US increases visa fees for Pakistani nationals

US increases visa fees for Pakistani nationals

ISLAMABAD - The United States has increased the visa fees for Pakistan, according to the U.S Embassy in Islamabad.

According to the Embassy, effective January 21, 2019, an additional fee will be charged for H (Temporary Work Visa), I (Journalist and Media Visa), L (Intercompany Transfer Visa), and R (Religious Worker Visa) visas only if the visa application is approved and the amount must be paid at the Islamabad Embassy or Consulate General Karachi prior to visa issuance.

The fees will be:

- I Visas $32 - H, L, R Visas $38

Additionally, the validity periods of the visas will decrease. The new validity periods will be:

1. I visas: 3 months 2. H visas: 12 months 3. L visas: 12 months 4. R visas: 12 months

During a recent worldwide review, the Department of State noted discrepancies between the U.S. visa regime and the visa regimes of many countries, including Pakistan.

Because Pakistan was unable to liberalize its visa regime for certain visa categories, the United States was required by U.S. law to reduce the visa validity and increase the visa fees to match Pakistan’s practices for similar visa categories.