U.S. Immigration Options for Pakistani Investors, Professionals and Companies

Pakistani entrepreneurs, physicians, engineers, technology professionals and company owners ask Samper Law which U.S. route is open to them, and whether holding a Pakistani passport closes any door. For the routes covered here it does not. Pakistan is a treaty country for the E-2 visa, and the other investor and merit routes do not depend on nationality at all. This guide answers the questions we hear most, with the government source for each rule.

Three terms are used precisely below. A petition is a request filed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). A visa is the document a U.S. embassy or consulate places in a passport so that its holder can travel and ask to be admitted. Status is what a person holds after admission: a temporary classification such as E-2 or L-1, or permanent residence.

Can Pakistani nationals apply for an E-2 treaty investor visa?

Yes. The State Department's list of treaty countries includes Pakistan for both E-1 (treaty trader) and E-2 (treaty investor). Eligibility follows nationality, so a Pakistani national qualifies whether they live in Karachi, Lahore, Dubai or London.

The requirements, set out in 8 CFR 214.2(e), are these:

• Nationality of the business. At least 50 percent of the U.S. company must be owned by Pakistani nationals.
• A substantial investment, already at risk. There is no minimum figure in the law. The amount is measured against the cost of buying or creating the business, and the funds must be committed, not sitting in an account.
• A real, operating business that is more than marginal. It must have the capacity to do more than support the investor's family.
• A lawful source. The capital must be the investor's own and must not come from criminal activity, which in practice means documenting where it came from.
• A directing role. The investor must come to develop and direct the business.

E-2 is temporary. USCIS describes an initial stay of up to two years, with extensions in increments of up to two years, and E-2 does not by itself lead to permanent residence. Many investors therefore plan a second step from the start. See how much to invest for E-2 and why the place you apply matters.

Is EB-5 a better route than E-2 for a Pakistani investor?

It depends on the goal. EB-5 leads to permanent residence, conditional for the first two years, for the investor, spouse and unmarried children under 21. It requires an investment of $1,050,000, or $800,000 in a targeted employment area or infrastructure project, and the creation of at least 10 full-time U.S. jobs. Those amounts are scheduled to change on January 1, 2027, as explained in our note on the EB-5 inflation adjustment.

E-2 usually requires less capital and involves fewer steps, but it must be renewed and gives no permanent status. EB-5 requires more capital and a longer process, and the investor does not need to run the business day to day when investing through a regional center.

Immigrant visas are counted against the applicant's country of birth under 22 CFR 42.12. Pakistan has no separate line in the Visa Bulletin, so applicants born in Pakistan use the dates for all chargeability areas. In the November 2026 bulletin, unreserved EB-5 was current for those areas, as set out in our summary of that bulletin. Our E-2 or EB-5 decision guide and the EB-5 guide for 2026 set out the comparison in detail.

Can Pakistani professionals get a green card through EB-1A or the National Interest Waiver?

Yes, and neither route needs an employer. Both are immigrant petitions that the professional files for themselves.

EB-1A is for people with sustained national or international acclaim. The petition must show a major internationally recognized award, or at least three of ten regulatory criteria such as published material about the person, original contributions of major significance, judging the work of others, or a high salary relative to the field, followed by an overall review of the record.

The EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) asks a different question. The applicant must hold an advanced degree or show exceptional ability, and then prove three things: the proposed work has substantial merit and national importance for the United States, the applicant is well positioned to advance it, and waiving the job offer benefits the United States on balance. Physicians, engineers, researchers and technology founders from Pakistan commonly consider this route.

In the November 2026 Visa Bulletin, EB-1 was current for all chargeability areas and EB-2 had a final action date of April 1, 2025. A Pakistani citizen who was born in India is charged to India and faces much older dates, unless a spouse born elsewhere allows cross chargeability. Start with EB-1A or NIW: which to file, the ten EB-1A criteria and the NIW test.

How can a Pakistani company transfer its people to the United States?

Through the L-1 classification. A U.S. company that is the parent, subsidiary, branch or affiliate of a Pakistani company files a petition with USCIS for an employee who has worked for the Pakistani company for at least one continuous year within the previous three. L-1A covers executives and managers. L-1B covers employees whose knowledge of the company's products or processes is uncommon within it.

When the U.S. office is new, the first L-1A approval is limited to one year, and the extension must show an operating business that supports a managerial or executive position. The Pakistani company must continue doing business throughout. An executive on L-1A can later be the beneficiary of an EB-1C immigrant petition once the U.S. company has been doing business for at least one year. Our guide to moving from L-1A to EB-1C covers both steps, and visa options for startup founders compares L-1 with O-1 and E-2.

How do I document my source of funds and move the money out of Pakistan?

Two questions must be answered with documents: where the money was earned, and how it traveled.

Where it was earned. 8 CFR 204.6(j)(3) names business registration records and tax returns among the evidence for EB-5. For Pakistani investors the record usually includes tax returns filed in Pakistan and any statements of assets filed with them, company accounts and dividend records, sale deeds and official transfer records for property, and bank statements for the years in which the savings built up. Property is a frequent source, and the declared sale price must match the amount received through the bank. Gifts from parents or siblings are permitted, but the donor's own lawful source must be documented to the same standard.

How it traveled. Funds should move by bank transfer from an account in the investor's name to the U.S. escrow or business account. Outward transfers from Pakistan are regulated by the State Bank of Pakistan under its Foreign Exchange Manual, and the remitting bank will tell you what the rules require for your transaction. Samper Law does not advise on Pakistani law. We coordinate with your bank and your advisers in Pakistan so that the U.S. record and the Pakistani record match.

Two practices cause problems. Sending money through informal channels, such as hundi or hawala, leaves a gap in the path of funds that is very difficult to repair and can raise questions about compliance with local law. Passing money through relatives' accounts abroad adds people whose own funds must then be documented. Our source of funds guide explains how to assemble the record before any money moves.

Where do Pakistani applicants interview?

A Pakistani national who lives abroad, for example in the Gulf, normally applies at the U.S. post that serves the country of residence. See our guide for Gulf residents. A person already in the United States in lawful status may be able to apply to USCIS for a change or adjustment of status instead of a visa.

How do I start from Pakistan?

With a consultation by video at a time that works in Pakistan Standard Time. Consultations are available in Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi and English, among other languages, and cost $125 to $250 depending on the type and complexity of the matter. You can call the firm at +1 781 321 3700 or message it on WhatsApp, and the International Clients page explains how documents are signed and exchanged.

Frequently asked questions

Can Pakistani nationals get an E-2 visa?

Yes. Pakistan appears on the State Department list of treaty countries for both E-1 and E-2, so a Pakistani national who invests a substantial amount in a U.S. business they will develop and direct can apply. The main exception concerns ownership: at least 50 percent of the business must be owned by Pakistani nationals, and an owner who is also a U.S. permanent resident does not count toward that share.

How much do I need to invest for an E-2 visa from Pakistan?

There is no fixed minimum. The investment must be substantial in proportion to the cost of the business, already committed and at risk, and the business must be more than marginal. The exception is expectation, not law: very small investments are harder to approve, because the officer must be satisfied that the money is enough to make the business operate and support more than the investor's family.

Is there a waiting line for Pakistani EB-5, EB-1A or NIW applicants?

Pakistan has no country backlog of its own. Applicants born in Pakistan use the Visa Bulletin dates for all chargeability areas, and in November 2026 EB-1 and unreserved EB-5 were current while EB-2, which includes the National Interest Waiver, had a final action date of April 1, 2025. The exception is birth elsewhere: a Pakistani citizen born in India is charged to India.

Can I send EB-5 or E-2 funds from Pakistan through a money changer or hundi?

You should not. USCIS and consular officers expect a documented transfer from your account to the investment, and funds moved through informal channels are very difficult to trace and can raise questions about compliance with Pakistani law. Use a bank, and confirm the State Bank of Pakistan requirements with it first. The exception is money already held lawfully abroad, which can be wired from that account with its own history documented.

Where do Pakistani applicants interview?

Immigrant visa applicants who are citizens or residents of Pakistan interview at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad. For nonimmigrant visas, the embassy's site says the Consulate General in Karachi prioritizes temporary employee categories, including E, L and O, as well as students. The exception is residence abroad: a Pakistani national who lives in the UAE, Qatar or Saudi Arabia normally applies at the U.S. post there.