A “premium” expedited service for foreigners’ visa applications was unveiled Tuesday by the State Department — with a price tag of $750.
Through the program, foreigners seeking business or tourist visas will have the option to pay a nonrefundable $750 fee, in addition to the initial $185, to schedule an interview within 10 days of payment at select U.S. embassies and consulates.
The “optional premium addition” will be “offered only to applicants at limited posts” and in “limited quantities” from July 1 to Dec. 31.
While the median global wait time for a visa appointment is 30 days, wait times exceed 12 months at certain posts. As for why the program is piloted now, the department cited the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Fans traveling to the U.S. for the World Cup, which starts Thursday, are required to hold a U.S. visitor visa, as the country is hosting dozens of matches for the world’s biggest sporting event. Athletes, fans and team support members have hit roadblocks trying to enter the U.S.
Omar Artan, who was set to be the first Somali to referee at a World Cup, said he was subjected to an 11-hour immigration interview before being denied entry to the U.S. Somalia is one of several countries on President Trump’s travel ban list. Iraq’s team photographer, Talal Salah, was detained and denied entry due to “vetting concerns,” according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson.
Paying the “optional premium add-on service” does not guarantee visa issuance. Applicants must still go through all standard eligibility checks, interviews and administrative processing.
The State Department projects 25,705 expedited appointments during the pilot, generating $19.3 million in fees. At the end of the test run, the department will decide whether to make the program permanent.
Expedited appointments will be capped at a percentage of each post’s overall interview capacity, so the service will not meaningfully affect wait times for the normal application queue. Free humanitarian expedites still exist for urgent cases, such as serious medical emergencies.
The Trump administration has heavily restricted legal immigration by enforcing sweeping visa processing suspensions for dozens of countries, expanding travel and immigration bans, forcing green card applicants to apply from abroad and trying to levy massive H-1B fees.
The State Department’s temporary Visa Bond Pilot Program requires certain business and tourist visa applicants from designated nations to post a refundable cash bond ranging from $5,000 to $15,000. The bond is designed to ensure visitors comply with the terms of their visas and return home on time, and it has been officially expanded to 50 countries.
Another State Department policy requires most international visitors and visa holders to apply and complete their visa interviews in their country of nationality or legal residence and demonstrate clear ties to their home country.
Mr. Trump vastly expanded prior travel bans, fully or partially barring nationals from 39 countries from entering the U.S. or obtaining certain nonimmigrant visas.
The administration previously tried to implement a $100,000 annual fee for H-1B visas to discourage tech companies from hiring foreign workers. However, federal courts struck down this fee, ruling that the administration overstepped its authority by imposing a tax without congressional approval.
