The U.S. Department of State expanded its $750 “Paid Expedite” pilot on August 18, 2026, adding five new posts beyond the original Mission Mexico rollout: Mission Canada, and the embassies in Bogotá (Colombia), Guatemala City (Guatemala), San José (Costa Rica), and Tegucigalpa (Honduras). This is a meaningful expansion just under a month after the program first went live in Mexico on July 21, 2026. 

All core mechanics remain unchanged from the original launch. Applicants must already have a standard DS-160 filed and a regular interview booked before the “Paid Expedite” option appears in their account, and the $750 payment must be completed within 10 minutes of selecting a slot. Total cost stays at $935 per applicant ($185 MRV fee plus $750 expedite fee), the new appointment falls within 10 business days subject to availability, and the fee remains non-refundable and non-transferable. The pilot window is still July 1 through December 31, 2026, and a faster interview date continues to carry no guarantee of visa approval or expedited post-interview processing.

It is important to note that applicants previously denied a free emergency expedite can still use the paid option if otherwise eligible, and each member of a group applying together must pay the fee individually. 

Status for India

As of this writing, the option is still not available at any Indian post — New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, or Hyderabad. Clients with genuine emergencies should continue relying on the existing free expedite request process, which is unaffected by this pilot. Given how quickly DOS added five posts in under a month, it’s worth continuing to monitor travel.state.gov for possible inclusion of Indian posts before the pilot ends on December 31, 2026.