Stuck in a Catch-22 trying to request an expedited U.S. visa appointment in Pakistan — anyone dealt with this?
I'm trying to help my parents request an expedited B1/B2 visa appointment through the U.S. visa scheduling portal in Pakistan, and I seem to be stuck in a chicken-and-egg situation.
My parents already have a regular B1/B2 appointment scheduled, but it is for September 2027. They are hoping to travel earlier to attend my university graduation in the U.S. in December 2026.
When I go to Emergency Request and select the category that appears closest to our circumstances, Students or Exchange Visitors, the portal gives me this warning:
“This option is reserved for internal embassy contacts (PARs) referred by an embassy official. Do not select this option unless you have been referred by an embassy official. Otherwise, your emergency appointment will be refused, and you will not be able to submit another request. Be sure to include the name of the embassy official referring you and any supporting documents in the request.”
So I obviously don't want to submit it incorrectly, especially since the warning says I may not be able to submit another emergency request.
I then used the Feedback/Requests section to ask how I am supposed to obtain the required Embassy referral/contact or whether someone could direct me to the appropriate person.
Their response basically told me:
- Appointment availability is at the discretion of the U.S. Embassy.
- First schedule a regular appointment.
- Click Emergency Request.
- Read the eligibility criteria.
- Fill out the request and submit it.
- Wait for the Embassy to approve or deny it.
That's exactly where I'm stuck.
Emergency Request says I need to have already been referred by an Embassy official → Support tells me to submit an Emergency Request to have the Embassy consider my case.
So it feels like a Catch-22.
For context, I have supporting documentation including my official university commencement letter, enrollment/graduation verification, proof that the applicants are my parents, their current appointment confirmation, and other university documentation.
I'm not looking for a random Embassy employee's name to enter into the form, and I definitely don't want to provide inaccurate information. I'm trying to understand the legitimate process for getting the referral that the portal itself says is required.
Has anyone applying through Pakistan encountered this PAR/internal Embassy referral message?
Specifically:
- How did you obtain the initial Embassy referral?
- Is Students or Exchange Visitors supposed to be available only after an Embassy official has already referred the case?
- Is there another emergency-request option/process for B1/B2 parents trying to attend their child's graduation?
- Did contacting the Visa Service Desk eventually get your case referred to the Embassy, or did you have to contact someone else?
- If you've successfully gone through this process in Karachi/Islamabad recently, what steps did you follow?
I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has dealt with this specific PAR/referral requirement in the Pakistan U.S. visa scheduling portal. I'm trying to follow the process correctly rather than risk submitting under the wrong category.