German Consulate Karachi Suspends Visa Services

The German Consulate General in Karachi has suspended all consular services for non-EU citizens until further notice, leaving many visa applicants in uncertainty.

The announcement, made via the consulate’s official social media platforms, stated that all confirmed visa appointments for non-European Union citizens have been cancelled.

The notice also clarified that these appointments will not be rescheduled and applicants must re-register through the consulate’s appointment system once services resume.

The same message has been posted on the consulate’s official website, though no specific reason or timeframe was given for the suspension.

The German Embassy in Islamabad has not yet issued a similar update. Dawn.com reported that it had reached out to the embassy for clarification, but no response was available at the time of reporting.

The unexpected halt has sparked confusion among visa seekers, particularly students and professionals who had planned travel to Germany in the coming months.

While the consulate has not publicly explained the reason behind the move, it comes weeks after increased scrutiny in visa vetting processes by foreign missions in the region.

Just last month, the United States consulates in Karachi and Lahore instructed all applicants for student and exchange visitor visas to make their social media profiles public for verification. A similar instruction had earlier been issued by the US Embassy in New Delhi.

Germany has been a popular destination for Pakistani students and skilled professionals, with a significant number applying for study, work, and family reunion visas each year.