ISLAMABAD: US Embassy officials reported that over 10,000 visa applications are now processed monthly, with processing times halving compared to last year.
Embassy officials said, “The number of visas given out from the visa offices of the Karachi Consulate and the US Embassy in Islamabad was the highest in 2023,” according to a media report.
“By October 2024, this number will exceed last year’s total, as visa applications from Pakistanis have increased.”
The primary reason for the delay in processing visa applications is that each application is reviewed on an individual basis.
They stated that in September of last year, there was a crisis in application processing, with wait times reaching 440 days.
They noted that the wait time decreased to 237 days after emergency measures were implemented, adding that it would be further reduced.
Officials stated that no changes have been made to the visa regulations; only the processing time has been reduced.
The officials informed that more visa officers have been deployed to expedite the processing of applications.
They told newspersons that the visa section gives priority to students applying for study visas. Embassy officials also stated that applicants who have previously been issued a visa are exempt from re-interviewing.
