Visa for the United States from Pakistan: price, documents and processing time 2026

Yes. Pakistan is not among the Visa Waiver Program countries, so ESTA is not available to Pakistani passport holders. For a short tourist, family or business trip the required document is the B1/B2 visa. Study, employment or immigration plans fall under separate visa categories.

• Government fee185 USD
• Application centre feeVariable, set by the operator
• Agency or online serviceOptional, added on top
• ExtrasVariable

Have ready a valid Pakistani passport, the DS-160 confirmation page, a photo meeting U.S. specifications, and the MRV fee receipt. Add evidence of your ties to Pakistan: employment, a business, property or family bonds, plus any invitation or booking where relevant. The exact MRV fee should be confirmed on travel.state.gov, as it changes periodically.

First create your profile and complete the DS-160 form online on the Consular Electronic Application Center. After paying the machine-readable visa (MRV) fee, book an interview at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad or the consular posts in Karachi and Lahore. The in-person interview is generally mandatory for applicants aged 14 to 79.

Then the application goes to the post accredited for Pakistan, often in a neighbouring capital, or to a state acting on its behalf. Confirm which post is competent with the official source before travelling to a third country to apply, a rejected file at the wrong counter costs the trip and the fee.

The regime follows your nationality, not where you live. If you reside in Pakistan but travel on another country's passport, the rule on this page is not yours. Filing usually still happens from your country of residence, at the post competent for it, but the requirement itself comes from your passport.

Timing has two parts: the wait for an interview slot, which is often long in Islamabad and Karachi, and passport processing after approval. Check the appointment and processing times published on the official site before booking any ticket. Some applications undergo additional administrative processing, so avoid non-refundable arrangements until the visa is physically in your passport.

The most common mistake is trying to use ESTA, which does not exist for Pakistan. Next is inconsistency between the DS-160 and answers given at interview, a frequent reason for refusal under section 214(b) for insufficient ties. Finally, double-check the exact spelling of your names and passport number before submitting the DS-160, because correcting them afterward usually means starting over.