A recent notice in the Federal Register indicates that the State Department intends to launch a six-month pilot program from July 1 to December 31 for applicants applying for B-1/B-2 tourist and business visas. This service will only be accessible at selected overseas locations, with limited availability. The specific diplomatic missions that will participate have yet to be disclosed.
As per the proposal, eligible applicants can secure a visa interview appointment within 10 business days by paying a non-refundable $750 fee in addition to the standard non-immigrant visa application fee of $185. The premium service will only be available at select posts, depending on the availability of expedited appointments at these locations.
The State Department has stated that this service is being rolled out as a proof-of-concept to evaluate the demand for expedited visa interview appointments and to assess the interest from applicants looking to avoid lengthy wait times.
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This additional fee aims to meet the demand for expedited non-immigrant visa appointments, particularly in regions where applicants currently face wait times extending for months or even over a year.
Upon selecting an expedited appointment, a 5–10 minute hold will be placed on the slot while the applicant completes the $750 fee payment. Failure to complete the payment in this timeframe will result in the appointment being released for other candidates.
The intended program targets applicants from countries not included in the US Visa Waiver Program. While it has not been confirmed whether US missions in India will be involved, the list of participating embassies and consulates is anticipated to be released prior to the program’s launch.
Applicants must still fulfill all standard visa eligibility and processing criteria, which may include any necessary administrative processing. Paying the expedite fee does not ensure visa issuance and does not accelerate any other processing stages beyond scheduling the visa interview appointment.
According to the Federal Register notice, the State Department estimates approximately 25,705 applications will be processed annually through this service, potentially generating about $19.3 million in revenue. The pilot program may be extended beyond December 31 depending on the level of demand.
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