Trump Eyes $1,000 Fast-Track Fee for US Visa Interviews

The Trump administration is reportedly considering introducing a $1,000 premium fee for expedited visa interview appointments, according to an internal State Department memo and a U.S. official familiar with the plan, as reported by Reuters. This proposed fee, which has not been disclosed, would allow non-immigrant visa applicants, including tourists, to jump to the front line for visa interviews. Individuals entering the U.S. on tourist and other short-term visas pay a $185 processing fee. The new $1,000 option would provide a premium service to certain applicants, enabling them to bypass the usual wait for visa interviews. A pilot programme for this initiative could be launched as early as December, the memo reviewed by Reuters indicated. The proposed visa appointment fee, which has not been reported before, comes alongside Donald Trump’s gold card plan. This plan would offer US citizenship for $5 million, granting faster access to those willing to pay. However, the State Department’s legal team has raised serious concerns about the plan, warning of a “high risk” that it could be rejected by the White House budget office or challenged in U.S. courts. The memo argued that setting a fee above the actual cost of providing the service would conflict with established Supreme Court precedent, as reported by Reuters.