US Launches New Visa Pilot Programme, Announces Participating Country
- The US Department of State has launched a pilot scheme allowing B visa applicants to pay extra for faster interview slots
- Eligible applicants could secure a visa interview within 10 business days by paying an additional $750 fee on top of the standard application cost
- The programme is currently limited to Mission Mexico locations, though the State Department says more sites could be added before December
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The United States Department of State has announced the launch of a Nonimmigrant Visa Expedited Appointment Pilot Programme.
This programme will now give eligible tourist and business visa applicants the option to pay for a faster interview slot at participating embassies and consulates.
Source: Getty Images
The scheme, which runs until 31 December 2026, is entirely voluntary. Under the programme, applicants for B-category visas, covering tourism and business travel, can pay an additional $750 on top of the standard $185 Machine Readable Visa (MRV) application fee to secure an interview appointment within 10 business days, subject to availability.
To qualify, applicants must first pay the regular MRV fee and schedule a standard visa interview appointment before purchasing the expedited option.
Those who previously had an emergency visitor appointment request denied may still be eligible for the paid expedite route, provided the option is available and they meet the requirements.
Currently, the programme is operational only at Mission Mexico, covering the US Embassy and all US Consulates across Mexico, with a launch date of 21 July 2026. The State Department has indicated that additional locations may be brought into the pilot at a later stage.
There are strict conditions attached to the expedited appointment. Once an applicant selects an available slot, the $750 fee must be paid within 10 minutes to confirm the booking. The appointment cannot be rescheduled or changed, and any missed appointment results in the full forfeiture of the fee, which is nonrefundable under all circumstances.
Importantly, paying the fee does not alter the outcome of a visa application in any way. Applicants who use the programme are subject to the same vetting and screening processes as all other visa seekers, and they must satisfy all standard eligibility criteria under US law. The programme guarantees only an earlier interview, not a visa.
As an added benefit, applicants who book through the expedited scheme may also select a premium passport delivery option at no extra cost, where that service is available.
The announcement was shared by US immigration law firm AK Poku Law, PLLC, which flagged the development as a significant update for individuals navigating the US visa application process.
Below is the Facebook post by Akua Poku on the new visa programme:
US bans visas for cybercriminals
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the US government had introduced a new global visa restriction policy aimed at targeting individuals engaged in cybercrime and other cyber-related offences against American citizens.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the government would begin restricting visas for foreign nationals found to be responsible for, or complicit in, cybercrime and cyber-enabled offences targeting Americans.
Source: YEN.com.gh
