The U.S. State Department is set to launch a new premium expedited visa service that will give business and tourist visa applicants the chance to secure faster interview slots at a steep additional cost, multiple sources familiar with the unannounced plan confirmed to the Associated Press.
Starting as a six-month pilot program running from July 1 through December 31, eligible applicants at select U.S. embassies and consulates will be able to pay a $750 expediting fee on top of the standard $185 visa application fee. In exchange for the extra charge, the department guarantees a visa interview appointment within 10 business days of payment processing. A full list of participating diplomatic missions will be published ahead of the program’s launch, and the pilot could become permanent if it sees sufficient demand from applicants.
The new program comes as a direct response to widespread criticism of extended visa processing delays that have plagued the U.S. immigration system in recent years, rooted in the Trump administration’s broader policy of tightening entry restrictions for foreign travelers. Over the course of the administration, officials have rolled out stricter screening requirements for most migration categories, including steep new bond requirements that can reach $15,000 for applicants from a range of mostly African nations, and extensive demands for years of detailed personal history from all applicants.
These heightened requirements have created massive backlogs across global visa processing centers. For citizens of countries not enrolled in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, standard wait times for visa interviews can stretch to several months or longer in many regions. Importantly, State Department officials stress that the optional premium expedited service only speeds up appointment scheduling; it does not provide any guarantee that an applicant’s visa will ultimately be approved.
The official program details are scheduled to be published publicly this week in the Federal Register, marking the formal start of preparations for the July launch. The move is widely viewed as a targeted effort to alleviate some of the most damaging consequences of the administration’s stricter migration policies, offering a faster path for travelers who can afford the steep additional fee while leaving standard processing times unchanged for the vast majority of applicants.