U.S. Eyes $1,000 Fast-Track Visa Fee Amid Travel Slump

Photo: White House Archives/Pete Souza

India-West News Desk

WASHINGTON, DC – As international travel to the US faces a projected 7% decline in 2025, the Trump administration is weighing a controversial proposal to charge $1,000 for expedited non-immigrant visa interview appointments—a steep new fee on top of the existing $185 application cost.

An internal State Department memo, reviewed by Reuters, outlines plans for a pilot version of the premium service to potentially roll out by December. The option would allow some travelers—such as tourists and business visitors—to move to the front of the line for visa interviews by paying the added fee.

The idea is part of a broader push by Trump to reshape immigration and travel policy around high-dollar access, Reuters noted. That includes his previously floated “gold card” proposal, which would offer U.S. citizenship to wealthy investors willing to pay $5 million.

However, government attorneys have raised alarms about the legality of the expedited visa plan. According to the memo, the State Department’s legal team warned of a “high risk” that the White House Office of Management and Budget would reject the fee or that courts could strike it down as unlawful. Charging more than the actual cost of a government service “is contrary to settled Supreme Court precedent,” the memo states.

The State Department issued 10.4 million non-immigrant visas in fiscal year 2023, including nearly 6 million for tourism.