USA student visa requirements for Pakistan: 2026 checklist

To get a USA student visa (F1) from Pakistan, you need an admission and Form I-20 from a US government certified school, the $350 SEVIS fee, a DS-160 form, the $185 visa fee, and an in person interview in Islamabad or Karachi. At the interview you must show original financial documents covering at least your first year, evidence of your studies, and that you intend to leave the US when your programme ends. Here is each step as it stands in October 2026, with a full document checklist.

Step 1: get admission and your I-20

Everything starts with a place at a school certified by SEVP, the US government office that approves schools to take international students. Once you accept an offer, the school's designated school official issues your Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status.

So what is an I-20 for a US visa? It is the document that proves a certified school has accepted you, and it carries the details the visa process runs on: your SEVIS ID, the school code, your programme dates and the estimated cost of one year with the funding to cover it. Before issuing it, the school must check your evidence of funds.

When your I-20 arrives:

• check that your name matches your passport exactly;
• check the programme start date, since your visa timing depends on it;
• sign it, and if you are under 18, your parent must sign it too;
• keep the original safe, because you are expected to bring it to the interview.

Steps 2 to 5: SEVIS fee, DS-160, visa fee and appointment

1. Pay the SEVIS I-901 fee. For F1 students it is $350, paid on FMJfee.com using the school code and SEVIS ID from your I-20. Print the confirmation. In Pakistan you must pay it before booking your interview.
2. Complete the DS-160. This is the online visa application form. Answer every question in English, choose the same embassy or consulate where you will interview, and note your Application ID so you can return to it. When you submit, print the confirmation page with its barcode, which starts with AA. Signing it means you certify that every answer is true.
3. Pay the visa application fee. The F1 fee is $185, not refundable. You can pay in cash at Bank Alfalah branches, by electronic funds transfer, or by card. Your receipt is valid for 365 days for booking an interview.
4. Book your interview. Appointments are made through the official USTravelDocs Pakistan website, at the US Embassy in Islamabad or the US Consulate General in Karachi. Both prioritise student visas. You can request an expedited appointment for an urgent school start date, but only after booking a regular appointment first.
5. Set your social media to public. The US Embassy instructs all F visa applicants to make their social media accounts public for vetting.

Our article on how much it costs to study in the USA from Pakistan breaks down these fees in dollars and rupees.

USA student visa documents checklist

This is based on the official requirements for Pakistan applicants as of October 2026. Bring originals.

Bank statement and financial requirements

There is no fixed minimum bank balance published for Pakistani students. The test is set out in the State Department's Foreign Affairs Manual:

• you must show readily available funds for all first year expenses, which means the total on your I-20;
• you must show that money for each later year will come from the same or another clearly identified, reliable source;
• the funds must be enough that you will not need unauthorised work.

Points to get right:

• Originals matter. Photocopies of bank statements are not accepted in Pakistan unless you can also show the originals or the bank books.
• Loans must already exist. A loan you have been granted can count. An intention to apply for one cannot.
• Practical training does not fund year one. Plans to earn through practical training are not accepted as first year funding.
• Sponsors must make sense. The officer looks at whether the sponsor can afford it and why they are paying. The manual notes that a close relative is more likely to keep the commitment than someone unrelated.
• Be ready to explain the money. Know where the funds came from and how they will reach the US.

Study in the States gives examples of financial evidence: family bank statements, sponsor documents, financial aid or scholarship letters, and an employer letter showing annual salary.

Step 6: the interview, and what happens after approval

At the interview, the officer checks five things: your acceptance by the school, that you intend to study full time, that you intend to leave the US after your studies, that you have enough money, and that you are prepared for the course. Your fingerprints will be scanned. For the questions to expect, read our guide to F1 visa interview questions.

There are three possible results. You may be approved. You may be refused under 221(g), meaning information is missing or your case needs administrative processing, most of which is resolved within 60 days. Or you may be refused under 214(b), meaning the officer was not satisfied on one or more of the requirements. You can reapply after a 214(b) refusal, with a new application and fee.

If you are approved, you can track the return of your passport on USTravelDocs. Then:

• you can enter the US no more than 30 days before the start date on your I-20;
• your first entry must be to attend the school named on your visa;
• carry your I-20 in your hand luggage, not your suitcase, along with evidence of funds;
• your admission period is changing. Under the DHS rule published on 17 July 2026, F1 students are admitted for the length of their programme, up to four years, plus 30 days to arrive and 30 days to depart, and need an extension to stay longer;
• the same rule stops students below graduate level from changing school or major in their first year, and stops graduate students from changing major at any point or transferring without an SEVP approved exception. Ask your school's international office how it applies to you.

Via Nova prepares Pakistani students for every stage above, from checking the I-20 to organising financial documents and running mock interviews. See our student visa service, or start earlier with university selection through our study in the USA service.