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
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