This article was prepared with the assistance of ABIL, the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers, of which Loan Huynh is an active member.
On August 18, 2026, the Department of State (DOS) announced the expansion of its voluntary pilot program to test B nonimmigrant visa expedited appointments at select U.S. embassies and consulates through December 31, 2026.
In addition to Mission Mexico (embassy and all consulates), the program is now expanded to include Mission Canada (embassy and all consulates) and the embassies in Bogota, Guatemala City, San Jose and Tegucigalpa.
Under the pilot program, eligible applicants for B visas (those making new appointments or holding existing appointments with unexpired machine-readable visa [MRV] fee receipts) may pay a $750 fee per appointment to schedule a visa interview within 10 business days (subject to availability). Applicants must first follow the usual process to pay the $185 MRV fee and schedule an interview appointment, DOS said.
The announcement includes frequently asked questions.
