ISLAMABAD: The United States has announced the resumption of visa services at its consulates in Lahore and Karachi, providing long-awaited relief to thousands of Pakistani applicants who have faced months of delays.
According to the US Embassy, regular consular operations and visa processing at both consulates will resume later this month after remaining suspended for the past four months.
Beginning July 20, the Lahore and Karachi consulates will once again process non-immigrant visa applications, including visitor, student and business visas. Routine consular services for US citizens residing in Pakistan will also be restored.
Operations at the two consulates were suspended in March after non-essential staff were withdrawn due to security concerns following unrest in different parts of the country.
The suspension resulted in significant delays to visa interviews and appointment scheduling, leaving thousands of applicants waiting for months.
The US Embassy also noted that it had previously announced the gradual closure of its Peshawar Consulate in May, with its services being transferred to the US Embassy in Islamabad.
The reopening of the Lahore and Karachi consulates is expected to ease the backlog of visa applications and improve access to consular services for Pakistani applicants, while paving the way for the full restoration of US visa operations in the country.
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