The Philippines is not included in the Trump administration’s reported list of countries facing a suspension in the processing of U.S. visas, Manila’s envoy to Washington said.
“Philippines is not included,” Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez told local media.
The Philippines is the United States’ oldest treaty ally in Asia.
US media earlier said the U.S. State Department would pause visa processing for visitors from 75 countries starting January 21. Citing a State Department memo, the report said countries on the list include Somalia, Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, Brazil, Nigeria, and Thailand.
Last November, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a sweeping review of asylum cases and green cards issued to foreign nationals following the killing of a National Guard member in Washington, D.C. by an Afghan national.
According to the report, U.S. embassies were directed to refuse visas under existing law while the State Department reassesses its screening procedures. Since returning to the White House, Trump has intensified enforcement of immigration laws and ordered mass deportations of undocumented migrants, a key campaign pledge.
Meanwhile, outgoing U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson underscored the “strong and enduring” ties between Washington and Manila during her farewell reception on Wednesday evening.
“People-to-people ties are what form the basis of our enduring bond between our two nations,” Carlson said, noting that more than 1.3 million U.S. citizens visited the Philippines in 2024, strengthening links of family, friendship, and shared history.
Carlson also highlighted milestones in bilateral relations, particularly cooperation during natural disasters, and said the United States views the Philippines “as a place to trade, invest, innovate, and grow.”
She cited the trilateral initiative with Japan to develop the Luzon Economic Corridor, a U.S.-backed growth region aimed at boosting trade and improving transportation, energy, and logistics efficiency across the country.
The U.S. Embassy in Manila, she added, established a new foreign assistance section administering over $313 million to support energy resilience, combat illegal fishing, improve health outcomes, and spur private sector growth.
“These efforts are building a brighter, more prosperous future for Filipinos and Americans,” Carlson said.
Having overseen more than 500 joint military activities during her more than three-year tenure, Carlson said she is confident the two allies will continue to stand “shoulder to shoulder to safeguard a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
“We have defended international law in the South China Sea and upheld the rights of Filipino fisherfolk. Our alliance is truly ironclad, and our shared commitment has never been stronger,” she said.
