Non-Immigrant Visas
Frequently Asked Questions
Thank you for your interest in a U.S. non-immigrant visa.
In an effort to serve you better we have included some general information on the procedure, timing and costs associated with applying for a non-immigrant visa below. Please read the following to see if the information you are seeking is included. Additionally please visit the Department of State visa website at http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html for more information on specific visa categories and the legal standards by which visas are adjudicated. If your question does not involve one of the topics included below please contact us at paknivinfo@state.gov and we will respond to your e-mail as soon as possible.
Before you apply for a visa
Q: Where do I submit my application and pay the fee for a U.S. non-immigration visa?
A: You can submit your application and pay your fee for a U.S. non-immigrant visa at participating American Express locations in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore and at their satellite offices in Peshawar, Quetta, Sialkot and Faisalabad. This service allows applicants to fill out and submit their forms and passports, schedule an interview and to receive their fee receipt in one easy stop. You will not need to wait in line or appear at the Embassy until the day of your interview. A complete list of locations and contact information for these offices can be found at http://islamabad.usembassy.gov/pakistan/courier_services.html
Q: Where can I interview for a U.S. non-immigrant visa?
A: Except for businessmen residing in Sindh and Balochistan, all interviews for U.S. non-immigrant visas in Pakistan are conducted at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad regardless of where the applicant lives. However, as stated above, an applicant can pay the fee, submit an application and get an appointment date at seven different American Express offices throughout Pakistan and does not need to come to the Embassy until the day of their appointment.
Q: How much does it cost to apply for a non-immigration visa?
A: There is a $131 or Rupee equivalent non-refundable application fee for all non-immigrant visa applicants which is payable at American Express. Unfortunately, there can be no refunds once an application has been submitted, regardless of whether a visa is issued or refused. Please note that this fee is only collected by American Express. Please do not pay any visa-related fees to anybody else.
Applicants for F1 student and J1 exchange visitor visas must also pay an additional $200(F1) and $180(J1) SEVIS fee. This is sometimes also called an I-901 fee. This fee is paid directly to the Department of Homeland Security not to American Express or the Embassy. The Embassy will verify payment of this fee at the time of the interview but cannot collect this fee.
Currently this fee can be paid by U.S. dollar check or international money order directly to DHS, by credit card online at www.fmjfee.com via Western Union, or by mail. Detailed instructions on how to pay the fee can be found at the following DHS website: http://www.ice.gov/sevis/
Q: When should I apply for a non-immigration visa? How long does it take?
A: You should apply for your visa as soon as possible, 120 days in advance is recommended.
The wait for an appointment is currently between one and four weeks. This wait is normal for other similar posts both in South Asia and around the world. We do not anticipate a significant reduction in this wait time. Additionally, some cases require administrative processing. Therefore we strongly encourage all applicants to apply as far in advance as possible.
Q: Can I apply for a new visa before my current visa expires?
A: Yes. If you have a specific or continuing reason to travel to the U.S. you are not only allowed but are encouraged to apply for a new visa before your old one expires within one year of expiry.
Q: What if I need or want to travel before my interview date, can I get an interview before my appointment?
A: Unfortunately, due to the large volume of applicants and our desire to treat all applicants fairly we are unable to expedite interviews except in cases of clear and extreme medical or humanitarian emergencies. Such cases are verified and false or misleading statements regarding such emergencies can and do result in the denial of visas. Please plan accordingly.
Q: Can I submit supporting documents and papers before my interview?
A: No, please do not send any supporting documents or papers to the U.S. Embassy before your interview. Please bring all supporting documents and papers to your interview personally. Neither should your family, friends or business associates in the U.S. send us any documents on your behalf. The only exception to this is the requirement for all H1B and L1 visa applicants to submit their educational documents to American Express at time of application.
Q: I believe that I am well qualified and have had several visas before, do I still need to wait for an appointment and come for an interview?
A: Yes. Regulations require that all visa applicants personally appear for an interview regardless of whether they have had prior U.S. visas, in part because all applicants must be fingerprinted and photographed.
Q: What are the standards for getting a U.S. non-immigrant visa? How can I qualify?
A: Under U.S. law an applicant for a tourist or business B1 or B2 visitor's visa must be able to demonstrate a credible reason for traveling to the U.S. and must be able to demonstrate that they will return to Pakistan at the end of their temporary trip to the U.S. An applicant for an F1 student visa or J1 exchange visitor visa must also demonstrate this as well as demonstrate their qualifications as a full time student and ability to pay for their course of study.
There is no formula or checklist for qualifying. Successful applicants are usually able to show that they have strong ties to Pakistan, such as work, family and/or social ties. It is important to note however that a visa officer will look at an applicant's entire situation in determining qualifications for a visa and that no single thing will guarantee that an applicant will be found to be qualified.
No one else can establish your qualifications for a visa. While family and friends, both in Pakistan and the U.S. may offer to guarantee your tourist intent, only you, the applicant, can qualify.
The standards for petition-based H, E and L visas are more detailed and different from those described above. Applicants for these types of visas should review the requirements at the State Department website at http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1275.html
More information on all of the different categories of non-immigrant visas can be found at the Department of State website at: http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1286.html
Q: Have the standards for getting a non-immigrant visa become stricter in the past few years?
A: No. The standards under the law for qualifying for a U.S. non-immigrant visa have not changed for many years. The same standard is applied today as was applied ten years ago. Similarly, the same standard is applied in Pakistan as is applied in every other country in the world. There have been new processing requirements implemented in the past few years that can make the entire process take longer but this is an administrative process and is not related to an applicant's initial qualification for a visa.
Q: I am an H1-B or L1 applicant. Why do I need to submit all of my original educational documents to American Express?
A: The US Embassy in Islamabad has instituted a new policy requiring that all educational documents for these visa categories are attested to be genuine by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. This is mandatory. All original documents will be returned to the applicant when this process is complete.
After your interview
Q: I was refused recently but the officer who interviewed me did not examine any of my documents, why not?
A: The most important documents you bring with you are your passport and visa application forms. This will provide the officer with much of the information needed to make a decision. You should take great care to complete your application form fully and accurately and bring all current and prior passports that you have in your possession.
Other documents are not always necessary to make a decision. Some applicants with few additional documents are found qualified and some applicants with many additional documents are found not to be qualified. This is because documents often only reinforce what is in the visa application and what an applicant tells the officer in the interview. Many times this is enough to make a decision under the law.
Unfortunately, it is also often the case that local documents are not reliable due to inconsistent and poor quality control. Additionally, some documents are fraudulent. Since we often cannot count on the authenticity of documents and do not have the resources to verify every document, officers must often base their decisions mainly on the application and from information obtained from the applicant during the interview.
Q: Why can't I get a refund if I am refused?
A: A refusal requires almost as much processing as an issuance, and there is no provision for refunding the application fee.
Q: Can I appeal a refusal?
A: No. Non-immigrant visa decisions cannot be appealed. All applicants who are not issued visas are given a letter explaining the legal reason for their refusal. Please review the letter for more information about the reasons for the refusal.
If you feel that your circumstances have changed significantly or that you can meet the requirements for the non-immigrant visa you are seeking then you may reapply and we will make every effort to have a different officer interview you. However, please note that the new officer will apply the same law to your new interview and will review the previous officer's refusal notes. Therefore a new interview does not improve your chances of being issued and may result in another refusal.
Q: The officer told me that my case requires administrative processing but my friend or relative does not. Why?
A: Each case is different and we do not know which case will require administrative processing and which will not until the time of the interview. As a result when people apply together, some members of the group may require further administrative processing and others may not.
Q: I have been waiting for my visa for a long time after my interview, how much longer will it take?
A: We cannot say exactly. Each case requires some level of processing - this can take anything from a few days to a couple of months. Unfortunately, this sometimes creates long delays for our applicants.
While we do our best to process applications in a timely manner, these mandatory procedures sometimes prevent us from doing so. However, once the administrative processing is complete we will contact you and deliver your passport and U.S. visa to the American Express office where you originally submitted your application.
Q: Do I have to leave my passport at the Embassy while my visa is being processed? What if I have to travel elsewhere in the meantime?
A: No, you do not have to leave your passport at the Embassy. You may keep it with you if you wish. Keeping your passport will not significantly increase how long it takes to get a visa provided that the applicant returns the passport to us in a timely manner when requested.
Q: How can I get more information about visa categories and the legal requirements for visas?
A: You can get more information about visa categories and requirements on the U.S. Embassy's website at http://islamabad.usembassy.gov/ and the State Department's visa website at http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html
After your visa has been issued
Q: May I have my visa printed and issued the same day as my interview?
A: Unfortunately, no. We require five to ten working days for administrative processing after the issuance of a visa. This is standard procedure for all non-immigrant visa issuances.
Q: How may I receive my passport and visa?
A: If you were approved for a visa, you should have received a small issuance token. Please contact the American Express courier you used to apply for your visa five to ten business days after your interview and bring the token to their office to retrieve your passport and visa.
Q: What if I didn't apply through American Express?
A: If you did not apply through American Express then you will need to let us know at the time of your interview from which American Express office you would like to retrieve your passport.
Q: Can someone else retrieve my passport for me?
A: It is strongly recommended that you pick up your passport and visa yourself. If you cannot pick up the passport yourself, please give the person picking up the passport your issuance token and written authorization to pick up your passport. Additionally, please make sure that the person who picks up your passport has valid government-issued identification with them when they pick it up.
Once again, thank you for your interest in visiting the United States and applying for a U.S. non-immigrant visa.