The State Department will launch a pilot program next month allowing foreign travelers seeking business or tourist visas to pay an additional $750 fee for expedited interview appointments, according to internal documents obtained by The Associated Press.
Under the program, applicants who pay the fee — on top of the standard $185 visa charge — will be able to schedule visa interviews within 10 days at select U.S. embassies and consulates. The program is set to run from July 1 through December 31, though officials said it could be extended depending on demand.
The initiative comes as the Trump administration continues tightening visa and immigration procedures worldwide, contributing to longer processing times and additional screening requirements for travelers seeking entry to the United States.
According to the Associated Press, wait times for visa interviews in countries outside the Visa Waiver Program can stretch for months. The new "optional premium add-on service" is intended to speed up access to interviews, though paying the fee does not guarantee visa approval.
The administration has introduced a series of measures in recent months aimed at increasing scrutiny of visa applicants. In January, the State Department expanded a program requiring travelers from 13 countries — most of them in Africa — to post bonds ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 when applying for visas.
U.S. officials said the bonds were intended to reduce visa overstays, though critics argued they made travel to the United States financially inaccessible for many applicants.
In March, the State Department also broadened its online vetting policies, requiring applicants in numerous visa categories, including students, temporary workers and exchange visitors, to make their social media accounts public for government review.
"The United States must be vigilant during the visa issuance process," the department said at the time, describing visa adjudication as "a national security decision."
Several of the policies instituted have, however, faced challenges in court. Last week, a federal judge in Rhode Island ruled that the Trump administration had unlawfully suspended immigration-related decisions for applicants from 39 countries subject to U.S. travel bans.
Chief U.S. District Judge John McConnell said the policies had left immigrants in "indeterminate legal limbo" and violated federal immigration law.
The State Department has not yet announced which embassies and consulates will participate in the expedited visa interview program.
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