The Philippines and the United States have agreed to a plan allowing a limited number of Afghan nationals to temporarily stay in the Philippines while their resettlement applications to the US are processed. According to an ABS-CBN News report, the exact number of visa applicants has not been disclosed as the two governments continue to finalize details of the program.
The initiative, which had initially faced opposition in the predominantly Catholic Philippines due to security concerns, will involve a small group of Afghans, including those who worked with the former US-backed Afghan government. These applicants will reside in a facility managed by the US State Department’s Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts during their stay.
Applicants will be required to obtain a Philippine visa and undergo medical screening in Afghanistan before traveling. Their stay in the Philippines will be limited to 59 days, during which they will be confined to their billet facility, except for attending consular interviews at the US Embassy. The US government will cover all necessary services, including food, housing, and security.
This program comes in response to the mass exodus of Afghans following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, which left thousands of US allies seeking resettlement under the Special Immigrant Visa program.