Afghans come to the Philippines for visa processing before being resettled in the US

A group of Afghan nationals arrived in the Philippines on Monday to be processed for special immigrant visas to resettle in the US.

Their arrival comes as part of an agreement between the Philippine and American governments.

The Philippines agreed in July to temporarily host a visa processing center for US arrivals for a limited number of Afghans seeking to make America their new home.

Afghan citizens who arrived in the Philippines on Monday were granted entry visas, according to Teresita Daza, spokesperson for the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs.

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Daza said the Afghans have completed extensive security checks and are thoroughly vetted before they arrive. He also said that the US government pays for their stay in the Philippines, including food, housing, security, medical and transportation costs.

It is not clear how many Afghans have arrived in the Philippines or how long it will take to process the visas, but Philippine rules state that visa applicants cannot stay for more than 59 days.

President Biden discussed the possibilities of the Philippines hosting a processing center with Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. when he visited the US last year. (AP)

A senior Philippine official said last year that only 150 to 300 applicants would be admitted to the Philippines under a “one-time” deal with the US government.

Afghan nationals who want to resettle in America were working for the US government in Afghanistan or were considered eligible for special US visas but were left behind during the withdrawal of troops and civilians from the country in 2021, prompting the Taliban to retreat. controlling the region.

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Secretary of State Antony Blinken first expressed the idea of ​​the Philippines hosting the processing center when he spoke to his Philippine counterpart in 2022. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

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Secretary of State Antony Blinken first made a request for the Philippines to host a processing center for its Philippine counterpart in 2022. President Biden later discussed the request with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. when he visited the US last year.

Marcos Jr. he has renewed relations with the US since reaching the presidential election two years ago. About a year ago, he allowed the US military to expand its presence under a 2014 defense agreement, a move that angered Chinese officials.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.