US visit visa from Pakistan (B1/B2)
A US visit visa (B1/B2) is for tourism, family visits, business meetings and medical treatment. You fill in the DS-160 online, pay the USD 185 fee in rupees and are interviewed at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad or the Consulate General in Karachi, where the officer must be satisfied that you will return to Pakistan. 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
- 9 on the list
- Fill in the DS-160, pay USD 185 in rupees and interview in Islamabad or Karachi.
- The officer must be satisfied you will return: show your job, family and money in Pakistan.
- Visitor visa interviews can take months to book.
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. It is not refunded if the visa is refused. | $185 | PKR 51,200 |
| Passport delivery (optional)Home delivery, or pickup in Lahore, Sialkot or Multan. Collecting from AEG Travel Services in Islamabad or Karachi costs nothing. | PKR 1,900 | PKR 1,900 |
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 feesStep 6: collect your passport
Processing time
Not confirmed
Most of the wait is for the interview: about 6.5 months for a visitor visa in Islamabad on 18 June 2026, when Karachi was not booking. After approval, passports are usually ready in about five working days; some cases need further administrative processing.
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 stay. Bring your old passports with earlier visas too.
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.
Needed in some situations
Employer reference or leave letter (NOC)
Letter from your employer with your post, salary and leave dates.
Invitation letter from host or business
From the family you visit (with a copy of their US status) or the business you meet.
Letter from the treating hospital or clinic abroad
Diagnosis from your doctor in Pakistan, a letter from the US doctor or hospital with the treatment and its cost, and proof of who pays.
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
Bank statement / proof of funds
Bank statements or other proof of how you will pay for the trip.
FBR income tax return / wealth statement
Tax returns or wealth statement, and property or business papers: your ties to Pakistan.
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
Fill in the DS-160
Complete the online DS-160 form for each traveller, children included, and keep the confirmation page. The form asks where you will be interviewed: the Embassy in Islamabad or the Consulate General in Karachi. The form asks for your travel in the last 10 years and your siblings and children.
Step 2: complete the DS-160 formPay the visa fee
Create your profile on usvisascheduling.com and pay the USD 185 fee in rupees at the State Department rate shown on your deposit slip: in cash at Bank Alfalah, through 1Bill online banking, or by card. The receipt stays valid for 365 days.
Payment optionsBook your interview
Book the first open date in Islamabad or Karachi. Visitor visa waits are long (about six and a half months in Islamabad in June 2026); after booking you can ask for an earlier date for urgent travel.
Step 4: schedule your appointmentAttend the interview
Bring your passport, the DS-160 confirmation and your appointment letter, with papers on your job, family and money in Pakistan. The officer must be satisfied that you will return.
Step 5: attend your interviewCollect your passport
If the visa is issued, collect your passport from AEG Travel Services in Islamabad or Karachi, or pay PKR 1,900 for delivery. Passports are usually ready in about five working days.
Step 6: collect your passport
Questions people ask
How much does a US visit visa cost from Pakistan?
Visa application fee (MRV): $185 (about PKR 51,200); Passport delivery (optional): PKR 1,900. Fees change, so check the official fee page before you pay.
Step 3: visa fees (opens in a new tab)What documents do I need for a US visit visa from Pakistan?
The usual documents are: Passport, Visa application form (signed), and Passport-size photograph (destination specification). Depending on your situation, you may also need: Employer reference or leave letter (NOC), Invitation letter from host or business, Letter from the treating hospital or clinic abroad, and Polio vaccination certificate (NIMS/NADRA).
Where do I apply for a US visit 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)How long is the wait for a US visa interview in Pakistan?
It changes from month to month. On 18 June 2026 the next visitor visa interview in Islamabad was about six and a half months away, while student and work visas waited about a month; Karachi was not booking then. Check the current wait before you plan your trip.
Global visa wait times (opens in a new tab)How long is a US visit visa valid for Pakistanis?
A B1/B2 visa for Pakistani citizens can be valid for up to five years with multiple entries, and carries no issuance fee. The officer at the border decides how long each stay lasts, usually up to six months.
Pakistan reciprocity schedule (opens in a new tab)Can I renew a US visit visa without an interview?
Possibly, if your earlier B1/B2 visa expired within the last 12 months and was issued when you were 18 or older. Everyone else is interviewed in person, children and older applicants included.
Nonimmigrant visas (opens in a new tab)