The Secretariat

Wow! Stateside! Blue seal? In the 90s, these were the usual reaction of my mother every time our US-based relatives went back home and gave her souvenirs (or Pasalubongs).

As a Filipina, a US Tourist Visa application is one of the toughest visa applications we can possibly go through. The possibility of rejection is high. An applicant has to establish rootedness in her home country and forget any immigrant intent when applying for a tourist visa.

I was always amazed by the US. Holder of the US Tourist Visa can change my life as a traveler. A US Tourist Visa has a lot of perks. There are visa-free countries if a traveler possesses a US Tourist Visa. As of this writing, I have applied for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) for Canada, and soon an ETA for Turkey. See, it’s a privilege to have a US Tourist Visa.

HOW TO APPLY FOR US TOURIST VISA?

The following are the steps that I did:

1. Visit the official website of the US Embassy and fill out the DS-160 form online. (https://ceac.state.gov) Be honest with the answers.
2. Prepare a valid passport, a soft copy of a 2×2 photo for the US Tourist Visa Application, and the link to the applicant’s online account like Facebook or Instagram (if you want to share them).
3. Double or triple-check all the details before submitting the application.
4. After submission of DS-160, visit the portal to generate the payment receipt, pay, and schedule the online appointment for the interview. (https://www.ustraveldocs.com)
5. It is so important to follow all the instructions. Take your time.
6. While waiting for the scheduled appointment for the interview, prepare the requirements that would establish your rootedness in the home country such as real properties, employment, travel history, strong family ties, etc.

Good luck!

Disclaimer: For more accurate and updated information, please check the official websites of the Embassies or Consulates of your country of destination.