Last Updated On 26 August 2026, 9:00 AM EDT (Toronto Time)
The United States Department of State has launched a paid expedited US visa appointment option at the U.S. Embassy and all U.S. consulates in Canada.
Starting August 18, 2026, eligible applicants for B-category visitor and business visas can now pay an additional fee to schedule a consular interview within 10 business days, subject to availability.
The program is voluntary, optional, and separate from the standard visa application process that every applicant must still complete.
Canada is one of six participating locations or missions currently listed in the pilot, which runs through December 31, 2026.
This announcement arrives at a time when travel rules between Canada and the United States have been evolving rapidly throughout 2026.
Here is a complete breakdown of what the expedited appointment costs, who qualifies, how the booking process works, and what applicants in Canada need to know before deciding whether to pay.
Table of Contents
What Is the U.S. Visa Expedited Appointment Pilot
The U.S. Department of State is testing a nonimmigrant visa expedited appointment program at select U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide.
The pilot allows eligible B visa applicants to pay US$750 per appointment on top of the standard US$185 MRV application fee.
In exchange, the applicant gains access to schedule a consular interview within the next 10 business days, subject to availability.
The program does not change how applications are evaluated or how security screening is conducted.
Every applicant who pays the expedited fee still undergoes the same rigorous vetting that applies to all U.S. visa applications.
Paying the fee secures an earlier appointment only and does not guarantee that a visa will be approved.
The pilot is set to run through December 31, 2026, and the Department of State may add more locations during that period according to the official announcement on travel.state.gov.
Which Locations Are Participating in the Pilot
Six participating missions or embassy locations are currently listed in the expedited appointment pilot, with launch dates confirmed by the Department of State.
- Mission Canada, which includes the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa and all consulates, launched on August 18, 2026.
- Embassy Bogota in Colombia also launched on August 18, 2026.
- Embassy Guatemala City in Guatemala launched on the same date.
- Embassy San Jose in Costa Rica launched on August 18, 2026, as well.
- Embassy Tegucigalpa in Honduras launched alongside the other four new locations on that date.
- Mission Mexico, which includes the embassy and all consulates, was the first location to launch the pilot on July 21, 2026, nearly a month before Canada joined the program.
The Department of State has indicated that additional pilot locations may be announced throughout the testing period.
How Much the Expedited Appointment Costs
The expedited appointment fee is US$750 per applicant, charged in addition to the standard US$185 MRV nonimmigrant visa application fee.
This means the total minimum cost for an expedited B visa appointment in Canada is US$935 before any other expenses.
The US$750 fee is per person, so a family of four applying together would pay US$3,000 in expedited fees plus US$740 in standard MRV fees for a combined total of US$3,740.
The system does allow group applicants to separate their booking so that only some members pay the expedited fee.
The expedited appointment fee is not refundable under any circumstances, including visa refusal.
If an applicant misses the expedited appointment, the fee is forfeited entirely with no option to reschedule.
Payment must be completed within 10 minutes of selecting an expedited appointment slot, or the reservation expires.
Who Qualifies for the Paid Expedite Option
The expedited appointment option is currently limited to applicants applying for B visas, which cover tourist and business travel to the United States.
Applicants must first complete the standard process of paying the US$185 MRV fee and scheduling a regular interview appointment at a participating post.
Only applicants who already hold a future interview appointment and have an unexpired MRV fee receipt can access the Paid Expedite option.
The option appears inside the applicant’s online scheduling account under a tab labelled “Request Expedite” followed by “Paid Expedite.”
If the Paid Expedite option does not appear, the program may not be available at that location, expedited slots may not currently be available, or the applicant may not meet all eligibility criteria.
Applicants who were denied a regular emergency appointment request can still access the Paid Expedite if they meet the eligibility criteria.
Renewal applicants who qualify for the interview waiver process cannot use the Paid Expedite because they do not have a scheduled interview.
How To Book an Expedited Appointment in Canada
The booking process begins with the standard visa application steps that every B visa applicant must follow.
First, the applicant completes the DS-160 online nonimmigrant visa application form and receives a confirmation page.
Next, the applicant pays the US$185 MRV fee and schedules a regular interview appointment at a U.S. consular post in Canada.
After the regular appointment is confirmed, the applicant signs into their scheduling account and clicks “Continue.”
The applicant then selects “Request Expedite” and looks for the “Paid Expedite” option on the next screen.
If expedited appointments are available, a list of open dates and times within the next 10 business days will appear.
The applicant selects one slot and must complete the US$750 payment within 10 minutes to lock in the appointment.
Once confirmed, the expedited appointment date and time cannot be changed, which makes it essential to choose carefully before paying.
Applicants who secure an expedited appointment may also select one of the premium passport delivery options at no additional cost, if available.
What the Expedited Appointment Does Not Guarantee
The Department of State has emphasized multiple times that the US$750 fee purchases an earlier interview slot and nothing more.
Paying the expedited fee does not guarantee that a visa will be issued at the interview.
Every applicant must still demonstrate eligibility to the consular officer under U.S. immigration law, regardless of what they paid.
The same thorough screening and vetting process applies to expedited applicants as it does to everyone in the regular queue.
If the visa is refused, the US$750 expedited fee is not refundable and cannot be transferred to another application.
This distinction matters for applicants who may assume that paying a premium fee signals preferential treatment during the adjudication process.
The Department of State has framed the pilot as a tool for managing appointment demand rather than a priority processing lane.
Strict Cancellation and No-Show Rules Apply
Expedited appointments come with significantly stricter rules than standard appointment bookings.
Once an expedited appointment is scheduled, it cannot be rescheduled to a different date or time.
If an applicant misses a Paid Expedite appointment and the MRV fee was paid less than one year ago, they may be able to reschedule into a regular appointment slot without paying another MRV fee.
To schedule another Paid Expedite appointment after a missed one, another US$750 expedited fee is required.
Cancelling a Paid Expedite appointment also forfeits the expedited fee entirely.
In both cases, the US$750 is non-refundable and non-transferable regardless of the reason for the cancellation or absence.
These rigid policies make it critical for applicants to confirm their travel plans, gather all required documentation, and verify their availability before committing.
Why the Pilot Launch Matters for Applicants in Canada
The Department of State has not publicly stated why Canada was selected for the pilot.
However, the launch comes while regular B1/B2 appointment waits at several Canadian consular posts remain exceptionally long.
As of the Department of State’s August 17 update on global visa wait times, the next available B1/B2 appointment was approximately 24 months away in Toronto, 16 months in Vancouver, and 13.5 months in Ottawa.
A paid appointment potentially within 10 business days compared to a regular next-available appointment listed at 24 months in Toronto illustrates the scale of the gap this pilot addresses.
Canadian citizens generally do not need a U.S. nonimmigrant visa for tourism or temporary business travel, although certain purposes of travel still require a visa according to the State Department’s guidance for citizens of Canada and Bermuda.
This exemption is separate from the U.S. Visa Waiver Program and applies specifically to Canadian and Bermudian nationals.
However, permanent residents of Canada who hold passports from visa-required countries must still apply for a U.S. B visa through the standard consular process.
International students, temporary foreign workers, and other temporary residents in Canada also frequently require U.S. visitor visas for cross-border travel.
The demand for appointments at U.S. consular posts in Canada has been especially high throughout 2026, with multiple policy changes affecting border crossing procedures and documentation requirements.
For eligible applicants who need to travel sooner, the US$750 option can provide access to an appointment within the next 10 business days when Paid Expedite slots are available.
The option may be particularly useful for applicants with time-sensitive travel that does not meet the regular emergency-appointment criteria, as well as eligible applicants whose emergency appointment requests were denied.
Applicants should weigh the US$750 cost against the urgency of their travel and the likelihood of securing a regular appointment within their needed timeline.
Those without urgent travel needs may prefer to wait for standard appointment availability, especially given the strict no-refund and no-reschedule policies attached to the expedited option.
How To Succeed With the Paid Expedite Application
Preparation is essential because the 10-minute payment window and no-reschedule policy leave zero room for error during the booking process.
Complete and submit the DS-160 form accurately before attempting to schedule any appointment, since errors on the form can delay the interview itself.
Pay the US$185 MRV fee and schedule a regular appointment first, because the Paid Expedite option only becomes visible after this step.
Have your payment method ready before clicking on the expedited appointment screen, since you have only 10 minutes to finalize.
Choose a date and time you are absolutely certain you can attend, because the appointment cannot be moved once confirmed.
Follow the document instructions provided by the U.S. embassy or consulate handling your application.
Additional evidence may be requested regarding the purpose of your trip, your intent to depart the United States after the visit, and your ability to cover your travel costs.
Remember that the consular officer evaluates your case on its merits, and the expedited fee has no bearing on the outcome.
If your visa is refused, you forfeit the US$750 with no appeal of the fee itself, though you may reapply for a visa under standard procedures.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can Canadian citizens use the expedited appointment pilot?
Canadian citizens generally do not need a U.S. visa for tourism or business travel under a separate exemption from the nonimmigrant visa requirement, as outlined in the State Department’s guidance for citizens of Canada and Bermuda. The Paid Expedite option applies specifically to B visa applicants, which typically means permanent residents or temporary residents in Canada who hold passports from visa-required countries.
Is the US$750 expedited fee refunded if my visa is denied?
No, the expedited appointment fee is non-refundable under all circumstances, including visa refusal, cancellation, or a missed appointment. The fee covers the scheduling of an earlier interview only and is completely separate from the visa adjudication decision.
Can I reschedule my Paid Expedite appointment to a different day?
No, paid expedited appointments can only be scheduled once and cannot be rescheduled or changed after confirmation. If you cancel or miss the appointment, you forfeit the US$750 fee and must pay again if you want another expedited slot.
Does paying for the expedited appointment improve my chances of getting a visa?
No, the fee only moves the interview date forward and has no effect on how the consular officer evaluates the application. All applicants undergo the same security screening and eligibility review regardless of whether they booked a standard or expedited appointment.
How long will the expedited appointment pilot run in Canada?
The pilot is scheduled to run through December 31, 2026, at all U.S. consular posts in Canada. The Department of State has not announced whether the program will be extended, made permanent, or expanded to additional visa categories beyond B visas after the pilot period ends.
Fact-Checked: All information in this article has been verified against the official U.S. Department of State announcement published on travel.state.gov as of August 18, 2026.
Disclaimer: This article is published by Immigration News Canada for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice; consult a licensed immigration professional for guidance specific to your situation.
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