The United States Embassy in Islamabad and the US Consulate General Lahore and US Consulate General Karachi have cancelled all visa appointments through Friday, March 6, citing the prevailing security situation.
Due to the current security situation, the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and the Consulates General in Lahore and Karachi have cancelled all visa appointments through Friday, March 6.
— U.S. Embassy Islamabad (@usembislamabad) March 3, 2026
In a notice issued to applicants, the US Mission stated that routine visa services would remain suspended during this period. While no specific details about the security concerns were shared, officials said affected applicants would be contacted with instructions on how to reschedule their appointments.
“Due to the current security situation, the US Embassy in Islamabad and the Consulates General in Lahore and Karachi have cancelled all visa appointments through Friday, March 6,” the embassy announced in a post on X. Applicants were advised to monitor official channels for further updates.
The broader suspension follows an earlier move on Sunday, when the US Mission cancelled all US visa and American Citizen Services (ACS) appointments scheduled for March 2 at its facilities in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore.
In a security alert issued on March 1, the mission said it was monitoring reports of demonstrations outside the US Consulate General in Lahore and protests near the US Consulate General in Karachi. It also referred to calls for additional demonstrations at the US Embassy in Islamabad and the US Consulate General in Peshawar.
As a precaution, US government personnel were instructed to limit their movements until further notice. The mission further advised US citizens to stay updated through local news, remain vigilant, avoid large gatherings, and ensure their STEP registration is current.
The developments come amid nationwide protests that erupted on Sunday following US and Israeli strikes that reportedly martyred Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Violent clashes were reported outside the US Consulate in Karachi, resulting in multiple deaths and dozens of injuries.
Demonstrations were also held in major cities including Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta, where protesters clashed with law enforcement. In several instances, police resorted to tear gas shelling to disperse crowds. Authorities in Islamabad imposed Section 144 and sealed routes leading to the Red Zone.
In Karachi, protesters gathered outside the US Consulate and attempted to move toward the premises, pelting stones at security personnel. Police responded with tear gas and other crowd-control measures. The unrest left at least 10 people dead and 36 others injured.
