Waiting months for a US visitor-visa interview is one of the most common complaints about the B1/B2 process, and at some embassies the wait is longer than a year. Since 1 July 2026, the State Department has been testing a way to skip the queue by paying for it: an optional $750 expedite fee that lets an applicant book an interview within ten business days.
This guide explains what the pilot rule actually says, how booking works, and — just as important — what the $750 does not buy.
The short version
- Who: B1/B2 (business and tourism) nonimmigrant visa applicants, at selected posts only.
- Cost: $750 per person, on top of the standard MRV application fee (currently $185 for B1/B2).
- What you get: access to an interview slot within the next ten business days, plus enhanced options for return of your passport, where available.
- What you don’t get: any shortcut on eligibility, interview, background checks, or administrative processing, and no guarantee of a visa.
- When: temporary final rule effective 1 July 2026 through 31 December 2026, published in the Federal Register on 9 June 2026.
Why the State Department created it
The rule’s own explanation is straightforward. The median global wait for a nonimmigrant visa appointment is about 30 days, but at certain posts waits exceed 12 months, which leaves people who need to travel for urgent or last-minute reasons with little recourse. The Department also points to major upcoming events — the aftermath of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games — and says it wants to test demand for a fee-based expedited service before then.
The Department says the $750 reflects the full cost of providing the service, which it estimated on a projected capacity of roughly 25,000 expedite requests at the posts with the longest waits. It adds that the paid route reduces strain on consular staff by bypassing the need to review individual written justifications for urgent appointments.
Expedited slots are capped at a percentage of each selected post’s interviewing capacity, so the Department says the programme should not meaningfully lengthen the wait for everyone else.
How booking works
According to the rule text, the flow looks like this:
- Complete the DS-160 and pay the standard MRV fee as usual — see the DS-160 guide and the US visa fees breakdown.
- Schedule a regular appointment first. At posts where the paid service is offered, you first pick a traditional slot.
- Opt for an earlier one. You indicate that you want an earlier (expedited) appointment, and the system shows any expedited slots in the next ten business days. If none are open, none are shown — availability is limited and not guaranteed.
- Pay within the hold. When you choose a slot, it is held for roughly 5–10 minutes while you pay the $750 online. If you don’t pay in time, the hold is released and you stay on your original appointment.
- Attend. You go through the usual interview and vetting.
Which embassies and consulates offer the service is decided by the Bureau of Consular Affairs and published on travel.state.gov. Don’t assume yours does.
What the fee does not change
The rule is blunt on this point:
- No guarantee of issuance. The expedited appointment “in no way guarantees visa issuance.”
- Same standard. Applicants remain subject to all standard eligibility and processing requirements, including any administrative processing an officer decides is needed (see 221(g) administrative processing).
- Only the appointment date moves. Beyond scheduling the interview and, where available, return of the passport with the visa, nothing else is sped up.
- No refund if you don’t show. Cancelling or skipping the expedited appointment forfeits the $750.
- The MRV fee is separate and stays as is. The Department says it does not expect the $185 B1/B2 MRV fee to change during the rule.
That last point about non-refundability matters: as with the base fee, a 214(b) refusal still means the money is spent. Paying $750 to reach an interview you’re not prepared for is the worst use of it.
Is it worth paying?
That depends on your situation, not on a formula. Some honest considerations:
- When it can make sense: you have a fixed, credible reason to travel on a specific date, your local wait is many months, and your application is strong (stable employment or study, clear ties to home, a documented itinerary).
- When it doesn’t: the standard appointment date already fits your plans, your case is borderline, or the trip is flexible. The fee does nothing for a weak application, and the $750 adds to a bill that also includes the $185 MRV fee and, if issued, the $250 Visa Integrity Fee.
- Check for free alternatives first. Consular managers keep authority to expedite without a fee for humanitarian cases and urgent travel in the US national interest — the rule’s example is serious and urgent medical treatment that’s best provided in the US. See the rescheduling guide for how appointment changes work.
- Watch for scams. Only the official appointment system collects the fee, inside your application. Anyone offering to “guarantee” a slot for cash outside it isn’t part of this programme.
- Mind the calendar. The rule expires on 31 December 2026 unless the Department acts. Whether it is extended, changed, or dropped after the pilot will be announced by the State Department, not assumed here.
Whatever you decide, use the time before your interview to prepare. Read the B1/B2 visitor visa guide and practise with the tourist visa interview questions.
FAQ
How much does the expedited B1/B2 appointment cost? $750 per applicant, in addition to the standard $185 B1/B2 visa application (MRV) fee. It is an optional add-on offered only at selected posts, in limited quantities.
Does paying $750 guarantee a US visa? No. The State Department states that an expedited appointment in no way guarantees visa issuance. You still face the same interview, eligibility test and any administrative processing. The fee only moves the interview date forward, to an appointment within the next ten business days, and may add enhanced options for return of the passport where available.
Is the $750 refundable if I miss or cancel the appointment? No. Under the rule, an applicant who selects an expedited appointment and then does not attend or cancels it forfeits the expedite fee.
How long does the paid appointment option run? The temporary final rule is effective 1 July 2026 through 31 December 2026, as a pilot. The Department says it will review the results at the end of the pilot, so check whether it is extended before relying on it.
Can I get an urgent appointment without paying $750? In some cases. The rule says consular managers, at pilot and non-pilot posts alike, keep the ability to expedite interviews without a fee for specific humanitarian reasons or urgent travel in the US national interest, such as someone needing serious and urgent medical treatment best provided in the United States.
Sources
- U.S. Department of State, Schedule of Fees for Consular Services — Nonimmigrant Visa Appointment Expedite Fee, temporary final rule, Federal Register, 9 June 2026 (docket DOS-2026-0727; item 26 of the fee schedule)
- travel.state.gov — current fee schedule and list of participating posts
This is preparation guidance, not legal advice. Fees, pilot posts and dates can change — confirm on the official State Department site before you pay. When VisaMet launches, our tools will help you check your application is ready before you spend on an appointment. Join the waitlist for early access.