USA Introduces Paid Expedited Interview for Tourist Visas: What Changes from July 1

From July 1, 2026, the US Department of State is launching a paid pilot option for some B1/B2 visa applicants: for an additional 750 dollars, it will be possible to try and obtain an interview at a selected consulate within ten business days. This is important news for tourists, business travelers, and guests of major events in the USA, but it does not mean fast visa approval and does not replace standard verification.

The new fee appeared in a temporary final rule of the US Department of State, published in the Federal Register on June 9, 2026. The program is intended to operate as a test from July 1 to December 31, 2026. Its official name is the Nonimmigrant Visa Appointment Expedite Fee, meaning a fee for the expedited appointment of a nonimmigrant visa interview. For the tourist market, this is a noticeable change: the USA is trying to provide a paid tool for those who need a faster interview date, especially against the backdrop of major international events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and preparations for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.

What Exactly is Changing

This is not about a new visa category and not about the automatic acceleration of the entire review process. The option applies specifically to the interview for B1/B2 applicants - a category used for short business trips, tourism, visiting relatives, or medical trips. Under the pilot rules, an applicant who has already completed the DS-160 form, paid the standard consular fee, and scheduled a regular interview will be able to see available expedited slots if the specific embassy or consulate is participating in the program and has such slots.

The additional fee will be 750 dollars per person. It is paid on top of the standard MRV fee, which for B1/B2 is currently 185 dollars. Thus, for a traveler who chooses a paid expedited slot, the minimum cost of consular payments alone for one application may increase to 935 dollars, not counting possible additional costs, service payments, travel to the consulate, translations, or document preparation.

It is important that the Department of State explicitly limits this service: it will not be available everywhere, not for all applicant categories, and not in unlimited quantities. The list of consular posts where the paid option will operate is to be published via travel.state.gov. If there are no expedited slots in a specific city, the applicant cannot simply pay 750 dollars and create a spot for themselves outside the schedule.

How the Paid Fast Appointment Will Work

The program's mechanics are built around the existing visa application procedure. First, the traveler must complete the basic steps: fill out the DS-160, pay the standard fee, create or use a profile in the appointment system, and select a regular interview date. Only after this, if the consular post is part of the pilot, the system may show available expedited dates within ten business days.

If the applicant chooses such a slot, the rule provides for a short hold on the spot during payment - approximately five to ten minutes. If the payment is not completed, the slot returns to the system. If the applicant pays but then does not attend the interview or cancels the expedited appointment themselves, the expedite fee, according to the rule description, is forfeited. This makes the decision financially sensitive: before paying, it is worth having documents ready, checking the passport, itinerary, travel availability to the consulate, and the actual need for an urgent date.

Separately, it is necessary to understand the difference between the interview and the result. A paid slot can bring the conversation with the consular officer closer, but it does not change the evaluation criteria of the application. The candidate must still prove the purpose of the trip, the intention to return after a short stay, financial capability, and compliance with US law requirements. If the officer assigns an administrative review, the program does not accelerate this stage.

Why the USA is Launching the Program Now

In the explanation of the rule, the Department of State notes that the global median wait time for nonimmigrant visa interviews is about 30 days, but in some consular posts, the wait can exceed 12 months. For tourists, this means the risk of missing a trip, event, cruise, conference, or family visit, even if the trip itself is short and well-planned. For the American tourism industry, long visa queues are also a barrier: travelers may choose other countries if they have no realistic chance of getting an interview before the travel date.

The context of major events reinforces the significance of the decision. The 2026 FIFA World Cup takes place in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, and some international fans, partners, and tourists require a US visa. Two years later, Los Angeles will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games. For such events, demand for short-term trips often grows in waves, and people often plan their trip after buying tickets or confirming participation.

At the same time, the pilot does not increase the overall capacity of the consular system. The document explicitly states that this is an additional path to obtaining a date, not an expansion of the ability to process applications. Therefore, the effect on the market will be ambiguous: some applicants will get faster access to the interview, but regular queues will not necessarily become shorter.

Who This May Be Useful For

The new option will have the greatest practical value for those with high-cost or strictly date-bound trips: matches, exhibitions, festivals, medical consultations, business meetings, cruises with a stop in the USA, or family events that cannot be easily rescheduled. For tourists who book flexibly and have sufficient time, standard appointment remains a more rational choice.

Paid fast appointment may also interest travelers from countries where the wait for an interview is traditionally long. But there is an important detail: the service depends not only on citizenship or visa type but also on the specific consular post. If the chosen consulate does not participate in the pilot or has no free expedited slots, the applicant will gain no practical advantage.

For Ukrainian readers, the topic is also important, even if specific appointment rules depend on the country of actual residence and the consulate where the person applies. Due to the war and migration, many Ukrainians plan trips to the USA from various European countries, and they need to be especially careful to check the requirements of the specific embassy or consulate where they can legally and practically undergo the interview.

What This Means for Trip Planning

The main advice for tourists remains unchanged: do not buy non-refundable air tickets, pay for expensive hotels, or create a fixed itinerary before obtaining the visa. Even an expedited interview does not guarantee a positive decision, and a US visa itself does not guarantee entry: the final decision on admission is made by CBP officers at the point of border crossing.

If the trip is already planned through major US airports, it is worth separately checking the arrival logistics after the visa stage. For New York, the page about JFK airport and a separate material on transfers from JFK may be useful. For the West Coast, it is worth looking at information about Los Angeles LAX airport and hotels near LAX in advance, especially if the arrival is late or the route involves a layover. Those flying to Florida will find the page about Miami airport useful, and for layovers in the central part of the USA - information about Chicago O'Hare airport.

Such planning is important not only for comfort. If the applicant goes to the interview with a realistic itinerary, clear dates, a confirmed purpose of the trip, and financial logic, the travel story looks more consistent. This does not guarantee a visa, but reduces the risk of confusion in documents and answers.

What Risks and Limitations Should Be Considered

The first limitation is the price. 750 dollars per person is a significant amount, especially for a family trip. If expedited appointment is needed for several family members, costs can quickly exceed the cost of part of the air tickets or accommodation. Therefore, paying makes sense only when the time gain truly justifies the costs.

The second limitation is the lack of guarantee. Payment provides access to a faster interview date, if available, but does not guarantee either the issuance of the visa or the fast return of the passport in all cases. If the case falls under administrative review, the final result may be delayed regardless of how quickly the interview took place.

The third limitation is the unevenness of access. The pilot will operate only in certain consulates and within a limited number of slots. This means that travelers from different countries may have very different experiences: for some, the option will be a real tool, for others, it will remain unavailable or quickly sold out.

The fourth point is that regular humanitarian and urgent free expedites do not disappear. The Department of State indicates that consulates retain the ability to expedite interviews without a fee for specific humanitarian cases or trips in the interests of the USA. That is, the paid tool should not replace situations where there is a serious medical, family, or other urgent reason.

Conclusion

The pilot fee of 750 dollars makes the US visa process more flexible for some tourists and business travelers, but at the same time more expensive and complex for those with a limited budget. It should be most accurately perceived as paid access to a faster interview calendar, not as a "fast visa".

For the US tourism market, this is an attempt to relieve some of the tension before major events and test whether applicants are willing to pay for a more predictable appointment. For travelers, the practical conclusion is simple: check the official list of participating consulates, calculate the full cost of the trip, do not confuse an expedited interview with an expedited decision, and do not build an irreversible itinerary before receiving the passport with the visa.