“WALANG SIKRETO”

BE honest, truthful and be yourself when applying for a visa before the consular service office of the United States Embassy in Manila.

This was the advice of Shawn E. Wesner, U.S. vice consul, as she outlined to newsmen at the Philippine Information Agency office in Dagupan the “Walang Sikreto” program of the U.S. consular office amid findings that some visa applicants lie and submit fake documents.

WWesner said that her office has a special unit dedicated to finding if the applicant is lying or has submitted fake documents like birth and marriage certificates.

At the same time, she warned Filipinos about using fixers or scammers who send emails or use social media in promoting their services and ask the applicants to deposit money, and called on Filipinos to report them to the PNP or the NBI.

She urged visa applicants to visit their website at https://ph.usembassy.gov/or http://www.ustraveldocs.com/ph/ for general information about non-immigrant visas and immigrant visas and see their Visa Information and Appointment Service online.

“Walang Sikreto”, she said, is an information campaign whose purpose is to invite individuals to come to their office and take the services “that we offer and also how to go about getting a visa” both for the Filipino-Americans citizens living in the Philippines and the rest of the Filipinos who want to go to the U.S. either through an immigrant visa or a non-immigrant visa.

She warned Filipinos against the dangers of using visa fixers who “guarantee a visa” to the applicant for him or her to enter the U.S. because there is no such thing as “guarantee”.

“We never say that if anyone wants help in preparing his or her visa documents, they would contact a particular site and ask the applicant to deposit money into an account. We do not ask for money,” she said.

Warner advised that if the applicant is done with all the written works it is best to be just himself or herself, being honest as well as answering all the questions in a truthful manner in the interview.

At the same, she emphasized that they don’t encourage individuals to work with travel agencies, saying “we won’t authenticate or endorse travel agencies”.

“What we do is to endorse a legitimate travel to the United States,” she said as he revealed that the “Walang Sikreto” program has been going on in the U.S, embassy for some time now.

“So, there is necessity of being honest, of being yourself, of being truthful and following the correct procedures, making sure that your documentation is in order,” she added. (Leonardo Micua)

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