# India excluded from US $750 expedited visa pilot 2026-08-19T21:13:54+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet The US has launched a pilot allowing eligible B-1/B-2 visa applicants in selected countries to pay an extra $750 for an earlier interview. The fee is in addition to the regular $185 Machine Readable Visa charge. Applicants may receive an interview within 10 business days, subject to availability. India is not among the participating locations announced on August 18, 2026. The pilot currently covers US missions in Canada, Colombia, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras and Mexico. It provides only an earlier interview, not faster processing or guaranteed approval. The $750 fee is non-refundable and is forfeited if an appointment is cancelled or missed. The pilot runs until December 31, 2026, and more locations may be added. ## Indian Opinion Analysis An earlier interview can reduce one part of the waiting period, but it does not change the legal test for a visitor visa. Consular officers still assess whether the applicant qualifies for the requested category and intends to follow its conditions. The payment also creates a financial risk for travellers whose plans change, since a missed appointment means paying again. Indian applicants should watch for a formal addition of India to the pilot before assuming the option is available. ## Coverage - livemint.com Explains eligibility, limits and Indiau2019s exclusion without loaded framing This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Canada, India, Mexico, United States, US Department of State Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/india-excluded-from-us-750-expedited-visa-pilot/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/india-excluded-from-us-750-expedited-visa-pilot/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/