No change in visa processing in PHL — US Embassy

The US Embassy in the Philippines on Tuesday assured the public that there would be no change in visa processing at the embassy following the announcement that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) field office in Manila will be closed next month.

"Immigrant and non-immigrant visas will continue to be processed at the Embassy," the US Embassy said.

It also ensured that the services previously offered by the USCIS field office in Manila would continue.

"The US Embassy in the Philippines will assume responsibility for certain limited services previously provided by the Manila USCIS field office. All other services will be transitioned to electronic processing or performed domestically in the United States," it said.

It reiterated that the 1-130 petition can be filed by mail with the USCIS lockbox facility in Chicago, Illinois.

Earlier, US Embassy spokesperson Molly Koscina said insufficient workload caused the USCIS to shutdown its Manila office.

The USCIS field office in Manila stopped accepting family visa applications, foreign adoptions and citizenship petitions on May 31.

Individuals who were previously assisted by the USCIS Manila office have been provided with new filing instructions. — Anna Felicia Bajo/RSJ, GMA News