US Pauses Visa Processing for 75 Countries Including Pakistan, Bangladesh Due to Technical Glitch
The United States has temporarily suspended visa processing in 75 countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India, due to a technical failure in its visa printing system. The US State Department confirmed the halt, which has impacted thousands of applicants worldwide.
Key Takeaways
- Visa processing paused in 75 countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India.
- Cause is a technical glitch in the US State Department’s visa printing system.
- No security threat involved; issue is purely technical.
- Applicants advised to check application status online and await updates.
What Caused the Visa Processing Halt?
The US State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs is facing technical issues with its visa systems. The specific problem lies with the visa printing system, which has been non-operational for several days. This has led to a complete suspension of visa issuance in the affected countries.
The US embassy in Islamabad has officially confirmed the suspension is due to this technical issue. Officials state the glitch is not related to any security concerns.
Impact on Applicants
The suspension has affected thousands of applicants scheduled to travel to the US for education, business, tourism, and other purposes. Significant delays are expected until the system is restored.
Applicants are advised to check the status of their applications online via the official portal and monitor the US embassy website for updates. The State Department has apologised for the inconvenience and urged applicants to remain patient.
Resolution Timeline
While the US State Department says it is working to resolve the issue “as soon as possible,” no specific timeline for restoration has been provided. Officials have assured that normal visa operations will resume once the technical fault is fixed.
The department is taking all necessary steps to restore the system quickly and minimise disruption for applicants.
