The U.S. Mission to Pakistan—comprising the embassy in Islamabad and the consulates in Karachi and Lahore—cancelled every immigrant- and non-immigrant-visa interview and all American Citizen Services (ACS) appointments scheduled for Monday, 2 March 2026, citing security concerns after violent demonstrations outside several diplomatic facilities. Embassy spokespeople confirmed that the decision was taken late on 1 March when crowds gathered to protest U.S. strikes on Iranian-linked targets. Video circulated on local media showed riot police firing tear-gas canisters as protesters attempted to breach security cordons at the Islamabad embassy gate.(pakistantoday.com.pk)
All mission personnel were ordered to restrict movements until further notice, and U.S. citizens in Pakistan were urged to avoid large gatherings, keep a low profile, and monitor official channels. Applicants whose visa or ACS slots were cancelled will receive e-mail instructions on how to re-book once services resume; no timeline for resumption has been given. Routine immigrant- and non-immigrant-visa backlogs—already averaging 300 days for B-category interviews—are expected to widen further.(gulfnews.com)
![US Embassy in Pakistan Suspends All Visa and ACS Appointments for 2 March After Violent Protests]()
If the sudden halt to visa processing leaves your organisation scrambling, VisaHQ can step in to coordinate applications through alternative embassies or consulates, track slot openings, and prepare compliant documentation on short notice. Their specialists follow daily updates from U.S. missions worldwide and can notify you as soon as appointments resume in Pakistan, or arrange filings in regional hubs such as Dubai. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/united-states/
For corporate mobility managers, the shutdown means immediate travel-planning disruptions. Employees who had hoped to collect visas this week will face delays that could jeopardise project start-dates, while U.S. expatriates in Pakistan may be unable to renew passports, notarise documents, or obtain consular reports of birth abroad. Companies with ongoing assignments in Pakistan should review evacuation and remote-work contingencies and remind travelling staff to enrol in the State Department’s STEP programme for real-time alerts.
Security-driven pauses at overseas posts are becoming more frequent: since January 2025 the State Department has suspended or curtailed visa operations 47 times in 28 countries, according to internal cables. Experts say firms should budget for episodic consular interruptions when operating in volatile regions and build greater lead-time into deployment schedules. Until services restart, mobility teams can consider third-country visa processing (e.g., Dubai or Doha) for urgent travel, although appointment availability there is tightening as well.
All mission personnel were ordered to restrict movements until further notice, and U.S. citizens in Pakistan were urged to avoid large gatherings, keep a low profile, and monitor official channels. Applicants whose visa or ACS slots were cancelled will receive e-mail instructions on how to re-book once services resume; no timeline for resumption has been given. Routine immigrant- and non-immigrant-visa backlogs—already averaging 300 days for B-category interviews—are expected to widen further.(gulfnews.com)
If the sudden halt to visa processing leaves your organisation scrambling, VisaHQ can step in to coordinate applications through alternative embassies or consulates, track slot openings, and prepare compliant documentation on short notice. Their specialists follow daily updates from U.S. missions worldwide and can notify you as soon as appointments resume in Pakistan, or arrange filings in regional hubs such as Dubai. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/united-states/
For corporate mobility managers, the shutdown means immediate travel-planning disruptions. Employees who had hoped to collect visas this week will face delays that could jeopardise project start-dates, while U.S. expatriates in Pakistan may be unable to renew passports, notarise documents, or obtain consular reports of birth abroad. Companies with ongoing assignments in Pakistan should review evacuation and remote-work contingencies and remind travelling staff to enrol in the State Department’s STEP programme for real-time alerts.
Security-driven pauses at overseas posts are becoming more frequent: since January 2025 the State Department has suspended or curtailed visa operations 47 times in 28 countries, according to internal cables. Experts say firms should budget for episodic consular interruptions when operating in volatile regions and build greater lead-time into deployment schedules. Until services restart, mobility teams can consider third-country visa processing (e.g., Dubai or Doha) for urgent travel, although appointment availability there is tightening as well.
