PH not affected by halted US visa processing
Filipinos who want to apply for a US visa to fulfill their American dream can heave a sigh of relief.
The Philippines is excluded from the list of 75 countries whose nationals are affected by the United States’ temporary suspension of visa processing, according to Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel “Babes” Romualdez.
“No, not included,” Romualdez told the Inquirer in a text message on Thursday when he was asked about the matter.
There was no immediate explanation why the Philippines, America’s oldest treaty ally in the region, was spared from the suspension that will affect nine Asian countries.
The ambassador said they were “trying to get” a list of the 75 countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and eastern Europe that will be affected by the suspension effective Jan. 21.
The US Department of State, led by Secretary Marco Rubio, earlier said it had instructed consular officers to halt immigrant visa applications from the countries affected in accordance with a broader order issued in November that tightened rules around potential immigrants who might become “public charges” in the United States.
Previous proclamations
This is not the first time that Washington has suspended visa issuance for specific countries. In June 2025, the White House issued Presidential Proclamation No. 10949 that restricted 19 countries from applying for a US visa. In December 2025, it expanded this number to 39 though Presidential Proclamation No. 10998.
“We are protecting our nation and its citizens by using rigorous, security-focused screening and vetting procedures to ensure that individuals approved for a visa do not endanger national security or public safety,” the US state department said on Dec. 19, 2025, in an advisory on its website.
The suspension will not apply to applicants seeking non-immigrant, or temporary tourist or business visas.
“The Trump administration is bringing an end to the abuse of America’s immigration system by those who would extract wealth from the American people,” the department previously said in a statement.
US President Donald Trump earlier vowed to “permanently pause” migration from all “Third World Countries” after Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal shot two National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe near the White House on Nov. 26, 2025. Beckstrom died while Wolfe is still recovering in the hospital.
Asian countries
Based on reports, Asian countries affected by the ban are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan and Thailand.
The other countries are Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil; Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan;
Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania; Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Yemen.
