A group of Afghan citizens Landed in the Philippines Monday to process special immigrant visas for resettlement in the United States
Their arrival comes as part of an agreement between the Philippine and American governments.
In July, the Philippines agreed to temporarily host a US immigration processing center for a limited number of Afghan citizens seeking to make America their new home.
Teresita Daza, spokeswoman for the Philippine Foreign Ministry, said the Afghan nationals who arrived in the Philippines on Monday were granted entry visas.
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Afghan special immigrant visa applicants arrived in the Philippines on Monday for processing before being resettled in the United States. (AP)
Daza said Afghan citizens They completed extensive security screening and underwent full medical examinations before their arrival. She also said that the US government covers the costs of their stay in the Philippines, including food, housing, security, medical expenses and transportation.
It is unclear how many Afghan nationals have arrived in the Philippines or how long the visa processing will take, but Philippine rules stipulate that visa applicants cannot stay longer than 59 days.
President Biden discussed the possibility of the Philippines hosting the processing center with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. when he visited the United States last year. (AP)
A senior Philippine official said last year that only 150 to 300 applicants would be accommodated in the Philippines under a “one-time” agreement with the US government.
Afghan citizens seeking resettlement in America primarily worked for the US government in Afghanistan or were deemed eligible for US special immigrant visas but were left behind during the chaotic withdrawal of troops and civilians from the country in 2021, leading to a Taliban recapture. Control the area.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken initially floated the idea of the Philippines hosting the processing center when he spoke with his Filipino counterpart in 2022. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
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Secretary of State Antony Blinken first submitted a request for the Philippines to host the processing center for its Philippine counterpart in 2022. President Biden She later discussed the request with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. when he visited the United States last year.
Marcos Jr. has renewed relations with the United States since winning the presidential election two years ago. Nearly a year ago, the US military was allowed to expand its presence under a 2014 defense agreement, a move that angered Chinese officials.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
