US student visa from Pakistan (F-1)
A US student visa (F-1) is for full-time study at a school certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. Once the school admits you and checks your money it issues a Form I-20; you then pay the SEVIS fee, fill in the DS-160 and are interviewed in Islamabad or Karachi, with proof of money for the first year. The main fee is $185 (about PKR 51,200).
Last checked:
At a glance
- Main fee
- $185 (about PKR 51,200)
- Processing time
- Varies, see below
- Documents
- 10 on the list
- Your school issues a Form I-20 once it admits you and checks your funds.
- Pay the USD 350 SEVIS fee and the USD 185 visa fee, then interview.
- Show money for the first year, and set your social media profiles to public.
Fees
| Fee | Official amount | About in PKR |
|---|---|---|
| Visa application fee (MRV)Paid in rupees at the State Department's exchange rate, shown on your deposit slip; not refunded if the visa is refused. | $185 | PKR 51,200 |
| SEVIS I-901 feePaid online before the interview. | $350 | PKR 97,000 |
Rupee amounts are a guide only, at the mid-market rate on October 9, 2026 (1 USD = PKR 277.01). Your bank and the visa centre use their own rates.
Check the amount on the official source.
Official fee pages:Step 3: visa feesI-901 SEVIS fee
Processing time
Not confirmed
Student interviews had a wait of about one month in Islamabad on 18 June 2026. A student visa can be issued up to 365 days before your programme starts.
Official source: Global visa wait timesDocuments you need
From our draft document list for this visa. Your own list depends on your situation, so check the official source.
Usually needed
Passport
Valid at least six months beyond your intended stay.
Form I-20 from a SEVP-certified school (USA)
The original Form I-20, signed by you and the school; the visa type must match it.
SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt (USA)
Receipt for the SEVIS I-901 fee.
Visa application form (signed)
DS-160 confirmation page and your appointment letter.
Passport-size photograph (destination specification)
One 5 x 5 cm (2 x 2 inch) photo taken in the last six months, without glasses.
Bank statement / proof of funds
Original proof of money for all first-year costs, and access to money for the rest of the course: bank statements, fixed deposits or a scholarship letter. Photocopies of bank statements are not accepted without the originals.
Transcript / detailed marks certificate
Transcripts (originals preferred), board certificates and degrees.
Needed in some situations
Polio vaccination certificate (NIMS/NADRA)
Pakistan exit requirement, not a visa document: when you leave Pakistan you must show a NIMS/NADRA vaccination certificate including polio (the old paper card is no longer accepted, and since 14 September 2026 airports check a NADRA-integrated vaccination record). Verify current rules.
Can support your application
English language test result
The test scores the school used, for example TOEFL, IELTS or SAT.
FBR income tax return / wealth statement
Recent original tax forms of the person paying for your studies, with proof of how you are related.
Where to apply in Pakistan
Which mission takes your application depends on where you live in Pakistan.
U.S. Embassy in Islamabad
EmbassyDiplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad
Takes applications from Islamabad Capital Territory, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Interviews for visit, study and work visas, and the only post in Pakistan for immigrant visas, whichever province you live in. The post you book must be the one you named in your DS-160.
Ways to apply
Online portalDS-160 visa application form
Fill in one form for each traveller and keep the confirmation page; name the post where you will be interviewed.
Open the official pageOfficial source: Step 2: complete the DS-160 form
Online portalFee payment and appointments (usvisascheduling.com)
Create your profile, pay the fee (cash at Bank Alfalah, 1Bill online banking or card) and book your interview.
Open the official pageOfficial source: Step 4: schedule your appointment
In personInterview at the Embassy
By appointment only. Take the diplomatic shuttle from the shuttle building on Third Avenue (G-5) and arrive 30 minutes early; no phones or bags.
In Islamabad
The Consulate General in Lahore issues no visas, and the Consulate General in Peshawar has closed. Passports come back through AEG Travel Services in Islamabad or Karachi, or by courier.
U.S. Consulate General in Karachi
ConsulatePlot 3, 4, 5, New TPX Area, Mai Kolachi Road, Karachi
Takes applications from Sindh, Balochistan. Visit, study and work visa interviews only, and the only post for regular interviews for petition-based work visas. Its visa services were suspended in March 2026: if the appointment system shows no Karachi dates, book Islamabad.
Ways to apply
Online portalDS-160 visa application form
Fill in one form for each traveller and keep the confirmation page; name the post where you will be interviewed.
Open the official pageOfficial source: Step 2: complete the DS-160 form
Online portalFee payment and appointments (usvisascheduling.com)
Create your profile, pay the fee (cash at Bank Alfalah, 1Bill online banking or card) and book your interview.
Open the official pageOfficial source: Step 4: schedule your appointment
In personInterview at the Consulate General
By appointment only; enter by gate 3 (no parking).
In Karachi
How to apply, step by step
Get admitted and receive your I-20
Apply to a school certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). Once it admits you and has checked your funds, the school issues a Form I-20; sign it, with a parent if you are under 18.
Students and the Form I-20Pay the SEVIS fee
Pay the USD 350 SEVIS I-901 fee online and keep the receipt; you need it before the interview.
I-901 SEVIS feeDS-160 and visa fee
Complete the DS-160, create your profile on usvisascheduling.com and pay the USD 185 visa fee in rupees.
Student visasMake your social media public
Student applicants must set every social media profile to public before the interview.
Expanded screening and vetting for visa applicantsBook and attend the interview
Student interviews are given priority (about a month in Islamabad in June 2026). Bring your passport, I-20, SEVIS receipt, DS-160 confirmation, transcripts and test scores, and original proof of money for the first year.
Student visasTravel
You can enter the United States no earlier than 30 days before the start date on your I-20. Since 15 September 2026 students are admitted until the end date of their programme, for at most four years plus 30 days.
Fixed time period of admission for F, J and I nonimmigrants (final rule, effective 15 September 2026)
Questions people ask
How much does a US student visa cost from Pakistan?
Visa application fee (MRV): $185 (about PKR 51,200); SEVIS I-901 fee: $350 (about PKR 97,000). Fees change, so check the official fee page before you pay.
Step 3: visa fees (opens in a new tab)How long does a US student visa take from Pakistan?
Student interviews had a wait of about one month in Islamabad on 18 June 2026. A student visa can be issued up to 365 days before your programme starts.
Global visa wait times (opens in a new tab)What documents do I need for a US student visa from Pakistan?
The usual documents are: Passport, Form I-20 from a SEVP-certified school (USA), SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt (USA), Visa application form (signed), Passport-size photograph (destination specification), Bank statement / proof of funds, and Transcript / detailed marks certificate. Depending on your situation, you may also need: Polio vaccination certificate (NIMS/NADRA).
Where do I apply for a US student visa in Pakistan?
Online first: the DS-160 form, then the fee and your appointment on usvisascheduling.com. The interview is at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad or the Consulate General in Karachi: you book one of them in the appointment system, and it must be the post you named in your DS-160. The Consulate General in Lahore issues no visas.
Step 2: complete the DS-160 form (opens in a new tab)What is the I-20 and who issues it?
The Form I-20 comes from your school's designated school official once the school admits you and has seen proof that you can pay. You sign it, and your visa type must match it.
Students and the Form I-20 (opens in a new tab)Do I need to make my social media public for a US student visa?
Yes. Student applicants (F, M and J visas) must set all their social media profiles to public before the interview.
Expanded screening and vetting for visa applicants (opens in a new tab)When can I travel to the US on a student visa?
No earlier than 30 days before the start date on your I-20. Since 15 September 2026 students are admitted until the end date of their programme, for at most four years plus 30 days to leave.
Fixed time period of admission for F, J and I nonimmigrants (final rule, effective 15 September 2026) (opens in a new tab)