All US Embassies in Pakistan Halt Visa Issuance Indefinitely".

Warden Notices

Warden Notice 18/2008

September 24, 2008

This Warden Notice is to notify American citizens that routine consular services will be temporarily suspended on Thursday, September 25 and Friday, September 26. Additional details may be found below.

Effective immediately U.S. Government personnel are no longer permitted to stay or frequent major hotels in Lahore. Personnel are already prohibited from staying at or frequenting major hotels in Islamabad, Karachi, and Peshawar.

American Citizen Services Unit: The Embassy will continue to provide emergency services to Americans requiring such assistance. The ACS Unit may be contacted in an emergency by calling the Embassy switchboard at (92-51) 208-0000. Americans interested in routine services such as passport applications are requested to contact the Embassy on Monday, September 29.

Immigrant Visa Unit: All immigrant visa interviews will be rescheduled. The Embassy will contact immigrant visa applicants to advise them of their new appointment dates.

Non-Immigrant Visa Unit: All non-immigrant visa interviews will be rescheduled. Applicants for non-immigrant visas should contact their local American Express or Speedex Office and reschedule their appointment.

The Embassy reiterates its advice to all Americans to take appropriate individual precautions to ensure their safety and security at all times. These measures include maintaining good situational awareness, avoiding crowds and demonstrations and keeping a low profile. Americans should avoid setting patterns by varying times and routes for all required travel. Americans should ensure that their travel documents and visas are valid at all times.

American citizens are encouraged to register with the nearest Embassy or Consulate.

Contact information follows for all four posts in Pakistan:

The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad is located at Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5; telephone (92-51) 208-0000; Consular Section telephone (92-51) 208-2700; fax (92-51) 282-2632, website http://islamabad.usembassy.gov

The U.S. Consulate General in Karachi, located at 8 Abdullah Haroon Road, closed its public operations indefinitely due to security concerns. U.S. citizens requiring emergency assistance should call the consular section in Karachi. Their telephone is (92-21) 520-4200 (after hours: 92-21-520-4400; fax 92-21-568-0496, website http://karachi.usconsulate.gov

The U.S. Consulate in Lahore is located at 50- Sharah-E-Abdul Hameed Bin Badees, (Old Empress Road) near Shimla Hill Rotary, telephone (92-42) 603-4000 or 603-4250, fax (92-42) 603-4200, website http://lahore.usconsulate.gov Email address: acslahore@state.gov

The U.S. Consulate in Peshawar is located at 11 Hospital Road, Cantonment, Peshawar; telephone (92-91) 526-8000 ; fax (92-91) 527-6712, website  http://peshawar.usconsulate.gov

For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Internet web site at http://travel.state.gov/ where the Worldwide Caution http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_1161.html and the Pakistan Country Specific Information http://travel.state.gov/ and Travel Warning can be found. Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States, or, for callers outside the United States and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).