USC visiting Pakistan

[SoS8:7 0]

A High 5 on sharing these tips!

I think this discussion, with all the good info & tips here, will help a lot of people in some way who are also on this pathway. Thanks to all who have shared.

Have a blessed week!

[Love To Teach 161]

I am a USC, and not a Pakistani by birth, and I went to Pakistan 2 times, once recently in Nov in 2011, and yes I had to get visa both times, I had to get an invitation letter, a copy of my fiance ID card and also a copy of his passport and u also need to have all information abt the person who is inviting you, cuz u will have to fill out an application at the consulate,which you will need to know the names of his parents, and address, also u will need 2 passport size pic and $120.00 money order, they didn't ask me any question i just hand in the application in the morning and picked up back my passport with the visa after 4 pm, I hope this helps you.

Hi--and a hello to Gee....I am also planning to travel to Pakistan (in June). I will meet my friend in Germany, then both of us will go to Pakistan to stay at his house. Since I live in TN, it looks like I will have to apply to the embassy in DC for a visa. Is it possible to apply to a different one or must I apply to the one in DC? (His family knows people that work at one in another city so they know he is an honest man.)I can't take off work to drive there, so I will have to mail the application there. What is the typical time to receive your visa from the DC embassy? If I am both a tourist and have a friend there, which visa is best to apply for? How long is this visa for? It looks like there are places to check off how long you want a visa for. Is it suspicious/red flagging if you put one for a year in case I want to go see him my next vacation...maybe in the fall?

Wow, it looks like you got your visitor visa super-fast!!! If we end up deciding to be a couple, what is the typical wait time for a CR-1 visa versus a K-1 in Pakistan? Thank God, he is able to travel to meet me in another country.

Although he says it's not dangerous there (in his area), were there any particular things to watch out for?

He is in the travel industry, which I am afraid might make it harder for us to get a visa for him to move here, along with a few other red flags we have. Anyway, I wish everybody luck and am encouraged that there are not too many horror stories of green card fraud in this forum compared to some others.

Keep the faith!!!! I appreciate any advice/ideas.

[Musashii 21]

Hi--and a hello to Gee....I am also planning to travel to Pakistan (in June). I will meet my friend in Germany, then both of us will go to Pakistan to stay at his house. Since I live in TN, it looks like I will have to apply to the embassy in DC for a visa. Is it possible to apply to a different one or must I apply to the one in DC? (His family knows people that work at one in another city so they know he is an honest man.)I can't take off work to drive there, so I will have to mail the application there. What is the typical time to receive your visa from the DC embassy? If I am both a tourist and have a friend there, which visa is best to apply for? How long is this visa for? It looks like there are places to check off how long you want a visa for. Is it suspicious/red flagging if you put one for a year in case I want to go see him my next vacation...maybe in the fall?

Wow, it looks like you got your visitor visa super-fast!!! If we end up deciding to be a couple, what is the typical wait time for a CR-1 visa versus a K-1 in Pakistan? Thank God, he is able to travel to meet me in another country.

Although he says it's not dangerous there (in his area), were there any particular things to watch out for?

He is in the travel industry, which I am afraid might make it harder for us to get a visa for him to move here, along with a few other red flags we have. Anyway, I wish everybody luck and am encouraged that there are not too many horror stories of green card fraud in this forum compared to some others.

Keep the faith!!!! I appreciate any advice/ideas.

Pakistan's official Embassy is in DC but there are Pakistani Consulates in other states such as NY and maybe Texas. You can apply for a tourist / visit visa. It used to be valid for 90 days but after recent conflicts of interests back in Feb 2011, they only issue visa for 30 days unless you know someone inside but even if you get a visa for 30 days, you can get it extended free of cost from U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan.

To apply for any visa, you will need your passport, 4 passport size photographs, a completed and signed passport application form and the applicable fee which is probably $120 I am not sure. Also you will need to submit invitation letter x 2. One from your friend to you stating that he is inviting you to visit Pakistan and other letter from him to whichever embassy or consulate you will apply for visa, requesting them to grant you visa and that he will make sure you do not overstay your visa period and will not become a public charge. You will need to submit a copy of his passport or national identity card as well.

CR1/IR1 visas in Pakistan usually take 6-7 months for approval of your I-130 petition. Then comes NVC process and approval, interview and all. Since Pakistani males are cursed to go through mandatory Administrative Process (most of the time) the whole procedure may take anywhere from 12 - 18 months before you can see your spouse again (unless you are rich enough to pay him some visits).

Nothing can be said about security. Apparently it is safer in Punjab province but we never know ...

Hope this helps.

[Love To Teach 161]

Pakistan's official Embassy is in DC but there are Pakistani Consulates in other states such as NY and maybe Texas. You can apply for a tourist / visit visa. It used to be valid for 90 days but after recent conflicts of interests back in Feb 2011, they only issue visa for 30 days unless you know someone inside but even if you get a visa for 30 days, you can get it extended free of cost from U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan.

To apply for any visa, you will need your passport, 4 passport size photographs, a completed and signed passport application form and the applicable fee which is probably $120 I am not sure. Also you will need to submit invitation letter x 2. One from your friend to you stating that he is inviting you to visit Pakistan and other letter from him to whichever embassy or consulate you will apply for visa, requesting them to grant you visa and that he will make sure you do not overstay your visa period and will not become a public charge. You will need to submit a copy of his passport or national identity card as well.

CR1/IR1 visas in Pakistan usually take 6-7 months for approval of your I-130 petition. Then comes NVC process and approval, interview and all. Since Pakistani males are cursed to go through mandatory Administrative Process (most of the time) the whole procedure may take anywhere from 12 - 18 months before you can see your spouse again (unless you are rich enough to pay him some visits).

Nothing can be said about security. Apparently it is safer in Punjab province but we never know ...

Hope this helps.

Thanks, Musashii, yes, this helps a lot. I have a few more questions, and you have been MOST helpful. I am planning to go to Pakistan from Germany approximately the second to third week in June. Would the visa start closer to the time of my anticipated visit? Because otherwise, it would run out before I even got there. It says on their website that DC serves TN, while NYC serves the northeast. Do you think if I just sent it to NY rather than DC, they would reject it? My friend's uncle does know someone inside that embassy and could carry it there personally, but not in the DC one. I don't know how they would feel about my sending it to a diffferent embassy than specified...if that would target our application as a problem. I am worried about them losing my passport or not returning it in time, which would ruin my visit to Germany if there was a delay. We are planning to meet in Germany around June 9, stay there about 10 days, then go on to Islamabad, Pakistan and stay there another 2ish weeks, about 30 days in all, like you said.

We are very blessed to be able to travel to meet each other, but as you know, that gets really expensive. Don't know if we will end up doing K-1 or CR-1, depending on if we decide we want to be an official couple. I brought another man here 4.5 years ago on K-1 visa, but ended up divorced (because of abuse) so don't know how this will impact the future of a K-1 or CR-1 with my friend from Pakistan.

Thanks for all your info and help!!! I appreciate it!!!

[Musashii 21]

Thanks, Musashii, yes, this helps a lot. I have a few more questions, and you have been MOST helpful. I am planning to go to Pakistan from Germany approximately the second to third week in June. Would the visa start closer to the time of my anticipated visit? Because otherwise, it would run out before I even got there. It says on their website that DC serves TN, while NYC serves the northeast. Do you think if I just sent it to NY rather than DC, they would reject it? My friend's uncle does know someone inside that embassy and could carry it there personally, but not in the DC one. I don't know how they would feel about my sending it to a diffferent embassy than specified...if that would target our application as a problem. I am worried about them losing my passport or not returning it in time, which would ruin my visit to Germany if there was a delay. We are planning to meet in Germany around June 9, stay there about 10 days, then go on to Islamabad, Pakistan and stay there another 2ish weeks, about 30 days in all, like you said.

We are very blessed to be able to travel to meet each other, but as you know, that gets really expensive. Don't know if we will end up doing K-1 or CR-1, depending on if we decide we want to be an official couple. I brought another man here 4.5 years ago on K-1 visa, but ended up divorced (because of abuse) so don't know how this will impact the future of a K-1 or CR-1 with my friend from Pakistan.

Thanks for all your info and help!!! I appreciate it!!!

You may call NY consulate and check with them if they will do your visa. If your friend's uncle knows someone in NY consulate then it would be even better idea to ask him to check with that guy and see if they will do. In Pakistan or with Pakistani people, reference or pulling string works best (that was supposed to be a secret so don't tell)

Now, let's suppose you have got your visa affixed on your passport. It shall be valid for up to 6 months (from the time it was issued). So if you get your visa in April and you are planning to visit Pakistan in June, you should be good. Remember that 6 months validity is for visa to enter Pakistan, not to stay there for 6 months. Validity of stay should be 30 days or more if you are lucky so do not exceed your staying limit. Since you are already planing to go to Islamabad, you can apply for extension should you need to do so.

Good luck to you for your journey and umm, with your friend.