USA Visit Visa from Pakistan: B1/B2 Fee, Interview and Wait Times

A USA visit visa from Pakistan is the B1/B2 visitor visa for tourism, family visits, medical treatment or business. The fee is US$185, an interview is generally required, and on 17 September 2026 the next appointment was 12.5 months away in Islamabad and 7.5 months in Karachi.

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What B1 and B2 cover

B-2 covers holidays, visiting friends or relatives and medical treatment. B-1 covers business such as consulting associates or negotiating a contract. You cannot work, study or give birth for citizenship purposes on a visitor visa. You must show that you intend to leave, have ties to Pakistan and can pay for the trip. A letter of invitation is not required and is not a decision factor.

US visit visa fee and interview wait times

These figures are the State Department’s, dated 17 September 2026, and change often. The embassy warns of a backlog and says student and some worker applicants are prioritised, but not B1/B2. Since 15 July 2026 you should apply in your country of nationality or residence. A reciprocity issuance fee may also apply, and we could not confirm the validity or fee for Pakistan, so we check this with you.

How to apply for a USA visit visa from Pakistan

1. Complete the DS-160 online form and keep the confirmation page.
2. Pay the visa fee and book your interview in Islamabad or Karachi.
3. Attend the interview. Phones, bags and companions are not allowed inside the embassy.
4. Track your case online. If the officer needs more information (221(g)), you have one year to supply it.

Interview waivers are now narrow. The State Department says only certain renewals within 12 months of expiry qualify, for adults who were never refused. An older embassy page says 48 months, so we check which rule applies to you. A new visa integrity fee was enacted in 2025, but no official page we read confirms it is charged on visitor visas, so check at booking.

B1 B2 visa requirements

The consular officer interviews you to decide whether you qualify for a visitor visa. You must show that you meet the requirements of US law, because visitor visas are for temporary visits. Officers may ask for documents that show:

• the purpose of your trip;
• your intent to leave the United States afterwards;
• your ability to pay all costs of the trip.

You must qualify through your own ties abroad, not through assurances from US family and friends. If you cannot pay every cost, you may show that another person will cover some or all of them. The State Department states that there is no guarantee a visa will be issued.

Documents and the interview

• Passport valid for your trip, DS-160 confirmation and the fee receipt.
• A photo, uploaded with the DS-160.
• Evidence of your job or business, property or family ties at home.
• Evidence that you can pay for the trip.
• For medical travel, a local doctor’s diagnosis and a US hospital letter.

No official page sets a fixed bank balance. Section 214(b) refusals mean the officer was not satisfied of your ties or intent to return, and there is no appeal: you must reapply with new facts.

US visa interview questions

Interviews are generally required, with limited exceptions, and consular officers may require an interview of any applicant. The official pages we read give no list of set questions. Prepare around three points: your purpose, your plan to leave and how you will pay.

Bring these to the interview:

• your passport, valid for at least six months beyond your stay;
• the DS-160 confirmation page;
• the fee receipt, if you paid before the interview;
• documents showing your position in Pakistan and your purpose of travel.

The Karachi consulate says the officer may or may not review your documents. Fingerprint scans are taken during the process.

US visa appointment Pakistan

The US Mission in Pakistan directs applicants to ustraveldocs.com/pk to complete the DS-160, pay the fee and schedule the interview. The embassy or consulate does not book an appointment for you. Key points:

• Schedule in the country where you live. Wait times vary by location, season and visa category.
• Your fee payment is valid for 365 days from the receipt date. You must schedule an interview, or submit a waiver application, within that period.
• Expedited requests need the DS-160, the fee and the first available appointment. Urgent, unforeseen cases such as a funeral or medical emergency may qualify. Weddings, graduations, conferences and last-minute tourism do not.

DS-160 form

The DS-160 is the online nonimmigrant visa application. You submit it electronically to the Department of State, and consular officers use it to process your application. Official guidance says:

• Clicking "Next" saves your progress. You have 30 days to return to a partly completed form.
• Keep your application ID, because you need it to return to the form.
• Upload your photo while completing the form. If the upload fails, the confirmation page shows an "X", so bring one printed photo.
• Sign by clicking "Sign Application", then print the confirmation page and bring it to every stage.

Photos must be taken within the last six months, and glasses are no longer allowed. Studying instead? See our student visa from Pakistan guide.

Is Pakistan affected by US travel bans?

Pakistan is not on the State Department’s list of countries under Proclamation 10998 (page dated 2 February 2026) or on its visa-bond list (2 October 2026). We re-check both before every consultation. Compare other trips on our visit visa guide. For studies, see study in the USA.

Sources

• US Mission Pakistan: nonimmigrant visas
• State Department: DS-160 FAQs
• State Department: visa photos
• Visitor visa
• Visa fees
• Global wait times
• Interview waiver update
• US Embassy Pakistan

Figures checked on 11 October 2026.

Last updated 16 October 2026.