USA Launches Paid Expedited Interview for Tourist Visas: What the New $750 Fee Means

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Marta Skylar
Aviation News Editor
28.07.2026 05:31

USA Launches Paid Expedited Interview for Tourist Visas: What the New $750 Fee Means

Lead. The US Department of State launches a temporary paid option for B1/B2 visitor visa applicants: from July 1 to December 31, 2026, some consulates will be able to offer expedited appointment scheduling for an additional $750. For tourists, this could be a way to get an interview faster before traveling to the USA, especially during periods of increased demand due to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. At the same time, the new service does not guarantee visa issuance, does not cancel standard checks, and does not speed up administrative processing after the interview.

What Exactly Changed

On June 9, 2026, a temporary final rule of the US Department of State regarding a new fee for expedited interviews for B1/B2 non-immigrant visas was published in the Federal Register. This specifically concerns business and tourist trips, meaning the categories most frequently used by foreign travelers for short visits to the USA, participation in events, visiting relatives, business meetings, or vacations.

Under the rule, an applicant who meets the program's conditions and sees an available expedited slot in the selected consulate can pay an additional $750 on top of the regular visa fee. After this, they should be able to schedule an interview within ten business days, provided such a quota is available. The program is not launched simultaneously in all countries: the State Department is to publish a list of a limited number of participants on travel.state.gov, and the expedited slots themselves will be limited.

This is an important distinction from the usual understanding of an "expedited visa." The new fee does not mean that the consulate will make a decision faster after the interview. It relates to the appointment scheduling stage, meaning access to the appointment calendar. If additional administrative processing is required after the interview, it will take place according to the standard procedure.

When the Pilot Program Will Operate

The temporary rule takes effect on July 1, 2026, and is intended to operate until December 31, 2026. Comments on the rule are accepted until July 9, 2026, but the launch of the program itself is planned for the beginning of July. After the pilot ends, the State Department plans to evaluate demand, service costs, the impact on consular resources, and decide whether to continue or modify this format.

The official explanation links the launch to long queues at some consulates and to major events in the USA. The document explicitly mentions the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the future 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. For the tourism market, this is a signal that the American visa system is preparing for waves of short-term demand, but is currently testing a paid tool only on a limited scale.

Who May Benefit from the New Option

The most obvious audience are travelers who plan a trip to the USA on short notice and cannot wait several months for a standard interview. These could be tourists with tickets to sporting events, concerts, festivals, cruises from American ports, business travelers, conference participants, or families who want to combine a vacation with visiting relatives.

However, the service is not a universal solution. It is available only for B1/B2, only in specific consulates, only if slots are available, and only for applicants who can follow the local instructions of a specific post. If a consulate does not participate in the pilot or all expedited slots are already taken, paying $750 will not automatically grant a fast interview.

For Ukrainian travelers and citizens of other countries who apply not at their place of permanent residence, it is especially important to read the rules of the specific consulate. The official State Department page regarding visitor visas reminds that an applicant may schedule an appointment at another embassy or consulate where they are physically present, but in some cases, proving eligibility outside the country of residence can be more difficult. Therefore, the choice of consulate should be not only a matter of speed, but also a matter of the documentary logic of the trip.

What the Paid Fee Does Not Provide

The most important limitation: $750 does not buy a visa. The consular officer will continue to evaluate the purpose of the trip, the applicant's ties to the country of residence, financial capability, previous immigration history, security factors, and other circumstances. If the applicant does not meet the requirements, the visa may be denied even after an expedited interview.

Also, the payment does not cancel the standard non-immigrant visa fee. The official visitor visa page of the State Department lists a base fee of $185 for a visitor visa, and the new paid appointment is an additional premium option. In total, for the applicant, this could be a significant increase in cost even before purchasing air tickets, insurance, accommodation, and internal logistics in the USA.

Another important detail: if an applicant chooses an expedited slot but does not pay the fee at the required moment, the booking is not confirmed. If the applicant cancels the expedited interview or does not attend it, the fee may be lost. That is why this option should be considered only when documents are already ready, the DS-160 is filled out correctly, the passport is valid, the itinerary is realistic, and the trip truly requires a faster interview.

Why This Is Important for Tourism to the USA

The USA is entering a period of high attention to international tourism. The 2026 World Cup takes place in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, and American cities expect fans, delegations, media, sponsors, and regular tourists who will combine matches with leisure. Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Atlanta, Dallas, Kansas City, Seattle, San Francisco, and other destinations may see additional demand for flights, hotels, and ground transport.

The visa queue in such a situation becomes not a secondary bureaucratic detail, but part of the tourism infrastructure. If a person cannot schedule an interview in time, they do not book a flight, do not buy a ticket to an event, do not plan accommodation, and often postpone or cancel the trip. Paid expedited scheduling can help some travelers, but it does not solve the problem systemically, as the number of slots is limited and consular capacity does not increase automatically.

The State Department itself notes in the rule that the pilot should not significantly affect regular queues for other applicants, as expedited slots will be limited to a percentage of the total capacity of individual consulates. This means that tourists without an urgent reason should still apply as early as possible, check current waiting times on travel.state.gov, and not buy non-refundable services before receiving the visa.

How to Plan a Trip After the Visa Decision

If the visa is approved, the next bottleneck may be not the consulate, but arrival logistics. For travelers flying through New York, it is useful to check the JFK airport page and hotels near JFK options in advance, especially if the arrival is late or there is a domestic connecting flight the next day. For trips to the West Coast, it is worth planning Los Angeles LAX airport separately, as during major events in the city, accommodation prices and travel time can change noticeably.

Miami and Chicago also remain important gateways for international tourists. Before booking, it is convenient to check the Miami airport page and, if necessary, options for transfers and taxis from MIA. For flights through the Midwest, data about Chicago O'Hare airport and the ORD online board can be useful, especially if the itinerary includes a connection to a domestic flight.

A practical approach is simple: first confirm the visa strategy, then buy tickets with flexible conditions, then book accommodation and transport. If the purpose of the trip is tied to a match, conference, or cruise, it is better to leave a buffer between the arrival date and the main event. Even an approved visa does not protect against flight delays, long queues at passport control, baggage checks, or seasonal load at airports.

What to Check Before Paying $750

Before using the paid option, a traveler should go through a short checklist. This will help avoid situations where an expensive expedited slot does not solve the main problem or creates unnecessary costs.

  • Check if the required consulate participates in the pilot program and if expedited slots are available.
  • Clarify if your category fits specifically under B1/B2, and not under a student, work, transit, or other visa.
  • Complete the DS-160 and prepare the passport, photo, confirmation of payment of the base fee, and documents regarding the purpose of the trip.
  • Assess the risk of administrative processing: an expedited interview does not shorten such procedures.
  • Do not buy non-refundable tickets and hotels before receiving the passport with the visa, if the trip does not have sufficient time buffer.
  • Compare the cost of $750 with the actual value of the time saved: for an urgent event, this may be justified, for a regular vacation, not always.

Conclusion

The new $750 fee for an expedited interview for B1/B2 is a noticeable change for the market of trips to the USA, but it should be interpreted very precisely. It is not a "fast visa," but paid access to faster appointment scheduling in specific consulates and within a limited pilot program. For tourists who want to attend the World Cup, major events, or an urgent business trip, the option may be useful. For most travelers, the main advice remains unchanged: apply early, check official waiting times, and carefully prepare documents and do not build a trip budget on the assumption that paid scheduling will automatically solve all visa risks.