The waiver of the in-person interview for Pakistani students who have already received a US visa has been extended, according to the US Embassy in Pakistan, till the end of 2023.

In addition, the embassy announced that Pakistani nationals whose B1/B2 visas are no longer valid or have expired in the last 48 months are now eligible for interview waivers at the US embassies in Islamabad and Karachi.

Additionally, petition-based work visa candidates who previously had a US visa are now eligible for interview waivers. Visa applicants from member countries are allowed to submit their visa applications by email without an appointment under the Interview Waiver Program (IWP).

The US Department of State said consular officials were permitted to waive in-person interviews for some nonimmigrant visa categories until December 31, 2023, in a news release released on December 23, 2022.

These categories include those who have benefited from the petition that was approved for nonimmigrants coming to the US temporarily for work, as well as those who are students (F and M visas), academic exchange visitors (academic J visas), and temporary agricultural and non-agricultural workers with H-2 visas.

The interview waiver has been extended, according to the US Mission in Pakistan, in an effort to better serve Pakistani citizens. However, the mission added that, in accordance with the law, some eligible visa holders may still be required to appear at in-person interviews after submitting their visa applications.

According to the Institute for International Education’s most recent Open Doors report, there were 8772 Pakistani students enrolled in US higher education institutions in 2021/22 as opposed to 7,475 in 2020/21, a 17.3 percent rise. According to data, this was the most students in the US in a single year since 1949/50.