State Dept Sells $750 Express Lane for U.S. Visas
Published Date: 6/9/2026
Rule
Summary
Starting July 1, 2026, travelers applying for a B1/B2 business or tourist visa can pay an extra $750 to get a faster interview appointment—within 10 business days—at select U.S. embassies and consulates. This new optional fee is temporary and runs through December 31, 2026. If you want quicker service, be ready to pay up and act fast, as spots are limited!
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 4 costs, 2 mixed.
$750 Expedited B1/B2 Interview Fee
If you apply for a B1/B2 (business or tourist) nonimmigrant visa at selected U.S. embassies or consulates, you can pay a $750 optional fee to get an interview appointment within ten business days. This fee is temporary and only available from July 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026 and is in addition to the standard MRV fee (currently $185).
Forfeiture Risk if You No-Show or Cancel
If you select and pay for an expedited appointment but do not attend the interview or you cancel it, you forfeit the $750 expedite fee. Payment must be completed online prior to confirmation of the expedited appointment.
Pilot Size: ~25,000 Requests and $19.28M Revenue
The Department estimated a pilot capacity of about 25,000 expedited requests and projected annual fees of $19,278,750 for the program during the pilot. The pilot runs through December 31, 2026 and will be analyzed to decide next steps.
Limited Spots — 10 Business Day Promise
Paying the $750 fee lets you see and pick an expedited appointment within the next ten business days at designated posts, but expedited appointments are offered only in limited quantities at select embassies and consulates. The service is first-come, first-served: a 5–10 minute hold waits while you pay, and if you don’t pay in that time you lose the appointment.
Paying Won’t Guarantee a Visa or Faster Vetting
Paying the $750 fee only expedites scheduling of the interview and possible return of the passport; it does not guarantee visa issuance or speed up any substantive vetting or administrative processing. All standard eligibility, interviews, and background checks still apply.
You Still Owe the MRV $185 Fee
Applicants who pay the $750 expedite fee must also pay the standard Machine Readable Visa (MRV) application processing fee, which the Department notes is currently $185 and is not expected to change during the pilot. The expedite fee does not replace the MRV fee.
Humanitarian and National-Interest Expedited Slots Stay Free
Consular managers retain the ability to expedite interviews without charging the $750 fee for urgent humanitarian cases or when expedited travel is in the U.S. national interest. Those no-fee expedite paths remain available under existing criteria.
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Key Dates
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-17655, Passports: Expanding Online Passport Renewal Overseas
The Department proposes to amend 22 CFR 51.21 by consolidating requirements for persons applying by mail and online in the United States and overseas. This proposed change includes expanding online passport application availability to qualified applicants located in foreign countries. In addition, the Department is proposing to remove the requirement that an applicant's most recently issued passport must have a year or less of remaining validity to qualify to submit an online passport application. Finally, the Department is proposing technical corrections to 51.8(b) to change "on-line" to read "online" for consistency.
2026-04931, Schedule of Fees for Consular Services-Fee for Administrative Processing of Request for Certificate of Loss of Nationality of the United States
Good news for U.S. citizens and nationals who want to give up their citizenship! Starting April 13, 2026, the fee for processing a Certificate of Loss of Nationality drops from $2,350 to just $450. This big price cut makes it way easier and cheaper to handle this important paperwork at U.S. embassies and consulates.
2025-17851, Schedule of Fees for Consular Services, Department of State and Overseas Embassies and Consulates-Visa Services Fee Changes
The Department of State is adding a $1 fee to enter the Diversity Visa lottery to share costs more fairly among all applicants. This means everyone who wants to try their luck at the visa lottery will pay a small fee upfront, instead of only winners paying later. The new fee will start when you register online, so get ready to pay a buck when you apply!
2025-14826, Visas: Visa Bond Pilot Program
The Department of State is launching a 12-month pilot program where some travelers applying for B-1/B-2 visas from certain countries might need to pay a bond up to $15,000. This applies to visitors from places with high visa overstays or special citizenship rules. The goal? To make sure folks follow visa rules and keep travel safe and fair.
2026-18630, Amendment to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations: Prohibited Exports, Imports, and Sales to or From Certain Countries-Cyprus
The Department of State is amending the International Traffic in Arms Regulations to reflect current defense trade policy toward Cyprus.
2026-17975, Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records
The former Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs Contact List, State-03 which is being rescinded, contained contact information from business, labor, agricultural and non-government organizations, and others working in the international economic arena as well as individuals who were interested in or requested information about economic issues. The information was used for inviting individuals to Department briefings on international economic issues, disseminating speeches and articles on economic issues by Department officials, and providing U.S. government fact sheets on major international economic issues.
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