Visas & Travel

Paying $750 for a Faster U.S. Visitor Visa Interview: How the State Department's Pilot Works

Since July, applicants for U.S. visitor visas in Mexico, Canada, Colombia, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Honduras can pay an extra $750 to get an interview within 10 business days. The fee buys an earlier appointment and nothing else: no refund, no rescheduling, no better odds. Here's who can use it, how it works, and the other visitor visa rules that can surprise applicants this year.

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Published Last updated 4 min read

Not legal advice. This article is general information only. It is not legal advice, and it does not create an attorney–client relationship. Do not rely on it to decide what to do in your own case. Immigration rules change, so confirm current requirements at uscis.gov and talk to a licensed immigration attorney or DOJ-accredited representative.

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In this article
  1. Where the pilot is running
  2. Who can use it
  3. The terms, in plain language
  4. Is it worth it?
  5. Other visitor visa rules to know this year
  6. Official sources

Wait times for U.S. visitor visa interviews can run months in parts of Latin America. This summer the State Department started testing a way to skip part of that line, for a price. Under a pilot running through December 31, 2026, eligible B-1/B-2 applicants at certain embassies can pay $750 on top of the regular visa fee to get an interview within 10 business days, if slots are available.

It's optional, and for some people it will be worth it. But the terms are strict, and paying doesn't change anything about how your application is decided. Facts are current as of September 27, 2026.

Where the pilot is running

According to the State Department's announcement, last updated August 18, 2026, the paid expedite option is available at:

  • Mission Mexico, the embassy and all consulates, since July 21, 2026
  • Mission Canada, the embassy and all consulates, since August 18, 2026
  • Embassy Bogotá, Colombia, since August 18, 2026
  • Embassy Guatemala City, since August 18, 2026
  • Embassy San José, Costa Rica, since August 18, 2026
  • Embassy Tegucigalpa, Honduras, since August 18, 2026

The Department says more locations may be added during the pilot. If the option isn't offered where you're scheduling, it simply won't appear in the appointment system.

Who can use it

Only B visa applicants, meaning business or tourist visitors, who already have an interview appointment scheduled. You must first pay the regular $185 application fee and book a normal appointment. After that, you sign in, choose "Request Expedite," and select "Paid Expedite" if it's offered.

Some specific cases, from the State Department's FAQ:

  • If your free emergency appointment request was denied, you can still use the paid option.
  • If you qualify for an interview waiver (sometimes called "dropbox"), you can't pay to speed it up. The option is only for scheduled interviews.
  • Groups and families pay per person. The system lets you split the group if only some members need the earlier date.

The terms, in plain language

  • $750 per applicant, per appointment, non-refundable and non-transferable. It's in addition to the $185 visa fee.
  • You have 10 minutes to pay after you select an expedited date and time, or you lose the slot.
  • You get one booking. An expedited appointment can't be rescheduled. If you cancel or miss it, the $750 is gone. You may be able to move back into a regular slot without paying the visa fee again if your $185 fee was paid less than a year earlier.
  • It buys an earlier interview, nothing more. The State Department is explicit that paying "does not guarantee visa issuance or expedited processing." If your visa is refused, you don't get the $750 back.
  • Free premium delivery, where available, is included.

The fee has nothing to do with vetting. Applicants who pay go through the same screening and must meet the same requirements as everyone else, and some cases will still go into administrative processing after the interview. If your travel date depends on having the visa in hand, remember that an early interview isn't the same as an early visa.

Is it worth it?

Paying makes the most sense when the trip is fixed and valuable, the regular wait is long, and you're a strong candidate: a solid job or business at home, previous U.S. travel with on-time departures, and a clear reason for the visit. A refusal under INA 214(b), the most common visitor visa refusal, costs you both fees and the trip.

It makes less sense if you were refused recently and nothing in your situation has changed. A faster interview won't change the result. It also makes no sense if you qualify for an interview waiver, because you can't use it.

Other visitor visa rules to know this year

Apply where you live

Under current State Department instructions, last updated July 15, 2026, nonimmigrant visa applicants should book interviews in their country of nationality or residence. Applying elsewhere to get a faster appointment is still possible in some places, but the Department warns it may be "more difficult to qualify," fees won't be refunded or transferred, and wait times will likely be longer.

Visa bonds for some nationalities

Nationals of 50 countries on the State Department's visa bond list who are found eligible for a B-1/B-2 visa must post a bond of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000, set at the interview. The list includes Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Mongolia, Nepal, Nicaragua and many others. Some countries on the bond list, such as Cuba, Nigeria and Venezuela, are also under the travel ban's suspension of visitor visas, and a bond doesn't override that. Bond holders must enter and leave through a commercial airport; land and sea crossings aren't allowed. Only pay a bond after an officer directs you to, and only through Pay.gov. The bond is refunded if you leave on time or never travel.

The $250 visa integrity fee

A 2025 law created a $250 "visa integrity fee" on most nonimmigrant visas. As of September 27, 2026, the State Department's official fee schedule for visa services doesn't list it, and there has been no announcement that consulates are collecting it. If someone asks you to pay it, confirm on travel.state.gov first.

Official sources

Not legal advice. This article is general information only. It is not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney–client relationship. Immigration rules and USCIS processes change, so check uscis.gov for current requirements, and speak with a licensed immigration attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative about your own case before you act. StatusPal is independent and is not affiliated with USCIS or the U.S. government.

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