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Castillo San Felipe del Morro, San Juan — Puerto Rico

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Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico visit visa for Pakistan passport holders

VisitVisaInfo Editorial Team

Our Puerto Rico guide is built from official government and embassy sources.

Last updated

On this page
  1. Document requirements
  2. Fees and timeline
  3. Fees
  4. Timeline
  5. How to apply
  6. Visa ratio
  7. FAQ
  8. Official sources
  9. Related guides

Puerto Rico · Castillo San Felipe del Morro, San Juan · Godot13 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Summary

Embassy visa required
Visa type
U.S. B-1/B-2 visitor visa (covers Puerto Rico)
Stay limit
Set by the U.S. CBP officer on admission
Entries
As printed on the U.S. visa

Puerto Rico is part of the United States for entry purposes: U.S. Customs and Border Protection includes Puerto Rico in its definition of the "United States" and treats U.S. territories as part of the country. Pakistan is not a Visa Waiver Program country, so Pakistani visitors need a U.S. visitor visa (normally B-1/B-2) before travelling. Applications are made through the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad or the Consulate General in Karachi; there is no Puerto Rico–only visa.

Puerto Rico, the Caribbean island east of the Dominican Republic, draws visitors to the blue cobblestones of Old San Juan, El Yunque rainforest, the bioluminescent bays of Vieques and Fajardo, and beaches from Rincón to Culebra. For a Pakistani passport holder, the island is simply part of the United States.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection defines the "United States" to include Puerto Rico, and its travel FAQs describe U.S. territories as part of the country. The island therefore applies federal immigration law, and there is no local visa, permit or entry form of its own to apply for.

Because Pakistan is not on the Department of Homeland Security list of Visa Waiver Program countries, ESTA is not an option. You need a U.S. visitor visa, normally the B-1/B-2, applied for with the DS-160 form and an interview at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad or the Consulate General in Karachi.

In Pakistan, the contractor CGI handles appointment booking, fee collection and passport return. Fees are non-refundable and set by the Department of State. The embassy also flags Presidential Proclamation 10998, which since 1 January 2026 limits visas for nationals of 39 countries, so review the current list before you pay.

Holding a visa lets you travel to a U.S. port of entry, such as Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, where CBP officers decide whether to admit you. Once admitted, you can move between Puerto Rico and the mainland, but keep your passport and visa with you on every flight.

Checklist

Document requirements

  • Pakistani passport valid for travel
  • Completed online nonimmigrant visa application (Form DS-160) confirmation page
  • Visa fee payment receipt (paid through the embassy's appointment service, CGI)
  • Interview appointment at the U.S. Embassy Islamabad or Consulate General Karachi
  • Photo uploaded with the DS-160
  • Evidence of your travel purpose, finances and ties to Pakistan for the interview

Pakistan is not on the DHS list of Visa Waiver Program countries, so ESTA cannot be used. The U.S. Embassy also notes that Presidential Proclamation 10998 (from 1 January 2026) suspends or limits visa issuance for nationals of 39 countries; check travel.state.gov for whether it affects you.

Checklist source: pk.usembassy.gov, pk.usembassy.gov

Money and time

Fees and timeline

Fees

  • Official fee

    US$185

    Nonrefundable U.S. B-1/B-2 application (MRV) fee — Puerto Rico has no separate visa fee. Same amount as the U.S. visitor visa, paid in rupees at the consular rate. Confirm on travel.state.gov before paying.

    Fee source

Timeline

  • Processing and appointments

    No fixed processing time is published. Visa interviews in Islamabad and Karachi are by appointment only, and wait times vary by season and category, so apply well before your planned trip to Puerto Rico.

Official links

How to apply

You will leave VisitVisaInfo for an official government or designated VAC website.

Check another passport

Not travelling to Puerto Rico on a Pakistani passport? Pick other countries and the flight animation takes you to that guide.

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PR

Passport country first, then destination. Pages only show fees, timelines, and refusal rates that official sources have published.

Official statistics

Visa ratio

Not officially published

The U.S. Department of State does not publish visitor visa refusal rates for Puerto Rico separately; any U.S. figures cover the whole country.

A percentage is shown only when an official source published one for this route. Blog tables and estimates are left out.

Quick answers

FAQ

Do Pakistanis need a visa for Puerto Rico?

Yes. Puerto Rico is part of the United States for immigration purposes and Pakistan is not in the Visa Waiver Program, so you need a U.S. visitor visa before you travel.

Is there a special Puerto Rico visa?

No. A standard U.S. B-1/B-2 visitor visa covers Puerto Rico as well as the mainland, Hawaii, Guam and the other territories CBP lists as part of the United States.

Can I use ESTA?

No. ESTA is only for nationals of Visa Waiver Program countries, and the DHS list of those countries does not include Pakistan.

Where do I apply in Pakistan?

At the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, which handles both immigrant and nonimmigrant visas, or the Consulate General in Karachi, which handles nonimmigrant visas only. Interviews are by appointment.

Who handles appointments and fees?

The U.S. Embassy says interview scheduling, fee collection and document delivery in Pakistan are run by its contractor, CGI.

How much does the visa cost?

USD 185 for the U.S. B-1/B-2 visitor visa application (MRV) fee. Puerto Rico adds nothing of its own. The fee is non-refundable and non-transferable; confirm the current amount on travel.state.gov before paying.

Does a visa guarantee entry to San Juan?

No. Every arrival is inspected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and you must show the CBP officer that you are admissible.

I already have a valid U.S. visa. Can I go straight to Puerto Rico?

Yes, if it is a valid visitor visa used for its proper purpose. Puerto Rico is inside the United States, so no further visa is needed.

Do I need a passport to fly from Puerto Rico to New York?

As a Pakistani national, carry your passport and visa at all times. CBP's no-passport rule for trips between Puerto Rico and the mainland applies to U.S. citizens only.

Should I schedule in Pakistan or abroad?

The embassy advises scheduling at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in your country of residence or nationality.

What is Presidential Proclamation 10998?

The U.S. Embassy in Pakistan says it suspends or limits entry and visa issuance for nationals of 39 countries from 1 January 2026. Affected applicants may still apply and attend interviews but may be refused. Check the list on travel.state.gov.

Are students treated differently?

F, M and J applicants, among others, are told to set their social media accounts to public to help with vetting, according to the embassy.

Is there an official refusal rate for Pakistanis going to Puerto Rico?

No separate figure exists. The Department of State reports refusal data for the United States as a whole.

Checked against

Official sources

Last checked for Puerto Rico visas on 27 October 2026. Rules change without notice, so confirm on the official pages before you apply or travel.

Compare Puerto Rico with other countries: Visa-free, visa on arrival and eVisa countries for Pakistanis · Visa fees for Pakistani passports, country by country