Last updated: October 2026. Each policy statement below is dated and linked to the official page it comes from. Visa Bulletin dates, travel measures and court orders change, so recheck the linked pages before you act.
Yes, Filipino professionals can apply for an EB2 NIW, and the Philippines is one of only four chargeability areas with its own employment-based column in the Visa Bulletin. For EB2 NIW Philippines applicants, the November 2026 bulletin sets the EB-2 Final Action Date at 01APR25 (it was 01JAN25 in October) and the Date for Filing at 15MAR26. As of October 26, 2026, the Philippines is not named in Proclamation 10998 and was not on the State Department’s January 2026 list of 75 countries whose immigrant visas were paused. Applicants living in the Philippines interview at the U.S. Embassy in Manila after a separate fingerprint appointment.
Key takeaways
- Nationality does not change the NIW test. Filipino nurses, engineers and scientists meet the same EB-2 and Dhanasar standards as everyone else.
- The Philippines has its own EB-2 column. In November 2026 its EB-2 dates match Rest of World, but its EB-3 Final Action Date is further back, at 15AUG23.
- The Philippines is on neither 2026 restriction list: not in Proclamation 10998, and not on the 75-country immigrant visa pause list.
- Manila needs two appointments: a Visa Application Center (VAC) visit for photo and fingerprints, then the embassy interview. Applicants missing any required original document are not interviewed.
- Registered nurses face a specific hurdle. USCIS says a registered nurse job usually does not require an advanced degree, so the occupation behind your endeavor matters.
EB2 NIW Philippines: policy status as of October 2026
We checked each measure against official pages on October 26, 2026. The table repeats only what those pages say.
| Measure | What the official source says (as of October 26, 2026) | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Proclamation 10998 (signed December 16, 2025; effective January 1, 2026) | Suspends or limits entry and visa issuance for nationals of 39 countries plus Palestinian Authority travel documents. The Philippines is not on the full or partial list, and it was not on the June 2025 list in Proclamation 10949 either. | White House (10998); White House (10949); State Department |
| Immigrant visa pause for 75 countries (from January 21, 2026) | The Philippines was not on the list. The State Department says that, as of August 21, 2026, the pause is no longer in effect for the listed countries under the court’s order in CLINIC et al. v. Rubio, et al. | State Department |
| USCIS adjudication hold policies (PM-602-0192 and PM-602-0194) | USCIS ties them to nationals of the 39 countries in Proclamations 10949 and 10998, which do not name the Philippines. A Rhode Island court vacated them on June 5, 2026, and a California court enjoined them on August 24, 2026. | USCIS (June 2026); USCIS (August 2026) |
| Interview location rule (from November 1, 2025) | NVC schedules immigrant visa interviews in your country of residence or, if you request it, your country of nationality. Rare exceptions apply. | State Department |
| Embassy Manila document rule (from May 19, 2025) | Applicants who arrive without all required original documents “will not be interviewed” and must book a new appointment, which “may be months from now”. | U.S. Embassy Manila |
Two cautions. The official pages do not say whether the court orders above will be appealed, so recheck them before your interview. And these measures follow nationality: if you hold a second citizenship, speak with a licensed immigration attorney.
Who qualifies for EB2 NIW from the Philippines
Under the January 15, 2025 USCIS guidance update, officers confirm EB-2 eligibility first and only then weigh the waiver.
Layer 1: EB-2 eligibility and a Philippine degree
The USCIS Policy Manual accepts a U.S. master’s or higher or a foreign equivalent, or a U.S. bachelor’s or foreign equivalent plus five years of progressive, post-degree experience. The alternative is exceptional ability: at least three of the six criteria in 8 CFR 204.5(k)(3)(ii), which include a licence to practise the profession.
A credential evaluation can help show equivalency, but the Policy Manual chapter on evaluating education credentials says any evaluation is “solely advisory in nature; the final determination continues to rest with the officer.” File it with your transcripts, the “official academic record” the USCIS EB-2 page asks for.
Filipino nurses: the registered nurse problem
The Policy Manual names a “particular problem” with registered nurses: many hold advanced degrees, but “A registered nurse job, by contrast, usually does not require an advanced degree.” For NIW petitions it adds that “The occupation underlying the endeavor is determinative.” Nurse practitioners, researchers, educators and managers are positioned differently from staff nurses. Our EB2 NIW guide for nurses explains each path and how Schedule A compares.
Licensing is a separate gate. Under 8 CFR 212.15, an immigrant coming primarily to work as a registered nurse must present a health care worker certificate, while non-clinical roles such as “medical teachers, medical researchers, and managers of health care facilities” are exempt. It is shown to the consular officer at visa issuance (USCIS). Manila’s checklist for nurse applicants in the E2 and E3 visa classes asks for an “Original valid visa screen” plus a CGFNS certificate, RN licence or proof of passing the NCLEX-RN.
Filipino engineers and the Dhanasar prongs
Matter of Dhanasar, 26 I&N Dec. 884 (AAO 2016) requires an endeavor of substantial merit and national importance, that you are well positioned to advance it, and that on balance a waiver benefits the United States. Philippine experience supports prong 2; prong 1 concerns your planned U.S. work.
Hypothetical example: a Filipino civil engineer with a BS in civil engineering, a professional licence and seven years of post-degree flood-control design work proposes stormwater resilience projects for U.S. coastal municipalities. The petition proves degree equivalency and experience, then ties past results to the U.S. plan. This is an illustration, not a client case. See EB2 NIW for engineers.
Step 1: file Form I-140 with USCIS
According to the USCIS EB-2 page, an NIW petition must include Form ETA-9089 Appendix A and a signed Final Determination. A USCIS policy update of August 5, 2026 lets officers deny without first issuing an RFE when required initial evidence is missing. Your priority date is the date USCIS accepts the I-140.
| Fee (official schedules, October 2026) | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Form I-140 filing fee | $715 paper / $665 online | USCIS G-1055 |
| Asylum Program Fee (self-petitioner) | $300 | USCIS G-1055 |
| Premium processing (optional) | $2,965; USCIS takes action (approval, denial, RFE or NOID) within 45 business days | G-1055; USCIS |
| Immigrant visa application (employment-based) | $345 per applicant | State Department |
| USCIS Immigrant Fee | $235 per immigrant | USCIS G-1055 |
| NBI clearance | Not listed; see clearance.nbi.gov.ph | State Department (Philippines) |
| Medical exam, X-ray and blood tests | Paid directly to the clinic; no amount listed | Manila instructions |
A self-petitioner pays $965 in USCIS fees online ($1,015 on paper) before any premium processing.
Step 2: the Philippines Visa Bulletin EB-2 column
The Visa Bulletin gives separate employment-based columns to China (mainland born), India, Mexico and the Philippines, which it calls “oversubscribed chargeability areas”. Filipino applicants therefore read the PHILIPPINES column, not Rest of World. USCIS explains that your country of chargeability is usually your country of birth, so a Filipino citizen born in India, for example, may be charged to India’s much longer queue.
| November 2026 Visa Bulletin | PHILIPPINES column | Rest of World column |
|---|---|---|
| EB-2 Final Action Date | 01APR25 | 01APR25 |
| EB-2 Date for Filing | 15MAR26 | 15MAR26 |
| EB-3 Final Action Date | 15AUG23 | 15JUN24 |
| EB-3 Date for Filing | 01JAN24 | 01AUG24 |
Source: the November 2026 Visa Bulletin. The Philippines EB-2 Final Action Date moved forward from 01JAN25 in the October 2026 bulletin. The Philippines EB-2 dates equal Rest of World today, but the EB-3 row shows the column can diverge; nurses weighing EB-2 NIW against employer-sponsored EB-3 should note that the Philippines EB-3 queue is further back. The USCIS filing charts page says employment-based adjustment applicants must use the Dates for Filing chart for November 2026. Our priority date guide explains how to track the queue.
Want to know whether your Philippine degree and experience meet the EB-2 bar? Request a free profile evaluation and our petition team will review your background against the EB-2 and Dhanasar standards.
Step 3: EB2 NIW Philippines consular processing at the U.S. Embassy Manila
After USCIS approves the I-140, the National Visa Center (NVC) collects the $345 fee, your DS-260 and your civil documents. Once your priority date is current, NVC schedules the interview. For a Manila embassy immigrant visa case, the Manila instructions (updated January 27, 2026) set out the steps below.
Two appointments: the VAC first, then the interview
- Register online, create a profile at ustraveldocs.com, register your visa delivery address, and book a photo and fingerprint appointment at the Visa Application Center (Parqal Building 8, Parañaque).
- The VAC date must come first: “Failure to schedule your VAC appointment before your Embassy appointment will result in the cancellation of your visa interview.”
- Upload your documents to CEAC, confirm they were submitted, and bring every original.
Philippine civil documents (State Department reciprocity schedule)
The State Department’s Philippines civil documents page and the Manila checklist set these rules:
| Document | Issuing authority and what to know |
|---|---|
| Birth certificate | Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), on PSA security paper. If your record was amended, request the copy with a “CDLI” endorsement; otherwise it “will not be considered valid for visa application purposes.” If PSA has no record, get a certificate of non-availability; alternates are considered only when PSA states “No record available”. |
| Marriage | PSA marriage certificate. Local registrar copies exist, but “Marriage certificates issued by the PSA are still required for visa purposes.” Embassy Manila’s notice also lists the Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR) and Advisory of Marriages among civil documents. |
| Annulment or nullity | Family Court decree, registered with the civil registry where the marriage was recorded. The page says courts have granted legal separation, not divorce, since 1950; some Sharia divorces may be available. |
| Police (NBI clearance) | Required from Philippine-born applicants aged 16 and over. Manila wants a “Record Clearance (for travel purposes)” with an AKA listing your maiden name, birth-certificate name and any spelling variants on your documents, “even if the applicant has never used those names”. Applicants abroad can request one by mail, and Philippine embassies can assist. |
| Military | Certificate of Prior Service from the Office of the Adjutant General, Camp Aguinaldo, if you served. |
Police certificates if you have worked abroad
Manila tells applicants over 16 to bring “the original police certificate from every country you have lived in for six months.” That is stricter than NVC’s general civil documents step, which asks for third-country certificates after 12 months and says certificates generally expire after two years. The State Department also warns that “Not all arrests and convictions occurring outside of Manila are reported to the NBI.”
Medical exam at St. Luke’s Extension Clinic
- The Manila instructions list one panel physician: St. Luke’s Medical Center Extension Clinic (SLEC), 1177 J. Bocobo St., Ermita. “Medical examination results from other physicians will not be accepted.”
- Schedule it two weeks before your interview. Bring the SLEC confirmation, interview letter, passport with a copy of the photo page, immunization records and the DS-260 confirmation.
- Pay all fees, including X-ray and blood tests, directly to SLEC. If you are given a sealed envelope, do not open it. Carry your X-rays on your first trip; the report must be under six months old when you enter.
Interview day in Manila
Bring the appointment letter, a passport valid six months beyond your planned entry, the DS-260 confirmation, original PSA documents and your NBI clearance. Fees are payable in dollars or pesos, by cash or credit card. Phones are banned, and petitioners and attorneys cannot attend. The checklist asks employment-based applicants for a job offer letter from a U.S. employer dated less than one year ago; it does not address NIW self-petitioners without an employer, so ask the embassy in advance. If approved, the embassy keeps your passport and returns it by courier. Then pay the $235 USCIS Immigrant Fee. Do not quit your job or sell property before the visa is issued.
If you are already in the United States
Filipinos in the U.S. in lawful status may be able to file Form I-485 instead of interviewing in Manila, once their priority date is current on the chart USCIS designates. The fee is $1,440 on paper or $1,390 online for applicants aged 14 or older (G-1055). Nurses in clinical roles should note that USCIS requires the health care worker certificate when the I-485 is filed. Whether you can adjust depends on your status history, so ask a licensed immigration attorney.
Common mistakes in EB2 NIW Philippines cases
- Reading the Rest of World column. Use the PHILIPPINES column. The EB-2 dates match today but may not stay aligned.
- Assuming the Philippines was on the 75-country pause list. It was not, according to the State Department’s published list.
- An NBI clearance without every name variant. Manila asks for an AKA covering maiden names and spellings on all your documents.
- A bedside-only endeavor for a registered nurse. USCIS looks at the occupation behind the endeavor, and the staff RN role usually does not require an advanced degree.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Philippines affected by the 2026 travel ban or visa pause?
Not as of October 26, 2026. The Philippines is not named in Proclamation 10998 or 10949, and it was not on the 75-country immigrant visa pause list.
What is the Philippines Visa Bulletin EB-2 date for November 2026?
The EB-2 Final Action Date for the Philippines is 01APR25, up from 01JAN25 in October. The EB-2 Date for Filing is 15MAR26.
Can a Filipino registered nurse apply for EB2 NIW?
Yes, but USCIS says a registered nurse job usually does not require an advanced degree, and the occupation behind the endeavor is determinative. Nurse practitioners and nurses in research, teaching or management are positioned differently.
Where do Filipinos get the immigrant visa medical exam?
At St. Luke’s Medical Center Extension Clinic in Ermita, Manila, the only panel physician in the Manila instructions. Book it two weeks before your interview.
Do I need an NBI clearance if I live outside the Philippines?
Yes, if you were born in the Philippines and are 16 or older. Applicants abroad can request it by mail, and Philippine embassies can assist.
Ready to find out whether EB2 NIW fits your career? Evaluate your profile for free with Skycap’s petition team.
Related guides
This article is general information, not legal advice. Skycap Consultancy is a petition-preparation consultancy, not a law firm. Requirements and fees change; check the linked USCIS pages before filing.
