H-1B, B-1/B-2 & E-1 Visas for Pakistan & UAE Applicants

Sitting in Lahore at 6:18 PM on January 22 2026 – I know you’re probably refreshing pages or checking consulate slots right now, trying to figure out which visa actually makes sense for you or your family. Whether it’s landing a tech job in California on H-1B, bringing your parents over for a visit on B-1/B-2, or running export business from Dubai to New York on E-1, these are the three visas we get asked about every single day at applyusavisas.com.

I’m writing this the way we talk to clients on WhatsApp or over coffee in Gulberg – no fancy corporate stuff, just what really happens when people from Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah apply in 2026.

H-1B – The One That Can Change Everything (But the Lottery Is Brutal)

If you’re in IT, engineering, finance, medicine or teaching, H1b visa is usually the dream visa.

What you need in real life

A proper US company has to sponsor you – not some shady consulting firm that just wants your name.
The job has to actually require a bachelor’s degree or equivalent (lots of Pakistani/UAE degrees work, but get them evaluated with WES if they’re not from a famous uni).
Employer pays the going rate for that job in that city – no lowballing.

Latest reality check (March 2026 lottery)

USCIS got over 750,000 registrations for only 85,000 spots. It filled in two days. If you got picked, great. If not, wait till next March.

Timeline most people face

Registration → March
Results → end of March / early April
Premium processing on I-129 → 15 days (costs extra ~$2,965 now, going up soon)
Without premium → 3–8 months (sometimes longer if California center is swamped)
Consulate interview → Dubai/Abu Dhabi usually 10–40 days wait, Islamabad/Karachi 1–4 months

One thing we tell every client: if your employer says “don’t worry, we’ll handle it” – ask to see the LCA and make sure they filed real prevailing wage. We see too many denials because companies cut corners.

B-1/B-2 – The Visa Almost Every Family Needs for Visits

This is the one parents, uncles, aunts and friends use to come see kids or grandkids in the States.

Most get the combined b1 visa – business + tourism. Pakistan and UAE passports almost always get 10 years multiple entry if approved.

What officers really care about

They want proof you’ll go back home. No matter how much your son earns in Texas or daughter in New York, they look at your ties in Pakistan/UAE.

Questions parents hear almost every time

Who is paying for the ticket and stay?
What does your son/daughter do there? Green card or citizen?
How long have they been in America?
How many children total? Where are the others living?
What do you do back home? Job, business, pension?
Do you own house, shop, land, car?
When exactly will you return? Got return ticket?

What actually helps (stuff we tell clients to carry)

House/shop/land papers
Last 6–12 months bank statements
Business card or registration
Income tax returns or salary slips
Family photos from Eid or weddings back home
Son/daughter’s recent paystub, rent agreement, invitation letter

Wait times right now

Dubai & Abu Dhabi → 15–45 days

Islamabad & Karachi → 1–4 months (book slot the second you pay fee)

Dress normal (clean shirt/pant), speak clearly, don’t argue. Officers understand Urdu too.

E-1 Visa – For Pakistani Traders & Business Owners (UAE Nationals Can Qualify If Pakistani Passport)

E1 visa is the treaty trader visa. Pakistan is on the list – UAE isn’t. So if you’re in Dubai but hold Pakistani nationality, you can go for it.

What makes it work

At least half your trade must be between Pakistan and USA
Trade has to be big and ongoing (usually $100k+ a year, not one lucky shipment)
You own/control the business (50%+)
Business is real – office, employees, invoices

We see this most with

Textile/garment exporters
Surgical instruments manufacturers
Rice/food exporters
Leather goods
Some IT service companies (if real cross-border billing)

Process feels heavy

DS-160 + DS-156E forms
3 years invoices, bank statements, customs papers, shipping docs
Interview mostly Dubai/Abu Dhabi (faster) or Islamabad/Karachi
Takes 2–6 months after filing
If approved → 2–5 years visa, renewable as long as trade keeps going

Tip we give everyone: get an E-1 visa lawyer who has done Pakistani cases. One weak invoice chain and it’s refused.

Quick Side-by-Side – Which One Fits You?

H-1B → skilled job, sponsor needed, lottery hell, 6 years max, green card possible later

B-1/B-2 → visit family/tourism/short business, 10-year multiple entry common, prove you’ll return

E-1 → running real import-export business, renewable forever, prove substantial trade

One Message From applyusavisas.com

If you’re in Lahore Defence, Karachi Clifton, Islamabad F-7, Dubai Marina or Abu Dhabi Al Reem – and feeling lost with any of these, just send us your passport copy, job letter, or trade invoices on WhatsApp.

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