The U.S. Department of State is testing a paid fast lane for visitor visa interviews. In your appointment account it shows up as "Paid Expedite": pay an extra $750 and you can book a B1/B2 interview within the next 10 business days, if a slot is available.
The pilot runs through December 31, 2026, and it is already live at every U.S. consulate in Canada and Mexico.
Key Point: The $750 buys an earlier interview date only. It does not buy a visa, faster processing after the interview, or a refund if anything goes wrong.
Where Paid Expedite Is Available
According to the State Department's pilot program page (last updated August 18, 2026), these posts participate:
| Post | Launch date |
|---|---|
| Mission Mexico (Embassy and all consulates) | July 21, 2026 |
| Mission Canada (Embassy and all consulates) | August 18, 2026 |
| Embassy Bogota (Colombia) | August 18, 2026 |
| Embassy Guatemala City | August 18, 2026 |
| Embassy San Jose (Costa Rica) | August 18, 2026 |
| Embassy Tegucigalpa (Honduras) | August 18, 2026 |
The State Department says additional locations may be announced during the pilot. If your country is not on the list, the option simply will not appear in your account.
Who Can Use It
You can see the "Paid Expedite" option only if all of these are true:
- You are applying for a B visa (B1/B2 tourist/business). Student, work and other visa classes are not included.
- You already have a regular interview appointment scheduled in the future. You cannot skip straight to a paid slot.
- Your $185 MRV fee receipt is still valid (unexpired).
- Your post participates, and it has expedited slots available at that moment.
Two details that surprise people:
- Interview waiver renewals do not qualify. Only applicants with a scheduled interview appointment can pay the fee.
- A denied emergency request does not block you. If your regular emergency appointment request was refused, you can still buy a Paid Expedite slot if you meet the criteria above.
How to Book a Paid Expedite Appointment
- Complete your DS-160, pay the $185 MRV fee and schedule a regular appointment as usual.
- Sign in to your appointment account and click Continue.
- Select Request Expedite, then choose Paid Expedite.
- If expedited slots exist, pick a date and time within the next 10 business days.
- Pay the $750 within 10 minutes. If you do not finish payment in time, the slot is not secured.
Participating posts release only a limited number of expedited appointments each day, so the option can be missing even in a participating country.
What It Really Costs
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| MRV application fee | $185 |
| Paid Expedite fee | $750 |
| Total per applicant | $935 |
- The fee is per applicant. In a group or family, every person who takes a Paid Expedite slot pays $750.
- The system lets you split the group if only some members need the earlier date.
- Applicants who pay the fee can choose a premium delivery option for their passport at no additional cost, where the post offers one.
The Four Hard Rules
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| No rescheduling | A Paid Expedite appointment can be scheduled one time only. The date and time cannot be changed. |
| No refund | Cancel it or miss it and the $750 is forfeited. |
| Not transferable | You cannot pass the slot or the fee to another person. |
| No refund on refusal | If your visa is refused at the interview, the fee is still gone. |
If you miss the appointment and your MRV fee was paid less than one year ago, you may be able to go back to a regular appointment slot without paying the MRV fee again. A second Paid Expedite appointment means a second $750.
What the $750 Does Not Do
- It does not guarantee the visa will be issued. Every applicant goes through the same screening and must qualify under U.S. law.
- It does not speed up administrative processing, security checks or anything else after the interview.
- It does not guarantee a slot exists. Availability is limited each day.
Is the $750 Worth It? Three Ways to Get an Earlier Date
| Paid Expedite (official) | Watching for openings yourself | LuckyBee expedite service | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $750 per applicant | Free | From $50, paid only after a date is booked |
| Visa types | B1/B2 only | Any | The visa types we support, not only B1/B2 |
| How early | Within 10 business days, when slots exist | Depends on what gets released or cancelled | Depends on what gets released or cancelled, within the date range you set |
| If it does not work out | Cancel or miss it and you lose $750 | You lose your time | No booking, no charge |
| Can you change the date later | No | Yes, within your post's rules | Yes, within your post's rules |
Paid Expedite makes sense when you hold a B1/B2 case, have a fixed travel date in the next few weeks, are certain you can attend the exact slot you pick, and can accept losing $750 if plans change.
It is a poor fit if your dates are flexible, if you are applying as a family (the fee multiplies), or if you are not on a B visa at all.
To be clear about our own service: LuckyBee monitors regular releases and cancellations and books a date inside the range you choose. We do not purchase Paid Expedite slots for you – that payment has to be made by you inside your own account. We use a controlled request rate and never change your password or email.
If You Are Applying in Canada
Canada limits how many times you can schedule, cancel or reschedule, and Paid Expedite requires you to hold a regular appointment first. The State Department's page does not say whether booking a Paid Expedite slot counts toward that limit. If you have few attempts left, confirm with the appointment system's support before you pay.
FAQ
Q: Is the $750 fee mandatory? A: No. The program is optional and voluntary. You can keep your regular appointment and pay nothing extra.
Q: Is the $750 refundable if I cancel or my visa is refused? A: No. The expedited appointment fee is non-refundable and non-transferable. Cancelling or missing the appointment forfeits it, and a visa refusal does not bring it back.
Q: Does paying $750 improve my chances of approval? A: No. It only provides an earlier appointment. Screening, vetting and eligibility requirements are exactly the same.
Q: Can F-1 students or H-1B workers use Paid Expedite? A: No. The pilot covers B visa applicants only.
Q: Can I reschedule a Paid Expedite appointment? A: No. It can be scheduled one time only. To book another one you must pay another $750.
Q: How long does the pilot last? A: Through December 31, 2026. The State Department may add locations during the pilot.