The Trump administration may roll out a $1,000 fee to fast-track visa interviews, raising legal concerns from within the State Department.
The Trump administration is considering a $1,000 fee for tourists and other non-immigrant visa applicants seeking an expedited interview appointment though government lawyers have raised legal red flags over the plan, according to a U.S. official and an internal State Department memo.
Individuals entering the U.S. on tourist and other non-immigrant visas already pay a $185 processing fee. The new $1,000 option the U.S. is considering would be a premium service that allows some people to jump to the front of the line for visa interviews.
The program could arrive in pilot form as soon as December, the memo reviewed by Reuters said.
The proposed fee for visa appointments, which has not been previously reported, comes alongside President Donald Trump’s vision of a “gold card” that would sell U.S. citizenship for $5 million, granting faster access to those willing to pay.
But the State Department’s legal team said there was a “high risk” it would be rejected by the White House budget office or struck down in U.S. courts, the memo said. Setting a fee above the cost to provide the service "is contrary to settled Supreme Court precedent," the memo said.
A State Department spokesperson said the department does not comment on internal documents and communications.
"The department’s scheduling of non-immigrant visa interview appointments is dynamic and we are continually working to improve our operations worldwide," the spokesperson said.
Since taking office on Jan. 20, Trump has aggressively cracked down on immigration, including revoking some student visas and increasing scrutiny of all visa applicants.
The State Department issued 10.4 million non-immigrant visas in fiscal year 2023, including 5.9 million tourist visas, according to the agency’s most recent annual report, opens new tab.
International travel spending in the United States is expected to decline about 7% in 2025 as opposition to Trump’s policies and a strong dollar prompt foreign visitors to opt for other destinations, the World Travel and Tourism Council said in May.
U.S. forces say they have completed strikes on Iranian military sites near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded with missile attacks on an American b...
Türkiye and Syria plan to increase annual bilateral trade to $5 billion within the next two years, officials from both countries said on Tuesday, as ...
As global diplomatic dynamics continue to evolve, the European Union is reassessing its ability to respond effectively to major international developm...
Uzbekistan plans to create a National Geological Data Bank and expand the use of artificial intelligence (AI) across the mining sector as part of effo...
Azerbaijan is considering new restrictions on children's use of social media, including a minimum registration age of 16 and fines for platforms that ...
U.S. forces say they have completed strikes on Iranian military sites near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded with missile attacks on an American base in Jordan, marking a sharp escalation in tensions between the two sides.
Türkiye and Syria plan to increase annual bilateral trade to $5 billion within the next two years, officials from both countries said on Tuesday, as they seek to deepen economic ties and support Syria's recovery.
As global diplomatic dynamics continue to evolve, the European Union is reassessing its ability to respond effectively to major international developments, prompting renewed debate over defence coordination, foreign policy decision-making and institutional reform.
Uzbekistan plans to create a National Geological Data Bank and expand the use of artificial intelligence (AI) across the mining sector as part of efforts to attract $30 billion in investment by 2030.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry says 19 citizens have been repatriated following a deadly drone attack on two cargo ships in the Sea of Azov on 5 June.
A Sudanese man has been arrested over a knife attack in Belfast that left a man seriously injured and prompted calls online for a protest after footage of the incident circulated widely on social media.
Iran and Israel said on Monday (8 June) they had halted attacks on each other following an appeal from U.S. President Donald Trump, as Axios reported that Trump had privately told Benjamin Netanyahu “be careful, or you will be on your own very soon”.
Ukraine's military said it struck a Russian "shadow fleet" tanker in the Black Sea as part of ongoing efforts to disrupt Moscow's energy and logistics networks. The move underscores Kyiv's focus on targeting maritime assets it says are used to bypass sanctions on Russian oil exports.
Armenia’s parliamentary election has strengthened Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s mandate, with analysts linking the result to his post-Garabagh agenda and pro-Western direction. However, constitutional constraints remain a key obstacle to peace efforts with Azerbaijan.
As global diplomatic dynamics continue to evolve, the European Union is reassessing its ability to respond effectively to major international developments, prompting renewed debate over defence coordination, foreign policy decision-making and institutional reform.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to be one of a kind when it kicks off on 11 June, as it brings with it a slew of firsts ahead of co-hosts Mexico taking on South Africa in the opening match.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has warned that Israel’s military operations in Syria and Lebanon have escalated to a point where they could threaten Türkiye, describing Israel’s actions as “aggression” that poses a broader global risk.
More than 1,300 migrants died or went missing while attempting to reach Spain between January and May 2026, according to Spanish NGO Caminando Fronteras, highlighting the continuing dangers of one of the world's deadliest migration corridors.
Rescuers searched the rubble of a collapsed building in the southern Philippine city of General Santos on Tuesday after a powerful earthquake killed at least 37 people and injured hundreds across the country.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment