If you have plans to go to the United States for a vacation with your little one in tow, then the best time to apply for a US Visa is now.
Why? Because you will not have to wait in line. Your baby will be prioritized, and you could even be out of the embassy in less than an hour! Yes you read it right J
So here are the US Visa requirements for babies in the Philippines
After of course getting a passport for your kiddo (click here to ready my post re: passport requirements for babies and young kids) all you have to do is head on over at the US embassy’s website, specifically this page which contains payment information. You’ll be glad to know that if you are a BPI or Bancnet Account holder, you no longer need to pay at a BPI bank branch (like what we did), because now, you can pay ONLINE! Just make sure to create your baby’s profile first using the information in this link. The instructions on online payment can be found here.
Anyway, if you are not a BPI or Bancnet account holder, you can print the deposit slip in the website, and pay the 160 USD Visa Fee, in local currency though, hand over the slip and the cashier will give you a receipt which you have to keep for future reference. (Please note that this post is published Aug 2015, so better check with the website again for an updated amount).
(Post continued below)
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After paying the fees in a BPI Branch, you may now fill-out your child’s DS-160 form. You will need the number in your baby’s accomplished and submitted form when you schedule your child’s interview. After completing the DS-160, create a profile for your baby in the US Embassy’s System, and once created you may now schedule an appointment. Prepare your child’s passport number, UV Visa Fee Payment receipt number, and the ten (10) digit barcode number from your DS-160 confirmation page.
Once you have the schedule, prepare what you have to bring to the embassy like your passports (yours and tthe baby’s), the copy of the appointment letter, the DS-160 Confirmation page, and a recent picture of your baby that adheres to US Visa Requirements. You and your baby then just have to head on over at the US Embassy (of course with a time allowance ahead of your scheduled time just to be sure — grabe traffic lagi). Once there, skip the line and just go directly to the guard (yes they have special lines for babies, senior citizens, and those with special needs!).
Once you reach the security check area, approach the guards (or any embassy staff who may be doing the checking) so that they could prioritise you and the baby. DO NOT feel guilty about cutting the line. Since most Americans do not employ nannies, they know how it feels to be in line with an infant, hence the special treatment given to parents with young children. Again, during the taking of biometrics info for your baby, you do not need to line up for the same reason, and same with the fingerprinting section where they would just actually put a stamp on the baby’s passport since those tiny little fingers do not have discernible fingerprints yet.
You will then be led to an area for babies, senior-citizens, and special needs applicants so that you could be prioritized for the interview.
In the occasions that we applied for the kids’ visa, we just presented their passport, the copy of the appointment letter, the DS-160 Confirmation page, and the photo. We also brought our passports with valid US Visa. In those occasions we have been asked when are we likely to travel and how long are we going to stay there, and where will we be staying. Some parents opt to bring other legal documents like bank records, and it is up to you if you wish to do the same. In our case, the consul never asked to see any of those docs. In fact, i have noticed that they are usually happy to see babies during interviews.
Anyway, once everything is okay, you will be then told to wait for the baby’s passport to be delivered to your address usually in a week’s time.
Wishing your family a happy and safe trip as early as now, and hope you could head on over to my Facebook Page, hit the like button so you could receive regular Happypinaymommy.com updates on your newsfeed.
Thank You!
Leaving you with a nice video on traveling with babies:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-v1O8mc5nA
