Garvey

Visas for Medical Emergencies

To request an early appointment for travel related to the death or
serious illness of an immediate relative (parent or child), please see
the Emergency Visas page for information on the required procedure.



Below are some of the medical or emergency situations for which we
receive visa requests. Please read these to see if there is a situation
that may apply to your case.



Visiting an ailing family member in the United States or attending a
funeral. Although we understand the desire to visit ailing family,
applicants must still meet the same standard as for a regular tourist
visa - i.e. demonstrate strong ties that will bring them back to their
home country. In cases where an applicant might not ordinarily qualify
for a tourist visa, a consular officer may on humanitarian grounds grant
a single-entry visa. Applicants must present an up-to-date statement
from a U.S. physician indicating the condition of the patient, including
contact information so that, if necessary, the consul may contact the
physician. If attending a funeral, please provide a death certificate or
other documentation of the family member's death.



Donating an organ for transplant to a family member in the United
States. For humanitarian reasons, we will issue a visa to an organ
donor who might not otherwise qualify for a visa. The physician and
medical facility in the United States must certify that the applicant is
an acceptable organ donor, and testing to determine compatibility must
be done in the Philippines. The applicant should bring to the interview
current physician statements from the U.S. facility together with test
results showing that he/she is an eligible donor.



Persons requiring a travel companion We require that any person
applying for a visa qualify on his/her own merits. If you wish to be
accompanied by a long-term domestic employee and can meet the visa
requirements for Personal Employees, it should be possible to be issued
a visa. However, relatives or friends must be able to demonstrate their
social and economic ties to the Philippines. Although exceptions may be
made in critical circumstances, in general a person's reluctance to
travel alone is not a reason for us to grant a visa to an applicant who
would not otherwise qualify.