The United States government has announced a new premium expedited service for foreign nationals applying for business and tourist visas, offering faster interview appointments for an additional fee.
Under the pilot programme introduced by the United States Department of State, eligible applicants for B1 and B2 visas will be able to secure interview appointments within 10 days of payment at selected US embassies and consulates.
The optional service comes at a cost of $750, which is added to the standard visa application fee of $185, bringing the total amount payable to $935 for applicants who choose the fast-track option.
The initiative is scheduled to run from July 1 to December 31 and is aimed at addressing lengthy visa interview wait times, which in some parts of the world extend for several months or even more than a year.
According to the policy, applicants who obtain an expedited interview slot will have between five and 10 minutes to complete payment of the premium fee. Failure to do so within the allotted time will result in the loss of the reserved appointment, which will then be made available to other applicants.
Officials estimate that about 25,705 travellers will make use of the premium service each year, potentially generating approximately $19.3 million in additional revenue.
The State Department stressed that payment of the expedited processing fee only guarantees faster access to an interview appointment and does not guarantee visa approval.
The US government is expected to announce the embassies and consulates participating in the pilot programme before its official commencement.