US visa expedited appointment pilot: $750 fee for faster B1/B2 interviews; Is India included in the list?

The US Department of State has launched a pilot programme allowing eligible tourist and business visa applicants in selected countries to pay an additional $750 fee for an earlier visa interview appointment. The Nonimmigrant Visa (NIV) Expedited Appointment Pilot Program, updated on August 18, 2026, is designed to help applicants with urgent travel needs secure an interview within 10 business days, subject to appointment availability. Under the pilot, eligible applicants for B-1/B-2 visitor visas can opt to pay $750 on top of the regular $185 Machine Readable Visa (MRV) fee. Applicants must first complete the normal visa application process, pay the $185 fee and schedule a regular interview appointment. If the paid-expedite option is available at their location, they can then request an earlier appointment. The $750 fee is per appointment and per applicant. The programme allows eligible applicants to select an interview slot within 10 business days, provided expedited appointments are available. However, the programme only provides an earlier interview appointment. It does not guarantee faster visa processing or approval. The State Department stressed that applicants will continue to undergo the same security screening and eligibility checks as other visa applicants. No. India is not included in the list of participating locations announced by the US Department of State as of August 18, 2026. The current participating locations are: Canada — US Embassy and all consulates Colombia — Embassy in Bogota Guatemala — Embassy in Guatemala City Costa Rica — Embassy in San Jose Honduras — Embassy in Tegucigalpa Mexico — Embassy and all consulates The programme began in Mexico on July 21, 2026, while the other listed locations launched on August 18, 2026. The State Department said additional locations may be added during the pilot period, which runs until December 31, 2026. The option is currently available to eligible applicants seeking B visas, generally covering tourism and business travel. Applicants must: -Pay the regular $185 MRV fee. -Schedule a regular visa interview. -Meet the programme's eligibility requirements. -Log into their visa appointment account. -Select “Continue” → “Request Expedite” → “Paid Expedite”, if the option is available. -Pay the additional $750 within 10 minutes after selecting an expedited appointment. The paid-expedite option will only appear where the programme is available and expedited slots are open. No. The $750 payment only provides access to an earlier interview. It does not guarantee visa issuance or expedited adjudication. The fee is also non-refundable and non-transferable. Applicants who are refused a visa will not receive the $750 back. Paid-expedite appointments cannot be rescheduled. If an applicant misses or cancels the appointment, the $750 fee is forfeited. Applicants wanting another paid-expedite appointment would have to pay the fee again. What about visa renewals? Applicants renewing a visa who qualify for the interview-waiver process cannot use the $750 paid-expedite option. The programme is intended for applicants who have a scheduled interview appointment and need an earlier slot. For Indian applicants, there is currently no $750 paid-expedite option under this pilot because India is not among the participating locations. The State Department could add India later, as it has said additional locations may be announced during the pilot period. Until then, Indian B-visa applicants must follow the regular appointment process or use any existing emergency-appointment procedures for qualifying urgent cases. Oops! Looks like you have exceeded the limit to bookmark the image. Remove some to bookmark this image.