KARACHI: The United States diplomatic mission in Pakistan has announced the expansion of interview waiver eligibility for Pakistan nationals who are renewing B1-B2 tourist and business visas at the American embassy in Islamabad and its consulate general in Karachi.
The new rules state that all Pakistani citizens, regardless of age, whose B1-B2 visas are valid or have expired within the last 48 months are eligible to participate, whereas previously only Pakistani citizens of ages 45 and older were eligible.
This change in procedure is aimed at providing better customer service and more efficiently processing renewals of tourist and business visas for qualified and eligible Pakistani citizens.
Additionally, the interview waiver eligibility for student and petition-based work visa applicants who have previously held a US visa has also been extended through 2023.
As per US law, some eligible visa holders may still be required to appear at the US embassy or the consulate general for interviews after submission of their applications.
This expansion of the interview waiver eligibility is a positive development for Pakistani citizens who frequently travel to the United States for business or tourism purposes, as it will reduce the time and cost associated with applying for a visa.
