US to resume student visa services for Pakistanis from October 1

The US mission in Pakistan said Monday  that student visa services for Pakistan will resume from October 1 after it had been halted due to COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the statement, the services will kick start at the United States Embassy in Islamabad and the US Consulate General in Karachi.

Terming student visas a "top priority", the statement said the US mission "will make every effort to assist student visa applicants as timely and safely as possible".

The statement noted that at any given time, nearly 8,000 students from Pakistan study at universities and colleges across the United States and that it looked forward to welcoming others who were interested in the "American educational experience".

It said that applicants are required to wear masks and maintain social distance as part of coronavirus safety measures.

Processing for other visa categories will resume "as soon as we are able", the press release said. Applicants can visit the mission's website to determine if they qualify for an emergency appointment.