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United States · Green card

US Green Card from Pakistan

A green card makes you a lawful permanent resident of the United States. For most people in Pakistan it comes through a relative's petition or a US employer's sponsorship, followed by an immigrant visa interview at the US Embassy in Islamabad. Natives of Pakistan have not been eligible for the Diversity Visa lottery in recent years.

Last reviewed 8 October 2026

At a glance

Official name
Lawful permanent residence (green card)
Decided by
USCIS approves petitions; the State Department issues immigrant visas
Interview in Pakistan
US Embassy Islamabad, which handles immigrant visas for Pakistan
Main routes
Family-based and employment-based petitions
Waiting times
Many categories queue under annual limits; check the monthly Visa Bulletin
Diversity Visa
Natives of Pakistan have been excluded from recent programmes

Who this is for

  • Spouses, unmarried children under 21 and parents of US citizens, known as immediate relatives
  • Other relatives in the family preference categories, such as married children and brothers and sisters of US citizens
  • Professionals with a US employer willing to sponsor them, or exceptional applicants who can self-petition through a national interest waiver
  • Families already in the queue who want to understand what happens when their priority date becomes current

When another route fits better

  • You want to visit family or attend an event: apply for a B1/B2 visitor visa instead.
  • You want to study first: the F-1 student visa is a temporary visa and does not lead to a green card on its own.
  • You have a job offer and need to start soon: a temporary work visa such as the H-1B may be the realistic first step.

Documents to prepare

Everyone

  • Valid Pakistani passport
  • Computerised birth certificate from your union council or NADRA, in the form the State Department accepts for Pakistan
  • Police certificates where the State Department's country guidance asks for them
  • Medical exam results from a panel physician approved by the US Embassy
  • DS-260 confirmation page and passport photographs

Family-based cases

  • Approval notice for the I-130 petition
  • NADRA marriage registration certificate and nikah nama for spouses, plus divorce or death certificates for earlier marriages
  • Affidavit of Support (Form I-864) from the US sponsor, with tax returns and proof of income
  • Evidence of a genuine relationship for spouse cases, such as photographs and communication over time

Employment-based cases

  • Approval notice for the I-140 petition and, where needed, the approved labour certification
  • Degree certificates, transcripts and experience letters that match the petition

Step by step

  1. 1

    File the petition

    A US citizen or green card holder files Form I-130 for a relative, or a US employer files Form I-140, usually after a labour certification. National interest waiver applicants can file for themselves.

  2. 2

    Wait for a visa number

    Immediate relatives of US citizens do not wait for a visa number. Other categories queue by priority date, and the State Department's monthly Visa Bulletin shows when your date is current.

  3. 3

    Complete the National Visa Center stage

    Once the petition is approved, the case moves to the National Visa Center. You pay the fees, submit the DS-260 online and upload your civil documents and the Affidavit of Support.

  4. 4

    Book your medical

    Have your medical exam with a doctor on the US Embassy's panel physician list for Pakistan before the interview.

  5. 5

    Attend the interview in Islamabad

    Bring originals of every document with English translations. The officer may approve the visa, refuse it, or hold the case for administrative processing.

  6. 6

    Travel and receive your card

    Pay the USCIS immigrant fee, enter the US before the visa expires, and your green card is posted to your US address.

Costs to plan for

  • The USCIS filing fee for the I-130 or I-140 petition
  • Immigrant visa application and Affidavit of Support fees at the National Visa Center stage
  • The panel physician medical exam and any vaccinations it requires
  • The USCIS immigrant fee, paid before you travel
  • Translations and NADRA or union council document fees
  • Labour certification costs in employer cases, which US rules generally require the employer to pay

Why applications get refused

  • Missing or unacceptable civil documents, such as records on rupee paper or late registrations that do not match other records
  • An Affidavit of Support that falls short of the income requirement, with no joint sponsor
  • Doubts about whether a marriage is genuine
  • Different names or dates of birth across the passport, CNIC and certificates
  • Past immigration problems, such as overstaying a US visa or misrepresentation on an earlier application
  • A change in family circumstances, such as a child marrying or ageing out, that ends or changes the category
  • Concerns that the applicant will not be supported in the US

Tips before you apply

  • Make every document use the same name spelling and date of birth as your passport and CNIC, and correct errors at NADRA before the interview.
  • Tell the National Visa Center about any marriage, divorce, birth or death in the family while the case is pending, as it can change your category.
  • Read the US Embassy Islamabad's immigrant visa pages before you go, and bring every original it lists; missing originals can lead to refusal.
  • Keep copies of everything you upload and track your case online at each stage.

Questions people ask

Natives of Pakistan have not been eligible for the Diversity Visa programme in recent years because of high immigration numbers from Pakistan. In some cases you can claim your spouse's country of birth if it is eligible. Check the current year's instructions on travel.state.gov.

It varies widely by category and changes every month. Immediate relatives usually move faster, while some family preference categories take many years. Check the Visa Bulletin and USCIS for current timings.

Yes. In 2026 the State Department paused immigrant visa issuance for nationals of a list of countries that included Pakistan; that pause was later lifted following a court order. Check travel.state.gov for current notices before you file or pay.

No. Only US citizens can petition for brothers and sisters, and that queue is long. Green card holders can petition for a spouse and unmarried children.

Only with a doctor on the US Embassy's list of approved panel physicians in Pakistan. Results from other doctors are not accepted.

Official sources

Fees, fund requirements and processing times change. Check the current figures on the official site before you apply.

Last reviewed 8 October 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice. VisaWala is not affiliated with any embassy or government, and only the issuing authority decides a visa application.