This article was prepared with the assistance of ABIL, the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers, of which Loan Huynh is an active member.
The Department of State (DOS) published a temporary final rule (PDF), effective July 1 through December 31, 2026, to create a $750 fee for an expedited B-1/B-2 business and tourism nonimmigrant visa (NIV) interview appointment. The new fee allows B-1/B-2 visa applicants to secure an interview appointment at selected posts within 10 business days, subject to availability.
DOS said that this service “will be an optional premium addition to the standard NIV application fee and will be offered only to applicants at limited posts as published on travel.state.gov and in limited quantities.” It is being offered as a pilot program “to assess demand from applicants for visas who seek to bypass longer wait times for visa interviews,” DOS explained.
Immigration attorneys have noted that the pilot program appears to create a separate, fee-based pathway to expedited B-1/B-2 visa appointments that does not require applicants to demonstrate urgent circumstances, such as significant business needs, medical emergencies, humanitarian issues or other compelling reasons. The new fee only expedites the visa appointment, not processing otherwise, and the usual fees are still required. The expedited appointment does not guarantee visa issuance, and it does not expedite any later adjudicative steps, including administrative processing.
For more information, contact the Immigration Group.
