Beginning today, July 1 2026, the U.S. Department of State is officially offering a premium path for last-minute business and tourist travelers who need a B-1/B-2 visa but cannot wait months for an interview slot. Under a Temporary Final Rule published on June 9, applicants who pay an additional US $750 “Non-Immigrant Visa Appointment Expedite Fee” can secure an interview within ten business days at participating posts overseas. Quantities are limited and the service is being rolled out first in high-demand consulates across India, Brazil, Mexico and the Gulf, where standard wait times regularly exceed 100 days.
![$750 Fast-Track B-1/B-2 Visa Interview Pilot Goes Live at Select U.S. Consulates]()
For travelers who cannot spare the time to hunt for scarce premium slots themselves, VisaHQ’s concierge team can do the monitoring and paperwork end-to-end. Through its U.S. visa portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/), the company tracks real-time consular appointment drops, guides applicants through Form DS-160, and coordinates both the standard MRV and the new $750 expedite payments—helpful insurance when every day counts.
Consular officers will be able to release expedited appointments in batches based on local staffing capacity. Travelers must still pay the regular US $185 MRV fee and meet all documentary and security screening requirements; the US$750 payment guarantees only scheduling priority, not visa issuance. According to the State Department, the pilot will run through December 31 2026 and may be extended if it demonstrably reduces backlogs ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, both large-scale events expected to drive a surge in inbound travel. For corporate mobility managers, the program offers a new—but expensive—contingency option when executives or project teams receive short-notice travel orders. Companies should update their global travel policies to reflect the availability, price, and limitations of the premium service, and budget accordingly. Because appointment inventories will be posted at irregular intervals, many firms are engaging immigration counsel or third-party visa agents to watch for openings in real time. Unlike the well-known “interview waiver” (drop-box) procedures that temporarily lapsed for most employment categories last year, the fast-track pilot still requires a face-to-face appearance. Security vetting—including fingerprint collection and facial recognition checks—remains unchanged. Applicants denied a visa must wait 90 days before re-applying; the $750 fee is non-refundable even if the visa is refused. State Department officials say early metrics—such as no-show rates, fraud indicators, and downstream DHS referrals—will determine whether the fee amount or the program itself becomes permanent. A public comment period is open until July 9; global mobility stakeholders are encouraged to weigh in on fee transparency, equitable access for small businesses, and whether similar fast-track options should be extended to work and student visa categories.
For travelers who cannot spare the time to hunt for scarce premium slots themselves, VisaHQ’s concierge team can do the monitoring and paperwork end-to-end. Through its U.S. visa portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/), the company tracks real-time consular appointment drops, guides applicants through Form DS-160, and coordinates both the standard MRV and the new $750 expedite payments—helpful insurance when every day counts.
Consular officers will be able to release expedited appointments in batches based on local staffing capacity. Travelers must still pay the regular US $185 MRV fee and meet all documentary and security screening requirements; the US$750 payment guarantees only scheduling priority, not visa issuance. According to the State Department, the pilot will run through December 31 2026 and may be extended if it demonstrably reduces backlogs ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, both large-scale events expected to drive a surge in inbound travel. For corporate mobility managers, the program offers a new—but expensive—contingency option when executives or project teams receive short-notice travel orders. Companies should update their global travel policies to reflect the availability, price, and limitations of the premium service, and budget accordingly. Because appointment inventories will be posted at irregular intervals, many firms are engaging immigration counsel or third-party visa agents to watch for openings in real time. Unlike the well-known “interview waiver” (drop-box) procedures that temporarily lapsed for most employment categories last year, the fast-track pilot still requires a face-to-face appearance. Security vetting—including fingerprint collection and facial recognition checks—remains unchanged. Applicants denied a visa must wait 90 days before re-applying; the $750 fee is non-refundable even if the visa is refused. State Department officials say early metrics—such as no-show rates, fraud indicators, and downstream DHS referrals—will determine whether the fee amount or the program itself becomes permanent. A public comment period is open until July 9; global mobility stakeholders are encouraged to weigh in on fee transparency, equitable access for small businesses, and whether similar fast-track options should be extended to work and student visa categories.
