Overview
- The State Department, which published a temporary final rule Tuesday, will run the pilot from July 1 through Dec. 31, 2026 and will post participating embassies and consulates on travel.state.gov.
- Applicants who buy the service pay a nonrefundable $750 in addition to the standard $185 visa application fee and must first schedule a regular appointment before selecting an expedited slot.
- When an expedited slot is chosen a five- to ten-minute hold is placed for online payment, availability is limited by post, and failure to pay or to attend forfeits the fee and frees the slot.
- The fee only speeds scheduling of the interview and does not speed visa adjudication, administrative processing, passport return, or guarantee issuance, and the State Department says the pilot does not increase adjudicator capacity.
- The department projects about 25,705 paid requests a year and roughly $19.3 million in revenue, while critics warn the option could favor wealthier travelers, leave core capacity problems unaddressed, and have limited effect on near-term events such as the 2026 World Cup.