H1B visa in Pakistan

Xyco

Registered Users (C)
I have H1B authorization. I want to go back to Pakistan, and therefore would need H1B visa to come back. After Sept 11th, due to new regulations, it is taking a long time to get any kind of Visa. That is due to security/background check. Its taking anywhere from 30 to 90 days for the security check in Paksitan. Obviously i cannot get this much time off from work. I want to know if anyone has gotton H1B visa from Pakistan recently and how long it took. Also is there a way that i can get the security/background check done here in the US before i go back so it does not take that much time in Pakistan? Any information or help will be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks
 
I am pretty much in the same shoes as you are. Planning to go to PK in october, but have found that its taking 60-90 days for HI stamping. Here is what my research has told me so far:

1) You can't expedite the security investiagation process. If you have a contact in the consulate, you can try to get the interview appointment as soon as you land. Otherwise, appointment is usually set for 30 days after you have seubmitted your passport and documents to the courier. If you somehow get the interview appointment right after landing, your process will take 45-60 days, otherwise you will need about 60-90 days. And you can't expedite the security process from here. That has to be initiated by the US consulate in Islamabad after your interview has taken place.

2) You can get a leave of absence without pay from your company. This leave is given for special circumstances. But you have to be realistic here. You wouldn't want to lose your job, because your company can't do without you.

3) If your company has another office in Asia or somewhere else, you can request the US consulate to give you your passport after they have taken the interview (and while they are doing the security investigation). This way you can go and work from the Asian office and wouldn't have to take the leave of abence.

3) I took an appointment with the Canadian consulate also, but the cancelled it within a week advising me to go to the home country.

If you have found some more info, please post it on the site. Would appreciate that.
 
How long is your H1 valid?

Hi Xyco,
You said you have H1B authorization, but you failed to mention a very important fact, i.e. what is the validity period of the your H1 ? If it is valid for some more time, you can go to Pakistan (or wherever for that matter), and come back. If your visa is expiring before you plan to return, only then you need new H1b.

Have you also tried to get visa extended in US (St. Lous or Washington) ?

Thanks
 
Hi Sertra 2002

I got my H1-B authorization in may 2002 and it is valid till March 2005. I was in the US when i got the authorization and i have not travelled outside the US since. So i do not have a Visa stamp. If i go out, i would need a stamp to come back. Since this is my first term of H1, so there is no question of extension yet.
 
You might want to consider an option of getting visa stamped in US before you travel. That sounds like the safest bet.

Regards

VijaR
 
Hi,

Just checking to see if anyone got H1 visa on Pakistan Passport and how long did it take - specially how long the security celearance take?

thx
 
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