US State Department to Pilot Expedited B1/B2 Visa Appointments for $750 Fee
The US State Department will launch a pilot program allowing B1/B2 visa applicants to secure interview appointments within 10 days by paying an additional $750 fee, running from July 1 to December 31, 2026. The expedited appointment fee is separate from the standard $185 visa application fee and does not speed up the actual visa processing. This addresses long wait times at US consulates, particularly for business travelers and tourists.
The US State Department will begin a pilot project offering expedited B1/B2 visa interview appointments for an additional $750 fee, allowing applicants at selected posts to secure interviews within 10 days. The fee is separate from the standard $185 visa application fee and applies only to business and tourism visa categories; it expedites the appointment scheduling but not the visa processing itself. The pilot runs from July 1 through December 31, 2026. Currently, expedited interviews are available at no cost only in exceptional circumstances—through referral by senior US government employees, priority appointment requests for those furthering US national interests, or applicant-requested expedites for humanitarian or urgent travel reasons. Immigration attorneys quoted in the report suggest the fee-based option could be attractive to business travelers facing time-sensitive meetings, though the article notes that visa wait times have increased globally and some visa categories now carry higher fees.
What's missing
The article does not specify which consulates or posts will participate in the pilot program, nor does it provide details on how applicants will apply for this service or what criteria determine eligibility beyond the visa category.
What different sources said
- Times of IndiaCenter
US visa interview in 10 days if you pay extra $750: All you need to know
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