IS there a force that would compel the US Embassy in Manila to resume visa services?

Other than an act of God, what else is there?

First, the history of the service interruption and the phased resumption.

There are two main factors that contributed to the huge backlog of immigrant visa applications at the National Visa Center and the US Embassy in Manila.

Covid-19 happened leading to the World Health Organization declaring a pandemic on March 11, 2020.

Second, four years before that, Mr. Donald Trump occupied the White House on the winds of immigrant aversion and disdain, especially those coming from Mexico and Central America labeled as “drug addicts, criminals and rapists . . . hordes of migrants overwhelming the border.”

As coronavirus ravaged the US population and catapulted the country to the top of infected nations, Mr. Trump issued twin proclamations citing Covid-19 and immigrants’ threat to the health and wealth of Americans.

Proclamations banning immigrants, nonimmigrants

For the year 2020:

April 22 — Presidential Proclamation 10014

June 10 — Visa appointment cancellation through July 3

June 22 — Presidential Proclamation 10052 issued, amending Section 1 of PP 1004, to include a ban on admission of nonimmigrants seeking H-1B, H-2B, J and L visas

July 28 — Visa appointment cancellation through Aug. 28, 2020

August 28 — Cancellation of certain nonimmigrant visa appointments through Sept. 30, 2020

September 25 — Cancellation of certain nonimmigrant visa appointments through October 30

October 28 — Cancellation of certain nonimmigrant visa appointments through November 30

November 25 — The US Embassy in the Philippines has cancelled nonimmigrant B1/ B2 (business/tourist) visa interview appointments scheduled through December 31

December 18 — Cancellation of certain nonimmigrant visa appointments through Jan. 29, 2021

December 31 — Presidential Proclamation 10131 — Extended the validity and scope of immigrants and nonimmigrants barred from entry into the United States under the revised Section of PP 10014 and 10052 For 2021:

January 5 — The embassy canceled all visa appointments scheduled through March 31 for H-1B, H-2B, L-1, J applicants participating in the intern, trainee, teacher, camp counselor, au pair, or summer work travel program and any spouses or children of covered applicants applying for H-4, L-2, or J-2 visas.

January 25 — Cancellation of B1/B2 (business/tourist) visa appointments through Feb. 26, 2021

February 24 — President Joe Biden issues a proclamation revoking the ban on immigrants and nonimmigrants covered by the revised Section 1 of 10014 and 10052

February 24 — Still on the same date (Philippine time) cancellation of nonimmigrant B1/B2 (business/tourist) visa interview appointments scheduled through March 31, 2021

March 17 — Cancellation of B1/B2 (business/tourist) visa appointments through April 30, 2021

April 19 — Cancellation of B1/B2 (business/tourist) visa appointments through May 31, 2021

May 21 — Cancellation of B1/B2 (business/tourist) visa appointments through June 30, 2021

I may have missed some dates, including the announcement of the extension to accept nonimmigrant visa fee payments to September 2022, because of the pandemic.

Notice as well that the announcement of visa cancellations came days before the previous deadline set.

This is not to keep applicants at bay.

To efficiently serve applicants, the embassy needs the appropriate number of staff and consular officers to conduct and facilitate interviews. With a fluid pandemic situation nationwide, and particularly in the National Capital Region, the embassy has to monitor the Covid-19 situation.

The US Embassy based its decisions on the quarantine protocols and announcements of the Philippine government, which could be from the InterAgency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases or directly from the Office of the President, or the Department of Health.

US Embassy visa operations

At time of writing, “routine visa services remain suspended due to precautions and limited resources due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The US Embassy in the Philippines continues to operate on reduced staffing and is continually evaluating the conditions necessary to resume full services.

As conditions surrounding the Covid-19 situation improve, the embassy will have additional services, culminating eventually in a complete resumption of routine visa services. The embassy cannot predict when the resumption of full visa services or a specific set of visa cases will resume.

Revisiting the premise then: Is there a force that will compel the US Embassy to resume normal visa services?

Several factors consolidating into one force come to mind: 1) Strict compliance of Filipinos to quarantine protocols as they are issued 2) Efficient coordination of Philippine government, from the Executive Office to all concerned departments 3) Availability of vaccines 4) Vaccination of all age groups and sectors to reach a significant level of herd immunity making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely thereby ensuring protection of the whole community not just to the immune.

People power then.