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US Consulates in Karachi and Lahore to Resume Services on July 20

Resumption follows months of security-driven suspensions and signals continued operational caution by the US mission in Pakistan.

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Overview

  • The US Embassy in Islamabad announced that the consulates in Lahore and Karachi will reopen for regular consular services on July 20, 2026.
  • Lahore will provide US citizen services while Karachi will resume non-immigrant visa processing, with both missions operating under revised staffing and safety measures.
  • Services were suspended in March after violent anti‑US protests tied to US‑Israeli strikes on Iran led to a breach at the Karachi compound and the firing that local officials say killed multiple protesters.
  • The State Department earlier ordered non‑emergency US employees and their families to leave the Karachi and Lahore missions and placed the Peshawar consulate into a phased closure with its duties moved to Islamabad.
  • The embassy urged applicants to use its official website, warned against paid intermediaries for appointments, and left open the possibility that operations could change if local security conditions deteriorate.