What Is the New Expedited Appointment Program?
The U.S. Department of State has launched a temporary pilot program called the "Nonimmigrant Visa Expedited Appointment Pilot Program". It runs from July 1, 2026, to December 31, 2026. The program's goal is to offer a limited number of faster visa interview
appointments to eligible applicants who are willing to pay a premium fee. This initiative is designed to help manage the significant backlogs and long wait times for visa interviews that have plagued many U.S. consulates since the pandemic. For travelers with urgent business or personal needs, it provides a potential pathway to get in front of a consular officer sooner. However, it is an optional service; the standard application process remains unchanged for those who choose not to pay the extra fee.
The Key Question: Is India Included in the Pilot?
As of late August 2026, the answer is no. U.S. consular posts in India—Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, New Delhi, and Kolkata—are not currently part of this paid expedite pilot. This means applicants in India cannot use the $750 option at this time. The program launched initially in Mexico and has since expanded to include all U.S. posts in Canada, as well as embassies in Bogota, Guatemala City, San Jose, and Tegucigalpa. The State Department has indicated that more locations could be added before the pilot ends, but there has been no official confirmation about including India. For now, Indian applicants must rely on the regular appointment system or the existing criteria for free emergency appointments.
Who Is Eligible to Pay for a Faster Slot?
The pilot program is narrowly focused. It is only available to applicants for B-1 (business) and B-2 (tourism) visas. It does not apply to other popular visa categories like F-1 (student), H-1B (work), L-1 (intracompany transfer), or any immigrant visas. To be eligible, an applicant must first complete the standard application process: fill out the DS-160 form, pay the regular $185 Machine Readable Visa (MRV) fee, and schedule a normal interview appointment. Only then, if the consulate is a participating location and has paid slots available, will the option to request a "Paid Expedite" appointment appear in the applicant's online portal.
Breaking Down the Costs: More Than Just $750
The expedited appointment fee is $750 per person. This is an additional cost on top of the standard $185 nonimmigrant visa application fee (MRV fee) that all B-1/B-2 applicants must pay. This brings the total upfront cost for someone using the service to $935. It is important to note that this fee is non-refundable. If an applicant misses their scheduled expedited appointment, they forfeit the fee. The program is also structured on a per-person basis, meaning every member of a family or group applying together would need to pay the $750 fee to secure an expedited slot.
What the Fee Buys You—and What It Doesn't
The $750 fee buys one thing only: an earlier interview appointment, typically within 10 business days, subject to availability. It does not, in any way, guarantee visa approval. Applicants who pay the fee are subject to the exact same screening, vetting, and eligibility requirements as every other applicant. The fee does not speed up administrative processing if a case requires further review after the interview, nor does it accelerate the printing and return of the visa. It is simply a way to bypass the long queue for an interview slot. This is a critical distinction for applicants weighing the cost; it buys a faster interview, not a faster visa.
Why This Program Exists: The Context of Long Waits
The need for such a program is a direct result of the immense visa appointment backlogs in many countries, especially India. As of August 2026, wait times for a first-time B-1/B-2 interview appointment at Indian consulates varied significantly but remained long: approximately 4 months in Kolkata, 7 months in Chennai, 9 months in New Delhi, 9.5 in Hyderabad, and up to 14 months in Mumbai. These waits, while an improvement from post-pandemic peaks that exceeded 800 days, still present major hurdles for urgent travel. The pilot program is an attempt by the State Department to provide flexibility for travelers who cannot wait months for an appointment, while also potentially managing demand at high-volume posts.
