The US is about to pilot a quick visa interview appointment service priced at 750 USD

This pilot program will last six months, from July 1 to December 31, 2026, according to information in the US Government Gazette – a government publication specializing in reporting on national policies.

To use this “premium” service, visitors must pay an additional 750 USD to schedule an interview appointment within 10 days from the time of payment. This amount does not include the standard visa application fee of 185 USD.

The list of countries and embassies applying this service has not yet been officially announced. The new policy only applies to B1/B2 visas (tourism or short-term business), not to settlement visas.

This move is considered an effort to reduce the difficulties of tourists in applying for US visas. Previously, the US had tightened most forms of immigration for foreigners and planned to require a $15,000 visa application deposit and a multi-year background check of the applicant (including checking social networks).

These new plans have caused delays in US visa processing worldwide, leading to many complaints.

Commenting on the possibility of application in Vietnam, Mr. Truong Minh Tuan, General Director of HVN Travel travel company, said that the Vietnamese market is “highly likely” to be on the implementation list. However, businesses and applicants still have to wait for official notification from the US Embassy and Consulate in Vietnam.

Talking about the impact of the policy, both Mr. Tuan and Mr. Pham Anh Vu, Deputy General Director of Viet Travel Company, shared the same opinion: The fee of 750 USD is essentially an “early appointment fee”, which does not help increase the visa approval rate or shorten the processing time after the interview. Visa issuance results still depend entirely on the current approval standards of the US Department of State.

However, if this service is applied in Vietnam, this will be a legal and safe channel for groups of customers who need to travel urgently (such as fairs, unexpected conferences, urgent family visits), helping them be proactive in their schedules instead of having to look for risky “black market” services.

According to Mr. Vu, the fee of 750 USD (about 19 million VND) is quite high compared to the average income of Vietnamese people, so it is difficult for market demand to increase suddenly. The number of visitors to the US may increase slightly in the business segment, high-income visitors or business travelers.

For this group, the above costs are acceptable in exchange for certainty about the timeline and convenience for booking air tickets and services. Core factors such as financial records, ties to Vietnam and travel history are still the conditions for deciding on a ticket to see America.

From an international perspective, Mr. Alan Fyall, an expert from the Rosen School of Hotel Management at the University of Central Florida, said that this new policy was implemented “too late” to support football fans who want to come to the US to watch the 2026 World Cup. American Magazine Forbes said that each year, the US Department of State estimates to receive more than 25,700 visa applications, earning 19.3 million USD.