The U.S. Department of State has announced a six-month pilot that will allow certain B-1/B-2 visitor-visa applicants to purchase an earlier consular interview for an additional US$750. Published in the Federal Register on June 11, 2026 and effective July 1 through December 31, the program lets applicants at participating posts secure a slot within ten business days—well ahead of standard wait times that can exceed a year in high-volume countries. How it works: applicants first complete the customary DS-160 form, pay the regular US$185 machine-readable-visa (MRV) fee and book a standard appointment. Where the premium option is offered, they may then opt to pay US$750 and move into a fast-track queue. The payment buys only an earlier interview date; it does not guarantee visa issuance, shorten post-interview administrative processing, or waive eligibility rules. Business travel upside: Multinationals scrambling to place executives at short-notice board meetings, plant start-ups or trade-show appearances often face crippling appointment delays. The paid service offers a predictable—if expensive—alternative to the opaque emergency-expedite request system. Employers will need to weigh the fee against re-booking costs, project penalties and lost revenue when staff cannot travel. Equity and capacity concerns: Because premium slots will be numerically capped, observers worry that consulates could divert scarce officer hours away from immigrant-visa backlogs or non-paying applicants. The State Department says it will monitor uptake and operational impact before deciding whether to expand or scrap the model. Next steps for mobility teams: (1) identify key markets once participating posts are published; (2) build the premium fee into travel budgets; (3) brief travelers that the service accelerates only the interview date, not the overall adjudication. Companies should also document when premium access mitigates business losses—data the State Department has invited during the pilot’s comment period.
Source: Moneycontrol
