US Visitor Visa Interviews in 10 Days for $750: What Indian Applicants Should Know
Indian families planning travel to the United States may soon have a faster way to secure a visitor visa interview — but it comes with an important catch.
The US Department of State has introduced a temporary pilot fee for expedited B-1/B-2 business and tourism visa interview appointments. Under the rule, eligible applicants at selected US embassies and consulates will be able to pay an additional US$750 to seek an interview appointment within 10 business days.
The pilot is scheduled to run from 1 July 2026 to 31 December 2026. It is designed to test demand for a premium appointment option and assess whether the service should continue in some form after the trial period.
What the new $750 fee actually covers
The fee is not a new visa category and it is not a guaranteed approval pathway. It is an optional premium service for the interview appointment only.
According to the temporary final rule published in the US Federal Register, the $750 fee will allow B-1/B-2 applicants who pay it to secure an interview appointment at selected posts within ten business days, subject to availability and limited quantities. The service will be offered only at locations listed by the State Department on travel.state.gov.
That means the applicant must still complete the usual non-immigrant visa process, including the DS-160 form, payment of the standard visa application fee, appointment booking steps and the consular interview.
It does not speed up visa processing
The most important point for applicants is this: paying the additional fee may help secure an earlier interview slot, but it does not fast-track the decision on the visa application.
After the interview, the application remains subject to normal consular assessment. Some cases may be approved quickly, while others can require administrative processing, additional documents or further checks. Applicants should avoid booking non-refundable flights, hotels or events based only on getting an earlier interview appointment.
Who may find it useful?
For Indian applicants, the option may be useful in genuine time-sensitive situations, such as:
- urgent business meetings or conferences in the United States;
- family events where travel dates are approaching;
- students’ parents or relatives needing to visit during a narrow window;
- travellers who have completed their documents but cannot find a suitable interview slot.
For Indian Australians, the rule may matter when relatives in India are planning US travel for family occasions, business visits or onward travel connected to Australia-based family plans. It may also be relevant to Indian passport holders in Australia if the service becomes available at the post where they are eligible to apply.
How much will applicants pay?
The expedited appointment fee is US$750, which is roughly ₹64,000 depending on exchange rates. This is in addition to the normal non-immigrant visa application fee, currently commonly reported as US$185 for many visitor visa applicants.
Because exchange rates and fee rules can change, applicants should always check the official US visa appointment system and the relevant embassy or consulate website before paying.
What applicants should check before paying
Before choosing the premium interview option, applicants should consider five practical questions:
- Is the service available at my chosen US embassy or consulate? The pilot is limited to selected posts.
- Do I actually need a faster interview? If travel is not urgent, the standard appointment route may be more economical.
- Are my documents ready? A fast appointment is only useful if the DS-160, passport, purpose-of-travel documents and supporting evidence are complete.
- Can I absorb the cost if the visa is refused or delayed? The fee buys appointment speed, not an outcome.
- Have I checked official instructions? Applicants should rely on the State Department and official US visa appointment websites, not agents or social media claims.
Watch for scams and misleading promises
Premium visa options often attract misinformation. Applicants should be cautious of anyone promising guaranteed approval, special access to consular officers or faster visa stamping in exchange for extra money.
The official pilot concerns a defined US government fee for expedited interview appointments. Any payment should be made only through authorised official visa channels. If an agent is involved, applicants should still personally verify the process on official US government websites.
The bottom line
The new pilot may help some Indian B-1/B-2 applicants get in front of a consular officer sooner, especially where appointment backlogs are affecting travel plans. But it should be treated as a convenience fee, not a visa approval shortcut.
For families and business travellers, the smartest approach is to prepare documents early, monitor official appointment availability and pay the extra fee only if the time saved is genuinely worth the cost.
Source: US Department of State temporary final rule published in the Federal Register, 9 June 2026, and official US visa appointment guidance.
