In a firm and sweeping consular update that affects all immigrant visa applicants globally, the U.S. Department of State has announced that beginning May 19, 2025, individuals appearing for U.S. immigrant visa interviews without all required original documents will not be interviewed and will be forced to reschedule their appointments, potentially facing months-long delays in securing a new interview date.
This urgent announcement comes from the U.S. Embassy in Manila and applies universally to all immigrant visa applicants, regardless of their country of origin. The embassy has emphasized that missing documents not only stall an individual’s application but also impact the processing timeline for other applicants, reducing the number of interviews the embassy can conduct on any given day.
What You Must Bring: Mandatory Document Checklist
According to the official press release, failure to bring even one of the required original documents will result in denial of the scheduled interview. All applicants must arrive at the embassy with the following (this list may vary slightly by case, so confirm specifics at travel.state.gov):
- Valid Passport (Must be valid for at least 60 days beyond the intended travel date)
- Original Civil Documents such as:
- Birth certificates
- Death certificates (if applicable)
- Marriage certificates
- Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR)
- Advisory of Marriages
- Proof of termination of any previous marriages
- Philippine Police Clearance (NBI Clearance) for applicants aged 16 and older (mandatory)
- Foreign Police Certificates for any country where the applicant lived or worked for 12 months or more
- Affidavit of Support (Form I-864) and accompanying financial documents from the sponsor or joint sponsor
- DS-260 Confirmation Page
- Interview Appointment Letter.
Additional Required Documents May Include:
- NBI clearance with aliases (AKA) for those with nicknames or alternate spellings on legal documents
- Petitioner’s original birth certificate, especially in sibling or child petitions
- Original proof of prior marriage termination (court decrees, annulments, death certificates)
Why This Matters: Delays Could Stretch for Months
Applicants who are turned away due to incomplete documentation will need to reschedule their interview entirely, and embassy officials warn that the next available dates may not be soon. Given the limited number of visa interview slots per year and heightened post-pandemic backlogs in many U.S. embassies, even a small oversight could set back your immigration journey significantly.
What You Should Do Now?
All prospective immigrant visa applicants are strongly urged to:
- Review the U.S. Embassy’s official document checklist well before the interview
- Double-check for originals, not photocopies
- Ensure translations are included if documents are not in English
- Prepare early and seek clarification from travel.state.gov or the embassy website relevant to your country.
Notice: https://ph.usembassy.gov/immigrant-visa-applicants-missing-documents-no-visa-interview/.
Follow Us
