The US consular services announced here on Saturday that from Monday next week, the American Express and Standard Charter Bank will be its couriers for the visa applications and interview appointment dates.
It said that it had not renewed its courier services agreement with the Gerry's Federal Express. The US officials did not say it but complaints of mishandling of visa applications and interview appointments had been on the increase in recent months.
The Standard Charter Bank, the announcement said, will be responsible for overall management of the US Embassy's courier operations and fee collection and the "the Embassy is confident these will provide higher and more efficient services".
The American Embassy release said: "As of Monday, August 02, American Express will provide all US Embassy visa application courier services, including accepting US visa applications and arranging interview appointment dates.
"Before, similar visa appointment and courier services were provided by Gerry's Federal Express. As the service contract with that company expired, American Express will now provide these US visa appointment and courier services.
Applicants who have already paid the application fee at Gerry's Federal Express but have not yet received a visa interview appointment should go to their nearest American Express courier service provider.
"For more information on the US visa application process and a list of American Express courier locations, visit the US Embassy website at: http://islamabad.usembassy.gov.
"Visa applicants can decrease the amount of time required for an appointment by using the new Electronic Visa Application Forms, available on the Internet at http://evisaforms.state.gov.
'Another addition to the US Embassy's visa operations is a new relationship with Standard Charter Bank, which will now be responsible for overall management of the US Embassy's courier operations and fee collection.
"The Embassy is looking forward to a long and productive relationship with both Standard Charter Bank and American Express, and is confident these changes will be reflected in a higher, more efficient standard of service offered to those applying for visas at the US Embassy".