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The US is running a pilot that lets business and tourist visa applicants pay $750 for an expedited US visa interview at selected posts, and it ends on 31 December 2026. The State Department’s temporary final rule, published in the Federal Register on 9 June 2026, creates the fee for B-1/B-2 applicants only, from 1 July through 31 December. With about eleven weeks left, here is how it works and what it does not do.
In this explainer
- How to request a slot
- What the fee does not buy
- Who should consider it
- What happens after 31 December
- Expedited interview questions
How to request a slot
According to the rule text, applicants first complete the DS-160 form, pay the standard visa fee and book a regular appointment. They then ask for an earlier date and, where expedited slots exist, are shown options within ten business days. After choosing a slot, they have a short hold, described as five to ten minutes, to pay $750 online. If the payment is not made in time the slot is released and the original appointment stays. Law firm Cozen O’Connor describes the fee as paid in addition to the standard $185 application fee.
What the fee does not buy
The fee pays for an earlier interview slot and nothing else. Cozen O’Connor says it does not speed visa adjudication or administrative processing, and that slots are offered only where capacity exists, capped at a share of each post’s appointments. The rule says only a limited set of overseas posts take part, with the list kept by the Bureau of Consular Affairs on travel.state.gov, and it does not name them. An applicant who does not attend or who cancels forfeits the expedited fee, and the rule does not address refunds more generally. Existing no-fee expedite options remain, so some urgent cases may still qualify at no charge. Before paying, check the post’s own appointment page, because availability is decided post by post and slots can disappear during the short payment hold. Keep your DS-160 confirmation and payment receipts, and arrive with the documents your embassy lists for the interview.
Who should consider it
The route suits someone with a fixed business trip and a standard appointment that falls after it. Consider a hypothetical case. Arjun is an Indian engineer invited to a trade fair in Chicago in six weeks, with a regular interview slot booked for three months away. If his post takes part in the pilot, paying $750 could bring the interview forward, but it would not guarantee approval or remove any security checks. If the trip can move, waiting may cost nothing. Applicants should also be ready for the interview itself, since the rule leaves the usual eligibility standards unchanged.
What happens after 31 December
Cozen O’Connor describes the programme as a proof-of-concept pilot and says further updates may follow once it ends. Nothing in the sources says whether it will be extended, widened to other visa classes or dropped. Anyone planning travel in 2027 should not assume it will return. Other US costs and rules are changing too, as covered in our reports on the H-1B payment and the public charge rule. Our visa eligibility checker can help you compare destinations if timing is the problem.
Expedited interview questions
How much is the expedited US visa interview fee?
$750 per person, on top of the standard $185 application fee, according to Cozen O’Connor and the Federal Register rule.
Which visas does it cover?
B-1/B-2 business and tourism visas only, according to the rule text.
When does the pilot end?
31 December 2026. It began on 1 July 2026.
Does it guarantee a visa?
No. It only brings forward the interview slot. It does not speed adjudication or administrative processing.
Is it available at every embassy?
No. Only a limited set of posts take part, and the list is kept on travel.state.gov.
What if I cancel the appointment?
The rule says an applicant who does not attend or who cancels forfeits the expedited appointment fee.
Sources
- Federal Register (public inspection) — Schedule of Fees for Consular Services, Visa and Citizenship Services Fee Changes. https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2026-11513.pdf
- Cozen O’Connor — New fee-based option for faster B-1/B-2 visa interviews. https://www.cozen.com/news-resources/publications/2026/new-fee-based-option-for-faster-b-1-b-2-visa-interviews
- US Department of State — Travel.State.Gov: participating posts and consular services. https://travel.state.gov/
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