The State Department will allow certain visa applicants to “bypass” long wait times for $750, in addition to the $185 base fee already in place.The Tuesday announcement of the pilot program, which will run between July 1 and Dec. 31, comes as FIFA’s 2026 World Cup is expected to attract more than 1 million foreign tourists to American stadiums later this month. Wait times for visitor visa interviews can stretch to two years at certain U.S. Consulates and Embassies, but the fee ensures they’ll have an appointment scheduled within 10 days.“In the wake of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, the Department has determined that now is the time to test the demand for and provision of a new fee-based expedited interview appointment service,” the State Department said in the Federal Register.
The service, billed by the State Department as an “optional premium addition,” will apply to B1/B2 visa applicants. These temporary, non-immigrant visas enable foreign visitors to enter the United States for business, tourism, or medical treatment. They typically permit visits up to 180 days and expire after 10 years.
The State Department expects 25,705 applicants each year to purchase the expedited service, with an expected annual revenue of $19,278,750.
