A Federal Register notice taking effect July 1 introduces a six-month pilot that allows B-1/B-2 (business/tourist) visa applicants to pay a $750 optional fee for an interview slot within 10 business days at select consular posts. The temporary rule, highlighted by immigration law firm Green & Spiegel on June 30, is designed to chip away at interview backlogs that still exceed one year in some cities. The fee will sit on top of the standard $185 MRV fee and will be collected only after the applicant secures a qualifying appointment. Consular officers will not be told which applicants paid, preserving adjudicatory neutrality, but capacity will be capped—raising fears that regular appointments will be pushed further out. For employers moving short-term project staff, the program offers a predictable (if pricey) alternative to last-minute expedite requests. Finance teams should update cost models for international trips that previously relied on walk-in emergency slots. HR should counsel travelers that the fee accelerates scheduling only; it does not shorten administrative processing or guarantee issuance. If successful, the State Department may expand premium scheduling to work visas such as H-1B and L-1. Mobility leaders should track pilot metrics and gather traveler feedback to lobby for broader roll-out—or to argue against a two-tiered system if it disadvantages regular applicants.
Source: Mondaq (Green & Spiegel)
