US expands visa interview waiver eligibility for Pakistani citizens

The United States Mission in Pakistan has announced the expansion of interview waiver eligibility at the US Embassy in Islamabad and the US Consulate General in Karachi for Pakistani citizens who are renewing B1/B2 tourist and business visas.

All Pakistani citizens, regardless of age, whose B1/B2 visas are valid or have expired within the last 48 months are eligible to participate, said a news release from the embassy of the US in Pakistan on Thursday.

Previously, only Pakistani citizens of ages 45 and older were eligible to participate. Additionally, interview waiver eligibility for student and petition-based work visa applicants who have previously held a US visa is also extended through 2023.

The expansion of interview waiver eligibility is a procedural change to provide better customer service and more efficiently process renewals of tourist and business visas for qualified and eligible Pakistani citizens.

As required by US law, some eligible visa holders may be required to appear at the US Embassy or US Consulate General for interviews after submission of their applications.

Applicants can also visit the website at https://www.ustraveldocs.com/pk/pk-niv-visarenew.asp to determine their eligibility for an interview waiver.

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