The U.S. is preparing to test a new paid service for B1/B2 visa applicants, the visa category used for business travel, tourism and visits.
In a temporary rule published in the Federal Register on June 9, 2026, the U.S. Department of State announced the creation of a “Nonimmigrant Visa Appointment Expedite Fee,” a fee allowing certain B1/B2 nonimmigrant visa applicants to obtain an expedited interview appointment.
The service will cost $750 per applicant. It will take effect on July 1, 2026, and is scheduled to remain in place through December 31, 2026, as part of a temporary pilot program.
A public comment period remains open until July 9, 2026, but the temporary rule is still set to take effect on July 1, 2026. The program is therefore expected to be tested, unless U.S. authorities make a subsequent change.
An appointment within ten business days
The program is intended to allow eligible applicants to obtain an interview appointment within ten business days after paying the expedite fee, subject to availability at the selected consular post.
The State Department notes, however, that the option will be available only at selected U.S. consular posts overseas and in limited quantities. The list of participating embassies and consulates will be published on travel.state.gov.
The new service applies only to B1/B2 visa applicants. It does not apply to other nonimmigrant visa categories.
The State Department describes the measure as a pilot program designed to assess demand for a paid expedited appointment mechanism, particularly at posts where wait times remain high.
How much would a B1/B2 visa cost with this option?
The expedited interview option does not replace the standard visa application fee. It is charged in addition to it.
For a B1/B2 visa, the standard nonimmigrant visa application fee is currently $185. With the $750 expedited appointment option, the minimum consular cost would therefore reach $935 per applicant.
That total does not include any possible additional charges, such as passport delivery fees or other costs related to the procedure depending on the country where the application is filed. It also does not mean that the visa will be issued.
Not an “express visa”
The State Department emphasizes an important point: paying the $750 fee only allows applicants to obtain a faster interview slot when one is available.
This is not an express visa. The option does not guarantee approval, does not change the eligibility requirements for a B1/B2 visa and does not speed up any processing steps that may follow the interview.
An applicant who pays for this option will still be subject to the standard review of their application by a consular officer. If additional administrative processing is required, it will follow the usual timeline.
The State Department also notes that consular posts will continue to be able to grant expedited appointments at no cost in certain humanitarian cases or when urgent travel is in the national interest of the United States.
A test ahead of major events in the United States
The pilot program comes amid heightened attention to U.S. visa wait times.
According to the State Department, the global median wait time for a nonimmigrant visa interview appointment is about 30 days, but some posts have wait times that can exceed 12 months.
In the wake of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, and ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, U.S. authorities said that “now is the time to test the demand for and provision of a new fee-based expedited interview appointment service.”
The test also comes in an environment already shaped by the FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System, or FIFA PASS, a program that allows 2026 World Cup ticket holders who purchased their tickets through FIFA to access priority appointments for their U.S. visa applications.
At the end of the pilot program, scheduled to run through December 31, 2026, the State Department will review the data collected to determine whether the service should be maintained, modified or discontinued.
