We reported that the US State Department launched a pilot program allowing B-1/B-2 (tourist/business) visa applicants to pay an extra $750 fee to get an interview appointment within 10 business days, instead of waiting months in the regular queue. The pilot runs from July 1 to December 31, 2026. As of this writing, this pilot program has been implemented only at Mission Mexico (the embassy and consulates in Mexico), though more posts may be added later. This update can be found here.

Procedure to Schedule Using this Pilot Program

• Applicants must already have a regular DS-160 filed and a standard interview appointment booked.
• If the applicant’s post is participating, a “Paid Expedite” option appears when managing that appointment.
• Payment of $750 must be completed within 10 minutes of selecting the option.
• The new interview slot falls within 10 business days, subject to availability.

Total cost is $935 per applicant ($185 standard MRV fee + $750 expedite fee), and no proof of emergency is required — unlike the Department’s existing free expedite request process. 

Restrictions on the Expedited Fee

• The fee is non-refundable and non-transferable.
• Missed appointments forfeit the fee entirely.
• Interview waiver (dropbox) renewals are not eligible.
• A faster interview date does not guarantee visa approval or speed up post-interview processing.

Update for Applicants in India

Since the program is currently limited to Mission Mexico, it is not yet available at US posts in India (New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad). Clients with genuine emergencies should still use the existing free expedite request, which remains unaffected by this pilot program. We will monitor this pilot program closely and bring to your attention if this is expanded to consular posts in India.