The US State Department is considering charging an additional USD 1,000 premium fee to non-immigrant visa applicants—like tourists and business travelers—who want to skip the regular visa interview line and get expedited appointments. This would be on top of the current standard processing fee of USD 185.
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The plan was revealed in an internal memo obtained by Reuters and could start as a pilot as soon as December.
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The idea is to make visa processing feel more like airline boarding—pay extra, get priority service.
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However, State Department lawyers warned of legal risks, noting that charging more than the actual cost of the service could violate Supreme Court precedent and might be blocked by the White House budget office or courts.
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This premium service idea fits with President Trump’s broader vision of monetizing immigration, including his previous suggestion of a “gold card” selling US citizenship for USD 5 million with special fast-track benefits.
The State Department declined to comment directly on the memo but said they’re always working to improve visa operations worldwide.
For context, in fiscal year 2023, over 10 million non-immigrant visas were issued, with nearly 6 million being tourist visas. This plan could impact many travelers if implemented.
