list of documents you should bring with you to your interview look at the U.S. Embassy’s Official website: manila.usembassy.gov
What is the Child Status Protection Act and how can you benefit?
For many visa categories, when a child turns 21 they can no longer receive a visa. Read on if you or your child has a petition and they are afraid that they might “age out,” or become too old to receive the immigration benefits of a child…
It may a long time to process petitions for US visas. The Child Status Protection Act–CSPA–was created to give families relief from administration time so that their children can still immigrate to the US.
CSPA permits certain beneficiaries to technically stay “children,” even if they have already turned 21. CSPA can protect “child” status for many classes of immigrants. But ingat kayo!: Child Status Protection benefits do not apply to everyone or all children!
Read on to find out if and how you or your child can benefit.
First, just to be clear, what is “aging out” anyway? It is when a child turns 21 before their immigration visa is adjudicated.
So, back to CSPA. How can you benefit? Do you know your visa classification? Are you an IR2 or F2B? An E3? A derivative of one of these visas? If you do not know what visa class you are in, take a look at your petition.
How does one qualify? See the helpful chart below…
| Immediate Relative IR2 | Preference Classification for Permanent Residence or Derivative F visas/E visas |
|
|
But wait, there are some more requirements. See below:
- You must be the beneficiary of a pending or approved visa petition on or after August 6, 2002.
- The beneficiary must not have had a final decision on an application for adjustment of status or an immigrant visa before August 6, 2002.
You need to seek and acquire permanent residence within 1 year of a visa being available…
According to the rules of CSPA, you must do something to show that you have applied for the visa during the time that the visa is available. This could mean that you should submit an application for a visa if you are able to. The date of visa availability means the first day of the first month a visa in the appropriate category was listed as available in the Department of State’s visa bulletin or the date the visa petition was approved, whichever is later.
But wait, there are some exceptions. Individuals may be eligible for CSPA after 1 year of a visa becoming available if all of the following are true:
- They are a beneficiary of a visa petition that was approved prior to August 6, 2002
- They had not received a final decision on an application for permanent residence based or immigrant visa on that visa petition prior to August 6, 2002
- The visa became available on or after August 7, 2001
- They met all of the other eligibility requirements for CSPA (see above)
Opt-Out: CSPA can help both children and adults!
Another benefit of the Child Status Protection Act helps out both children and adults!
In some cases it may be better to opt out of CSPA. Like in the Philippines, there may be a longer waiting time for some categories than others. For example, if you are a beneficiary of a F2 visa category and the person in the States petitioning you has already become a citizen, you may have a longer waiting time. CSPA can also help you by allowing you to stay in the visa category that has less waiting time. For example, if you are in the F2 category, you can ask USCIS to remain in the second preference classification instead of automatically converting to a 1st preference classification. You can have a shorter waiting time instead of becoming a F1. The reason that this may be beneficial is that sometimes the waiting time for the second preference visa is shorter than the waiting time for the first preference visa.
How can I take advantage of this? You can make a request in writing to your USCIS office. The Philippines actually has a USCIS office.
Related links:
More detailed information on CSPA
US Embassy Manila CSPA Page–includes an UNOFFICIAL CSPA calculator
In many countries, the month of December brings thoughts of delicious holiday food. Here in the Philippines conversations often start with “who makes the best bagoong and kare-kare?” Or remembering eating your mother’s embutido or watching your uncle make the lechon. If you are thinking of bringing food or food products with you to the United States as either presents or to help celebrate the holidays, you should first investigate what is acceptable to bring and what is prohibited.
According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP): meat, milk, egg, poultry and products made with these ingredients such as dried soup mix or bouillon are not allowed to bring into the U.S. Most fruits and vegetables are not allowed either.
For a list of U.S. Customs allowable food items please visit this website.
Failure to declare food products can result in up to a $10,000 (PHP 430,000) fine!
So think before you bring “a taste of home” to your friends or relatives in the United States, and investigate if it is OK to do so. It may be easier just to bring the recipe and make it once you arrive.
*Isinulat ng isang miyembro ng lokal na kawani ng Embahada. Ang Embada ng Estados Unidos ay hindi nag eendorso ng anumang partikular na lungsod o website sa iba.
Tulad ng karamihan ng tao sa buong mundo, ang mga Pinoy ay mahilig mamili! Ang kasiyahan sa pagpunta sa bawat tindahan, pagsusuri sa produkto, at paghahanap ng magagandang tinda ay isang masarap na pakiramdam. O,o! Walang duda, ang mga Pilipino ay mahilig bumili at mamili sa bawat pagkakataong makuha nila.
Kung ang layunin mo sa iyong nakaplanong paglalakbay sa US ay likas na paglilibang , kabilang ang turismo o bakasyon (kapaskuhan) / pamimili, kung gayon visitor visa (B-2) ang naaangkop na uri ng bisa para sa iyong paglalakbay.
Ngunit saan pumupunta ang mga Pinoy sa US upang mamili? Upang malaman, isinagawa namin ang isang impormal na botohan sa mga Pilipinong mamimili. Ito ay hindi ay nangangahulugan ng kumpletong listahan, gayunpaman, ang mga sumusunod na lugar ang tila ang pinaka tanyag.
Tulad ng France ay may Paris at ang England ay may London, ang Estados Unidos ay may lungsod ng New York. Ang lungsod ng New York, ang Big Apple, ay ang shopping Mecca ng US. Isang pinakamagandang bagay tungkol sa pamimili sa lungsod ng New York ay may mga tindahan para sa halos lahat ng bagay! Kailangan lang malaman ng mga Pinoy kung saan pupunta. Kung ikaw ay nagnanais na bumili ng pinakabagong uso, magandang subenir, o planong maglakad lamang , ang mga tindahan lungsod ng New York ay walang katulad.
Ilang mga Pinoy na mahilig sa baratilyo ay pumupunta sa New York dahil ito ay puno ng magagandang diskuwento sa pamimili kapwa sa mga tindahan pati na rin sa mga pamilihan sa daan.
Ang mga Pinoy ay makakahanap ng paraiso sa LA. Ang pinakamalaking lugar sa pagmamanupaktura sa kanlurang US at tahanan ng maraming nangungunang dibuhante,ang Los Angeles ay maihahanay bilang isang pandaigdigang sentro sa uso.
Ang Miami ay nag-aalok ng lahat mula sa mga designer creations hanggang sa magagandang pang-araw-araw na tinda, mula sa magagarang pamilihan sa labas hanggang sa usong pamilihan malapit sa distrito ng Miami. May mga bagay para sa bawat edad, panlasa, at badyet.
Ang Miami ay kilala rin sa mga specialty stores tulad ng mga tindahan ng alahas at pabango, duty free shops, mga magtitingi ng damit, at marami pang iba.
Ang Chicago ay nag-aalok ng malawak at iba’t ibang mga karanasan sa pamimili. Ang lugar ng pamilihan nito ay pinalawak din sa buong lungsod. Anumang pambihirang karanasan sa pamimili sa Chicago ay dapat magsimula sa Magnificent Mile. Ang seksyon na ito ay puno ng kayamanan sa pamimili, pagkain at libangan na gawing hindi malilimutan ang anumang bakasyon.
Note: Ang palayaw ng Chicago ay “Ang Mahanging Lungsod”. Ang hangin ay maaaring maging malakas at nagpapababa ng temperatura, ginagawa nitong masyadong malamig ang taglamig. Suriin ang temperatura at ulat ng panahon bago ka pumunta.
Nag-aalok ang San Francisco ng ilan sa pinakamagagandang pamilihan sa buong mundo, kaya’t ito ay hindi nakakagulat na ang mga Pinoy ay nais umubos ng ilang oras at pera sa iba’t-iba nitong shopping centers, distrito, at pamilihan. Ang magkakalapit na lugar ay isang magandang lugar din upang magkita ang mga magkakaibigan o pamilya at maglibang sa isang araw ng pamimili, pagkain, teatro, o ng isang pelikula.
Ang San Francisco ay nag-aalok ng natatanging estilo na naiiba sa ibang pamilihan. Bawat pamilihan at kalapit lugar ay may isang kapansin-pansing pakiramdam na angkop sa kalooban ng sinumang Pilipino.
Note: Ang San Francisco ay mas malamig kaysa sa Los Angeles kahit na ito ay nasa California. Magdala ng dyaket!
Kapag ang mga bisita sa Las Vegas ay may gustong gawing isang bagay bukod sa pagsusugal, may pamimili!
Sa loob ng maigsing distansya o isang maigsing biyahe mula sa lahat ng mga pangunahing mga resort hotels, ang mga dedikadong mamimili ay makahahanap ng malawak na mga pamilihan na nagpapakita ng isang malawak na hanay ng mga produkto upang bigyang kasiyahan ang mga naghahanap ng baratilyo, kainan, afternoon entertainment, casual at fine attire, lokal at angkat na paninda, brand names,fine art, couture creations, diamante, at ginto.
Note: Tulad ng San Francisco na maaaring maging mapanlinlang na malamig, ang Las Vegas ay maaaring maging mapanlinlang na mainit! Matatagpuan sa gitna ng disyerto, ang ganitong uri ng “tuyong init” na tipikal sa disyerto ay lubos na naiiba mula sa mga katulad na temperatura sa Pilipinas. Ang mga bisita ay hindi kadalasang masyadong nagpapalipas ng oras sa labas…ngunit sa ganitong uri ng pamilihan na mayroon, sino ang hindi magnanais.
U.S. Election Watch 2012 will feature a mock election and live updates of election returns in the United States
The United States Embassy will bring the 2012 U.S. Presidential Elections to Manila at SM North EDSA and to Cebu City at SM City Cebu on November 7 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. “U.S. Election Watch 2012” is open to the public and all activities will be free of charge.
This event is a unique opportunity for the public to meet representatives of the U.S. Embassy to answer questions about elections and democracy in the United States.
For more information, please visit the U.S. Embassy website manila.usembassy.gov, Facebook at www.facebook.com/manila.usembassy, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/usembassymanila.