AnewZ Morning Brief - 27th July, 2025
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 27th of July, covering the latest developments you need to kno...
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.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.
Australian researchers have pioneered a low-cost and scalable plasma-based method to produce ammonia gas directly from air, offering a green alternative to the traditional fossil fuel-dependent Haber-Bosch process.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
'Superman' continued to dominate the summer box office, pulling in another $57.25 million in its second weekend, as theatres welcome a wave of blockbuster competition following a challenging few years for the film industry.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 27th of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Cambodia and Thailand accused each other of cross-border attacks on Sunday, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said their leaders agreed to pursue a ceasefire.
A landmark agreement has been signed for the export of 48 KAAN fighter jets – Türkiye’s indigenously developed National Combat Aircraft – to Indonesia.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has expressed confidence that the country will achieve victory in its anti-imperialist and anti-US struggle. The statement was made on the anniversary of the Korean War armistice, according to the state news agency KCNA on Sunday.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen travelled to Scotland on Saturday ahead of a meeting with US President Donald Trump scheduled for Sunday evening. Officials from both sides have indicated that a trade agreement is within reach.
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