The U.S. Department of State has rolled out a nonimmigrant visa (NIV) expedited appointment pilot program that lets certain B-1/B-2 visitor visa applicants pay an extra fee to jump the queue and secure an interview slot within about 10 business days. If you have urgent travel plans and cannot get a standard appointment in time, this guide breaks down exactly how the program works, who qualifies, what it costs, and the fine print you need to read before you pay.

What Is the NIV Visa Expedited Appointment Pilot Program?

Announced in mid-2026, the expedited appointment pilot is a voluntary, paid option that sits alongside the regular visa scheduling system. Instead of waiting weeks or months for the next open interview slot, eligible applicants can pay an additional fee to be offered an appointment within roughly 10 business days, subject to slot availability at their embassy or consulate. The Department of State has said the program is designed to help travelers with genuine, time-sensitive needs while keeping the same security screening standards in place for every applicant, paid or not. As of this writing the pilot is scheduled to run through December 31, 2026, though the State Department may adjust the timeline or add locations as the program develops.

Who Is Eligible for the Expedited Appointment?

The pilot program is currently limited to B-1/B-2 visitor visa applicants only, meaning travelers applying for business (B-1) or tourism and visiting (B-2) visas. Other nonimmigrant visa categories, such as student, work, or exchange visas, are not part of this pilot. To use the expedited option, you must already have a scheduled regular interview appointment, or hold a valid, unexpired MRV (Machine-Readable Visa) fee receipt showing you have paid the standard application fee. In other words, the expedited option is an add-on you select after you have already booked a standard slot, not a replacement for the normal application process.

How Much Does the Expedited Appointment Cost?

The expedited option carries a flat, non-refundable fee on top of the standard visa application fee. Here is the full cost breakdown per applicant:

• Standard MRV visa application fee: $185 (required for every applicant, expedited or not)
• Expedited appointment fee: $750 (additional, charged only if you opt into the pilot program)
• Total cost to use the expedited option: $935 per applicant

This fee is described as non-refundable and non-transferable. That means if you cancel, miss the appointment, or are later found ineligible, the $750 is not returned, and it cannot be applied toward a different applicant or a future appointment.

Which Embassies and Consulates Currently Offer This?

The pilot began at posts in Mexico and has since expanded. As of August 2026, the following missions participate in the expedited appointment program:

• Mission Mexico (U.S. Embassy Mexico City and all consulates), the first location, live since July 21, 2026
• Mission Canada (U.S. Embassy Ottawa and all consulates)
• U.S. Embassy Bogotá, Colombia
• U.S. Embassy Guatemala City, Guatemala
• U.S. Embassy San José, Costa Rica
• U.S. Embassy Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Because this is an active pilot, the Department of State could add more posts or pause the program at any location without much notice. If your embassy or consulate is not on this list, check the official Department of State page linked in the References section below before assuming the option is unavailable to you.

How to Apply for the Expedited Appointment, Step by Step

1. Complete Form DS-160 and pay the standard $185 MRV visa application fee, if you have not already done so.
2. Schedule (or keep) a regular visa interview appointment at a participating embassy or consulate using your existing visa appointment account.
3. Log back into your appointment account and look for the paid expedite option, which will show any available earlier slots at your post.
4. When a slot appears, select it immediately and complete the $750 payment within 10 minutes, or the slot is released back into the system for someone else.
5. Attend your interview on the confirmed date with all required documents, exactly as you would for a standard B-1/B-2 interview.

Each traveler in a family or group who wants an expedited slot must go through this process and pay the $750 fee individually; the fee is not shared or discounted for groups.

Rules and Restrictions You Should Read Before Paying

• No rescheduling: once you book an expedited appointment, you cannot move it to a different date or time. If your plans change, you lose the fee.
• No guarantee of a visa: paying the fee only buys you an earlier interview date. It has no bearing on whether your visa is approved.
• Same vetting applies: every applicant, expedited or not, goes through identical background screening and eligibility checks.
• Limited daily slots: each participating post only releases a small number of expedited appointments per day, so availability is not guaranteed even if you are willing to pay.
• Ten-minute payment window: you must complete payment within 10 minutes of selecting a slot, so have your payment method ready before you start browsing for appointments.
• Optional premium delivery: if a premium visa delivery option is offered at your post, expedited applicants may be able to select it at no extra cost.

Is Paying $750 for a Faster Appointment Worth It?

For most travelers, the standard visa appointment process, or the free emergency appointment request for genuine emergencies, will still be the right route. The paid pilot program is really built for a narrower group: people with confirmed, time-sensitive plans, such as a family emergency, a medical need, or a business trip on a fixed date, who do not meet the criteria for a free emergency appointment but also cannot wait out the regular wait time at their post. Because the fee is forfeited if you cancel, reschedule, or simply miss the interview, this option only makes sense if you are highly confident about your travel dates and your ability to attend on short notice. It is also worth remembering that visa wait times vary enormously by consulate, so before paying $750 it is worth checking your specific post’s current regular wait time, since at some locations the gap between standard and expedited appointments may be small.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the $750 fee guarantee my visa will be approved?

No. The fee only secures an earlier interview date. Visa approval still depends entirely on meeting the standard eligibility requirements and passing the regular screening process.

Can I get a refund if I cancel my expedited appointment?

No. The $750 fee is explicitly non-refundable and non-transferable, whether you cancel, reschedule, miss the appointment, or are later denied the visa.

Is the program available for all visa types?

No. As of now, only B-1/B-2 visitor visa applicants can use the expedited appointment pilot. Other visa categories are not currently included.

How long will the pilot program run?

The Department of State has indicated the pilot is scheduled to run through December 31, 2026, though the timeline, fee, and list of participating posts could change, since this is an evolving pilot program.

Where can I check if my embassy or consulate participates?

The official, most up-to-date list is maintained by the U.S. Department of State on its travel.state.gov visa news page, linked in the References section below. Always confirm current details there before paying any fee.

Final Thoughts

The NIV visa expedited appointment pilot program gives eligible B-1/B-2 applicants a new, though costly, way to move up the interview line at a handful of embassies and consulates. It is not a shortcut around visa requirements, and it is not risk-free given the strict no-rescheduling and no-refund policy. If you have flexible travel plans, the standard appointment system or a free emergency appointment request (where you qualify) will usually make more sense. But for travelers with a fixed, urgent departure date and no other option, the $750 fee can be the difference between making a trip and missing it entirely. Because this is a pilot, rules and locations can change quickly, so always verify the latest details directly on the official Department of State page before you commit to paying.

References

• U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs – Nonimmigrant Visa Expedited Appointment Pilot Program (official source)
• Erickson Immigration Group – DOS Expands Nonimmigrant Visa Expedited Appointment Pilot
• Visa Lawyer Blog – Pay $750 for a Faster B1/B2 Visa Appointment? What Travelers Need to Know
• Fredrikson & Byron – DOS Creates $750 Fee for Expedited B-1/B-2 Nonimmigrant Visa Interview Appointments