落實美國本土性別平等政策，美國駐菲大使館最近為菲律賓同志發出了第一張「未婚妻簽證」(Fiancee Visa)。
美國大使館在官網發布聲明說，男同志阿馬洛(Aeinghel Noel Amaro)於12月2日取得未婚妻簽證，可赴美與準備從阿富汗返國的美國大兵柯特曼(Robert Cotterman)結婚。
這對佳偶透過臉書結緣，預定於明年1月在美國步入禮堂。阿馬洛是1名變性人，曾多次參加同志選美比賽，但依照美國法律，「她」仍然是個「他」。
美國大使館同時宣布，菲籍女子賈胡曼(Maria Cecilia Limson Gahuman)也領到未婚妻簽證，她將於今年年底赴美，與相戀10年的美籍女子安東尼奧(Maria Carla Antonio)結束愛情長跑。
聲明補充說，雖然同性婚姻在菲國尚未合法，但美國同性戀人士可為在菲的另1半及子女申請親屬簽證。
美國最高法院今年6月判決「聯邦婚姻保護法」(DOMA)部分內容違憲，裁定已婚伴侶不論性別為何，都可享受所有聯邦權益，包括移民福利在內。
目前美國華府以及16州都承認同志婚姻。
美國大使館聲明說，「我們鼓勵與美國人有同性伴侶關係的菲律賓人，上大使館官網查詢更多簽證細節。」
菲律賓法律尚未承認同性婚姻，菲律賓總統艾奎諾三世面對詢問時回應，菲國對此需要進一步研究，以了解這對同性婚姻家庭所認養的子女是否有負面影響。
On December 2, 2013, the United States Embassy in the Philippines issued its first fiancé visa to a same-sex couple. Although same-sex marriage is not yet recognized in the Philippines, gay Americans are now able to petition for family-based visas on behalf of their Filipino spouses, fiancés, and their children.
This change comes months after a momentous decision by the Supreme Court of the United States, which struck down the portion of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that defined marriage as a union between one man and one woman. Overturning DOMA signifies that the U.S. federal government must extend all federal rights and privileges of marriage to any married couple, regardless of sexual orientation. Currently, gay couples can marry in 16 of 50 American states, and the nation’s capital.
This extension of rights includes immigration benefits. Noel “Aeinghel” Amaro and Robert Cotterman were the first gay couple in the Philippines to receive a fiancé visa. Cotterman serves in the U.S. military and is scheduled to return from a tour in Afghanistan in January 2014. The two met online and will be married January 2014 in the United States.
Maria Cecilia Limson Gahuman and Maria Carla Antonio also received a fiancé visa. The couple met through a mutual friend over a decade ago. Because Maria Limson Gahuman is Filipina, and Maria Antonia is American, however, there was no way for the couple to be together. With their fiancé visa, the couple will transition their their ten-year relationship from long-distance to marriage [i1] in California on December 30, 2013.
Advancing gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender equality has been one of President Obama’s top priorities. Upon the first issuance of a same-sex visa in London, Secretary of State John Kerry stated that one of the “most important exports by far is America’s belief in the equality of all people.” He noted that “the State Department, which has always been at the forefront of equality in the federal government . . . is tearing down an unjust and an unfair barrier that for too long stood in the way of same-sex families being able to travel as a family to the United States.”
In light of these changes, the American Embassy wants to educate gay Filipinos about new visa opportunities. Filipinos in same-sex relationships with Americans are encouraged to view the Visas section of the Embassy website at manila.usembassy.gov for more information.