Stranded outside my own country, will I be able to enter America under extreme circumstances if I have a b1/b2 Visa?

[Traveler123 1]

I am 25 female and i am stuck outside my own country for a month in Mexico because Philippines just banned its own citizens from coming back.

I was stuck in America last year during covid and had to extend my B1/B2 Visa for a year. And stayed the full Amount because Philippines had one of the longest lockdowns in the world. This was not my choice i was only intending to stay a couple months. I am not trying to abuse my Visa.

 

I left in November and have been out of America for 4 months. I went to Mexico for 3 weeks to see my boyfriend (26) who is American and the day i was supposed to go back to the Philippines they banned entry so i am stranded outside my own country for a month. I have my mom in America who has a green card. Is there any chance they would give me a month in America due to this situation. Shouldn't my time stuck in America be forgiven a little since it wasn't my choice? I had no intention of even going to America for at least another year.

 

I have proof of my flights booked back to Philippines from Mexico before being locked out of the Philippines. My mother was even planning to go the Philippines March 30th they had flights booked and she can't now. We would fly together as soon as Philippines opens I can show i have no intention of staying. I have my business in the Philippines i am starting too.

Will i be denied or do i have a chance. If they deny me will they send me back to Mexico because i can't go back to my home country. Will they take my Visa?

[Loren Y 2,756]

I cannot find where they have banned entry for their own Nationals. I called the Embassy in Los Angeles, CA, and they said as long as you have your passport proving you are a Citizen, you should be allowed to enter the country. Here is the special ATN section I think they said it was, who you could call and they will arrange to get you on a flight back. They are a unit to help distressed citizens abroad. Here is their contact information..

 

The ATN Section is available from Mondays to Fridays, 9:00am to 6:00pm through telephone number 213-637-3024. For urgent concerns, Filipinos in distress may call the mobile ATN number at 1-213-587-0758 or hotline number 1-213-268-9990. You can also send an email to lapcg.atn@gmail.com

[Traveler123 1]

3 minutes ago, Loren Y said:

I cannot find where they have banned entry for their own Nationals. I called the Embassy in Los Angeles, CA, and they said as long as you have your passport proving you are a Citizen, you should be allowed to enter the country. Here is the special ATN section I think they said it was, who you could call and they will arrange to get you on a flight back. They are a unit to help distressed citizens abroad. Here is their contact information..

 

The ATN Section is available from Mondays to Fridays, 9:00am to 6:00pm through telephone number 213-637-3024. For urgent concerns, Filipinos in distress may call the mobile ATN number at 1-213-587-0758 or hotline number 1-213-268-9990. You can also send an email to lapcg.atn@gmail.com

 

COVID-19: Philippines limits incoming travel for one month | Uae – Gulf News

 

 They banned everyone who is not an ofw, so many people are now stuck overseas in a foreign countries?

 

Thank you so much, I will try to contact that number?

[Boiler 46,059]

12 months in the US followed by 4 months out visiting another country with presumably no ties to your home country could result in an interesting conversation.

 

US BF does not help.

 

None of us would be the ones deciding, nobody can give you a definitive answer, if they have just limited returning citizens  then by definition must have been possible before them, not that this is any of concern to the US authorities, well potentially a negative.

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

Are you saying you have been inside your home country for only 3 months out of the past year and four months? That demonstrates pretty much no ties to home - plenty of Filipinos have gone back during that time - which will be a big negative for a B entry imo. No ties to home, American boyfriend, mom in the US...all after spending a year in the US. That’s gonna be a hard sell to CBP imo.
Also they don’t need to let you into the US even if you actually can’t return home (and as the poster above says I don’t think that’s strictly true anyway), you can stay in Mexico, or elsewhere, to wait it out.

 

 

Edited March 17, 2021 by SusieQQQ

[Traveler123 1]

1 minute ago, Boiler said:

12 months in the US followed by 4 months out visiting another country with presumably no ties to your home country could result in an interesting conversation.

 

US BF does not help.

 

None of us would be the ones deciding, nobody can give you a definitive answer, if they have just limited returning citizens  then by definition must have been possible before them, not that this is any of concern to the US authorities, well potentially a negative.

I was in the Philippines but i flew to Mexico to see my boyfriend for 3 weeks and now i am stuck? I do have ties to Philippines i have a brother there right now and my real dad is there and i am also starting my business there. I can even show them my flights my mother had booked to go to Philippines on March 30th. I had no intention of visiting America for more than a year until this situation arose and i couldn't get back to my own country and i have no relatives in Mexico.

[Adventine 3,210]

It was possible to return to the Philippines last year. Even with all the lockdowns, there were still flights. Filipinos made it home before their US visas expired, even if it was more expensive and inconvenient.

 

Things have changed in the past few days. From March 20-April 19, 2020, certain types of Filipino citizens will NOT be allowed entry to the PH. Ongoing discussion here: 

 

 

 

OP, sorry you're in this position. While it's true that, starting Mar. 20, 2021, certain classes of Filipinos cannot enter the PH, it was not true in 2020. Nobody can say for sure if CBP will let you in to the US again, but it doesn't look good.

 

[jan22 3,064]

IMO, it is highly unlikely you would be granted entry into the US right now.  Plus, if you tried, the immigration officer could decide you were trying to use the B2 visa to live in the US and decide to cancel your visa.  Only you can decide if that possibility is worth the risk.  

 

Have you contacted the Philippine Embassy in Mexico City to see if they can help?  https://mexicope.dfa.gov.ph/announcements/194-resumption-of-operations-in-the-philippine-embassy-in-mexico

[aaron2020 11,651]

Can you stay in Mexico until the Philippines allows you to return?

[nelmagriffin 151]

Greetings!

Your story is very confusing. Something is not adding up . I hope you dont leave the important part of the story in order for all members  to reply with your concern correctly and

YES, You can enter back as a filipino citizen to the Philippines. I do not know of where you get that information that you could not go back home. NG

 

 

 

Edited March 17, 2021 by nelmagriffin

[nelmagriffin 151]

Greetings!

You may also aks guidance from Philippine Embassy in Mexico.

For urgent matters, the Embassy may be contacted through the following number and email addresses:

Duty Officer/ Mobile:                        +52-1-55-2771-3776.

Embassy Email address:               mexico.pe@dfa.gov.ph

Passport/ Consular concerns:       mexicope.consular@dfa.gov.ph

[nelmagriffin 151]

Hi, You can always call the Philippine Embassy in Mexico and ask for assistance and inform them with your situation and that you are stuck etc. in Mexico,  I am pretty sure that they will help you to go back home, if you really wanted to go home. Yes, Philippines had lockdown, but it always welcome back Filipino citizen until that current memo. But still you can always ask for help, let them know that you are in distressed and had nothing in Mexico.  NG

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

Agree that contacting  the Philippines embassy for help is a much more logical option than trying to get into the US again.

 

Jan22 makes a good point about the possibility of the visa being cancelled if they are really suspicious. Highly unlikely to get another one unless circumstances change dramatically if that happens.

[top_secret 2,498]

11 hours ago, Traveler123 said:

I was in the Philippines but i flew to Mexico to see my boyfriend for 3 weeks and now i am stuck?

If you recently departed the Philippines surly you have the required travel insurance with trip delay coverage.  Philippine exit immigration has been very strict that departing Filipino citizens have such travel insurance.   Now would be a textbook example of time to call the travel insurance company and file a claim.

[tomatoboy 33]

It looks like the suspension on foreigners and non-OFW Filipino citizens expires 4/19. The first very first thing I would be doing is calling the Filipino embassy and confirming you are in a travel excluded category, and asking for their support options, should you end up being in an excluded category. The next question I would be asking in this situation is when does my authorized stay in Mexico expire, and is it before 4/19, followed closely by do I have travel insurance that will pay for my stay in Mexico should I need to remain there. You are a few steps ahead of yourself even asking about the US entry options, you have other questions you need answered first. 
 

Article about the suspension

Edited March 18, 2021 by tomatoboy