Americas travel guide
United States visa guide
Visit, study and business visa. Typical processing interview slot dependent. What the mission asks for, explained plainly, and the trip itself planned from Islamabad.
The United States decision is made in a two to three minute conversation at the consulate. Documents support the interview, they do not replace it. Section 214(b) presumes every applicant intends to immigrate until they prove otherwise, so your answers about ties, purpose and funding decide the outcome.
The interview decides this one, not the paperwork alone.
Application route
Online DS 160 form, fee payment, then a biometrics appointment and a consular interview
Where it is submitted
US Embassy Islamabad and the Consulates General in Karachi and Lahore
Stay and validity
B1 and B2 visas are usually issued for five years multiple entry, with the length of each stay set by the officer at the port of entry, commonly up to six months
When to apply
Start at least four to six months before travel, interview waiting times are the real bottleneck.
Season to expect delays
Slots open in batches and are taken within minutes. Summer travel needs a spring start.
Biometrics
Fingerprints and photograph are captured at the applicant service centre before the interview day.
Interview
A personal interview at the consulate is required for nearly all first time applicants.
Insurance
Not required for the visa, but medical cover is essential in practice given United States healthcare costs.
Categories
United States visa categories
Choosing the wrong category is the fastest way to lose a fee, so it is worth reading these before you start. The mission decides which one applies to you.
Document checklist
What the mission asks applicants for
Grouped the way a case officer reads an application. Confirm the current list on the official page before you gather anything, since requirements change.
Personal documents
- Passport valid at least six months beyond your intended return, with two blank pages
- All previous passports carrying earlier visas and travel stamps
- Recent photographs on a white background to the exact mission specification
- Computerised national identity card, original and photocopy
- Completed and signed application form
- DS 160 confirmation page with the barcode
- Visa fee payment receipt
- Interview appointment letter
Financial documents
- Six months personal bank statement, stamped and attested by the branch
- Bank maintenance certificate issued within the last two weeks
- Tax return acknowledgement or national tax number certificate
- Evidence of any property, vehicle or investment holdings
Employment or business documents
- Employment letter on company letterhead confirming post, salary, service length and approved leave
- Last three salary slips for salaried applicants
- Business registration, chamber of commerce membership and company bank statement for self employed applicants
- Student enrolment letter and leave permission for students
Travel documents
- Confirmed return flight reservation, not a purchased ticket unless the mission asks for one
- Hotel booking or host address covering every night of the stay
- Day by day travel plan consistent with the booking dates
- Cover letter explaining the purpose of travel and how it is funded
- Outline itinerary, the consulate does not require paid tickets
Case specific documents
- Invitation letter and host identity or residence proof for family and friend visits
- Sponsor bank statement and relationship evidence where the trip is sponsored
- Marriage certificate and family registration certificate for spouse or family travel
- Birth certificate, parental consent and guardianship papers for travellers under eighteen
- I 20 form and SEVIS receipt for students
- Invitation from a United States company for business travel
Financial expectation
The officer wants to see that the trip is affordable without hardship and that your income has a visible, lawful source. A sponsor in the United States helps but never replaces your own ties to Pakistan.
Before you apply
Why applications are refused, and what case officers look for
These are the patterns that come up repeatedly on Pakistani applications. Worth understanding before you apply, not after a refusal.
Why files fail
Section 214(b), failure to overcome the presumption of immigrant intent
Answers on employment, family, property and reason to return need to be immediate and consistent. Rehearsing them out loud beforehand is the single best preparation.
Why files fail
Answers that contradict the DS 160
Keep a copy of the submitted DS 160 and read it again before the interview, so nothing said at the window contradicts it.
Why files fail
Purpose of travel that sounds vague
One clear, specific and provable reason for the trip, stated the same way every time you are asked.
Why files fail
Weak or freshly funded bank account
Statements are read for stability, not just the closing figure. If the balance was topped up last week, it is usually worth waiting a cycle before applying.
Why files fail
Travel purpose not credible against the documents
The cover letter, the itinerary and the funding all have to tell the same story. Any gap between them is what a case officer notices first.
Everything, end to end
Your United States trip, planned from A to Z
The application is yours to make. Everything around it is ours: routes, nights, tickets, hotels, transfers and the car waiting when you land back in Pakistan, all on one WhatsApp thread.
Planning the trip
Destination guidance
An honest read on whether the destination, the season and the timing make sense for you before any money is spent.
Requirement briefing
A plain explanation of what the mission publishes for your category, so you know what to prepare and where to apply.
Itinerary design
A day by day plan with routes, nights and distances that actually work, built around what you want to see.
Booking confirmations
Flight reservations and hotel confirmations for your dates, the documents most missions expect to see with an application.
While your application is with the mission
Reservations held, not burned
Bookings held on reservation so nothing is paid for in full until you have a decision in hand.
Flexible dates
If a decision runs late, the itinerary is rebuilt around new dates rather than written off.
Trip costing in rupees
A clear quote for tickets, hotels, transfers and tours, separate from any fee the mission charges you directly.
One thread, one desk
The same person on WhatsApp throughout, so you are not repeating yourself to a call centre.
Once you are approved
Flight ticketing
Fares held, routed and issued through our IATA arrangements, including group and family bookings.
Hotels and accommodation
Rooms selected for location and standard, from city hotels to resorts and serviced apartments.
Airport pick up and drop off
A driver waiting on arrival and a confirmed transfer back, on both the Pakistan and destination side.
Transfers and intercity transport
Private cars, rail bookings and internal flights arranged so no leg of the trip is left to chance.
On the ground
Tours and local guides
Guided days, excursions and experiences booked in advance with vetted local operators.
Travel insurance
Policies that satisfy the mission requirement and actually cover you while you are away.
Forex, roaming and SIM guidance
Practical advice on money, connectivity and what to arrange before you leave Pakistan.
Support while you travel
One WhatsApp thread from the first enquiry to the day you land back home, answered by a person who knows your file.
Take one service or take all of them. Most clients start with the visa and hand us the rest.
Ask for the full service on WhatsAppQuestions
United States visa questions we are asked
How long is the interview wait in Pakistan?
It moves constantly and can range from weeks to many months depending on the post and the visa class. Live availability for Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi is published on the official appointment service linked below.
Can I reapply after a 214(b) refusal?
Yes, at any time, but only reapply when something material has changed. Submitting the same case again usually produces the same result.
Do you attend the interview with me?
No. Consular interviews are private and only the applicant attends.
Please read this first
AGOG Travel Solutions is a travel agency. We do not issue visas, we are not an immigration adviser, and we are not affiliated with any embassy, consulate or government. Every application is made by the traveller directly to the mission or its official application centre, and every official fee is paid to them. What we publish here is guidance on what each mission asks for. What we sell is the trip itself: flights, hotels, transfers, tours and travel insurance.
Information checked 19 September 2026
Rules, fees and timelines are set by each mission and change without notice. This page is general guidance for Pakistani travellers, not legal or immigration advice. Always check the official links above before you commit to any date or payment.
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Tell us your dates and what you want to see. We will come back with an itinerary, flights, hotels and a price in rupees, and answer any question about the requirements along the way.