Filipinos process visas for Afghans before their resettlement in the US.

On Monday, a group of Afghans arrived in the Philippines to undergo processing for special immigrant visas to resettle in the U.S.

The agreement between the Filipino and U.S. governments includes their arrival.

In July, the Philippines agreed to temporarily host a U.S. immigrant visa processing center for a limited number of Afghan nationals seeking to relocate to America.

According to Teresita Daza, a spokesperson for the Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs, Afghan nationals who arrived in the Philippines on Monday were granted entry visas.

Daza stated that the Afghan nationals had undergone extensive security vetting and medical screenings prior to their arrival. Additionally, she mentioned that the U.S. government is covering the expenses of their stay in the Philippines, including food, housing, security, medical, and transportation costs.

The Philippines' visa processing rules state that applicants cannot remain in the country for more than 59 days, but it is unclear how many Afghan nationals have arrived and how long the process will take.

Last year, a senior Filipino official stated that between 150 to 300 applicants would be accepted in the Philippines under the "one-time" agreement with the U.S. government.

Those who want to relocate to the United States from Afghanistan are mainly former employees of the U.S. government or individuals who met the criteria for U.S. special immigrant visas. However, they were stranded in the country during the hasty withdrawal of troops and civilians in 2021, which led to the Taliban regaining control of the region.

In 2022, Secretary of State Antony Blinken requested that the Philippines host a processing center, which was later discussed with Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. by President Biden during his visit to the U.S. last year.

Marcos Jr. has rekindled ties with the U.S. after winning the presidency two years ago. Recently, he permitted the American military to increase its presence under a 2014 defense accord, which caused tension with Chinese officials.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.