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The U.S. Department of State has launched a temporary program that allows certain business visitors and tourist visa applicants to pay an additional $750 for a faster U.S. visa interview appointment at select Embassies and Consulates.

The program began on July 1, 2026, and is scheduled to remain in effect through December 31, 2026.

Who Can Use the Program?

The expedited option is limited to applicants seeking:

  • B-1 visas for temporary business travel;
  • B-2 visas for tourism or personal visits; or
  • Combined B-1/B-2 visas.

It is available only at selected U.S. embassies and consulates and only when expedited appointments are available.

What Does the $750 Fee Provide?

Applicants who use the service may schedule an interview within 10 business days after paying the expedited appointment fee.

However, the $750 is charged in addition to the standard $185 visitor visa application fee, bringing the total cost to $935.

To request the faster appointment, an applicant must first:

  • Submit Form DS-160 Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application
  • Pay the standard visa application fee
  • Schedule a regular interview appointment and
  • Select and pay for an available expedited appointment.

Unlike traditional emergency appointment requests, applicants do not need to provide a written explanation showing urgent travel.

Does Paying $750 Guarantee a Visa?

No. The fee only provides access to an earlier B-1/B-2 visa interview appointment.

Applicants must still complete the regular interview, security checks, and eligibility review. The service does not speed up administrative processing and does not guarantee that a visa will be approved.

Expedited appointments are limited, so paying applicants are not guaranteed that an appointment will be available. Applicants who cancel or fail to attend the expedited interview will lose the $750 fee.

The Bottom Line

The new program does not allow applicants to pay for visa approval. It allows eligible B-1 and B-2 applicants at participating Consulates to pay $750 for a chance to obtain an interview within 10 business days. Travelers should confirm that the service is available at their selected embassy or consulate before relying on it for urgent travel.

For more information please contact your Embassy or Consulate directly.

Contact Us. If you would like to schedule a consultation, please text 619-483-4549 or call 619-819-9204.

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Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the July 2026 Visa Bulletin.

In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories next month.

Adjustment of Status Chart

For adjustment of status filings to permanent residence in the month of July, USCIS will continue using the Dates for Filing Chart for family-sponsored categories only.

For employment-based categories, USCIS will also continue using the Final Action Dates Chart.

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On May 21, 2026, USCIS issued Policy Memorandum PM-602-0199, signaling a major change in how green card applications filed inside the United States (known as Adjustment of Status) may be reviewed. The memo emphasizes that Adjustment of Status (AOS) is not an automatic benefit, even when an applicant meets all legal eligibility requirements.

Instead, USCIS officers are instructed to conduct a broader discretionary review known as a “totality of the circumstances” evaluation to consider whether the applicant should complete the immigrant visa process abroad through a U.S. consulate instead.

The policy effectively shifts AOS from being viewed as a routine pathway for eligible applicants to being treated as an “extraordinary” discretionary form of relief.

What’s changed: USCIS officers are directed to weigh both positive and negative factors on a case-by-case basis when deciding whether to approve a green card application.

The memo will lead to increased scrutiny at green card interviews, and the issuance of more requests for evidence. Certain applicants may even be forced to pursue consular processing abroad rather than adjusting status from within the United States.

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Starting April 27, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) implemented a new enhanced FBI security screening process that is affecting the adjudication of immigration benefit requests that require finger-print based background checks. The update requires USCIS officers to conduct additional background vetting before approving eligible cases.

Under the new policy, officers must resubmit certain pending applications for expanded FBI fingerprint and criminal history checks and place cases on hold until the updated review is completed. The change is expected to impact a range of immigration filings, including adjustment of status (green card) applications, asylum cases, naturalization applications, employment authorization documents, and some family-based petitions.

Who is Impacted

The temporary delays primarily affect applicants whose fingerprints were submitted before April 27, as USCIS is now reprocessing those records through the updated vetting system. Newly filed applications may also experience longer processing times while the agency works through the increased review requirements.

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USCIS may not be denying your green card case — but it may be quietly putting it on hold.

As of December 2, 2025, USCIS and the State Department began a new “hold and review” process for certain immigration applications filed by individuals from 39 countries – suspending the issuance of visas and green cards for all applicants for an uncertain period of time. Under this policy, officers are expected to pause final decisions while enhanced security vetting processes are established by the government.

For applicants, that means one thing: more delays and uncertainty.

If your case was moving forward, your fingerprints were already taken, or you were expecting an interview soon, this sudden pause could explain why everything has gone silent.

In this update, we break down what USCIS’s “hold and review” policy means, who may be affected, whether you need to take action, and what applicants should watch for next.

Why is there a “hold and review” policy?

In June and December 2025, the President issued various executive orders, imposing immigration restrictions affecting individuals from 39 countries. The ban affects their ability to enter the United States, receive U.S. visas, and obtain immigration benefits through agencies like USCIS and the Department of State via Consular processing.

The affected countries include Afghanistan, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gabon, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, The Gambia, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and individuals holding Palestinian-Authority-issued travel documents.

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Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the May 2026 Visa Bulletin.

In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories next month.

            Highlights of the May 2026 Visa Bulletin

At a Glance

What can we expect to see in the month of May?

Employment-Based Categories

Final Action Advancements

EB-3 Other Workers

  • Worldwide and Mexico will advance 3 months to February 1, 2022

EB-5 Unreserved Categories (C5, T5, I5, and R5)

  • EB-5 China will advance 3 weeks to September 22, 2016

Dates for Filing Advancements

EB-5 Unreserved Categories (C5, T5, I5, and R5) 

  • EB-5 China will advance 4 months to March 1, 2017

Family-Sponsored Categories

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If you’ve made it to the green card interview stage, you’re closer than ever to becoming a lawful permanent resident—but it’s also the part that makes many applicants the most nervous. What actually happens in that room? What kinds of questions will they ask?

The green card interview is a chance for immigration officers to verify your application, confirm your eligibility, and ensure everything checks out. Still, the uncertainty can feel overwhelming if you don’t know what to expect.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through exactly what happens during a green card interview, from the moment you arrive to the types of questions you’ll be asked. Whether your application is based on marriage, family, or employment, understanding the process can help you feel more confident, prepared, and in control on the big day.

Importance of the Green Card Interview

The green card interview is one of the most critical steps in the immigration process because it’s where your entire application is reviewed face-to-face by an immigration officer. Up until this point, decisions are largely based on paperwork, but the interview allows the officer to verify your identity, confirm the accuracy of your information, and assess your eligibility in real time.

It’s also an opportunity for them to detect inconsistencies, clarify details, and, in certain cases—such as marriage-based applications—determine whether your relationship is genuine. A successful interview can lead directly to approval, while red flags or incomplete answers may delay your case or even result in denial, making preparation and honesty essential.

Nearly All Green Card Cases Require an Interview in 2026

As of 2026, the vast majority of green card applications now require a mandatory in-person interview as part of the application process. While some categories were previously eligible for interview waivers, changing immigration policies have made in-person review the standard rather than the exception.

This shift allows immigration officers to more thoroughly verify applicant information, assess eligibility, and detect potential inconsistencies or fraud. As a result, applicants across family-based, employment-based, and other categories should plan for an interview and prepare accordingly, treating it as a central step in securing permanent residency.

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Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the April 2026 Visa Bulletin.

In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories next month.

USCIS Adjustment of Status

For adjustment of status filings to permanent residence in the month of April, USCIS will continue using the Dates for Filing Chart for the employment-based and family-sponsored categories.

Highlights of the April 2026 Visa Bulletin

At a Glance

What can we expect to see in the month of April?

Employment-Based Categories

Final Action Advancements

EB-1 Aliens of extraordinary ability, Outstanding Professors and Researchers, and Certain Multinational Managers or Executives

  • EB-1 India and China will advance one month to April 1, 2023
  • All other countries will remain current

EB-2 Members of the Professions and Aliens of Exceptional Ability

  • EB-2 India will advance 10 months to July 15, 2014
  • Except China, all other countries (Worldwide, Mexico, Philippines) will become current

*Note, there is an immigrant visa freeze for all countries subject to the 75-country ban on immigrant visa issuance. Lawsuits opposing the freeze are currently pending. 

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Immigration policy has been changing quickly in 2026, and many immigrants are understandably worried about what these developments mean for their future in the United States. News headlines about tougher immigration policies have created confusion, and in some cases, unnecessary fear.

In this video, we break down what has actually changed under recent policies, and just as importantly, what has not changed in U.S. immigration law.

#1 Green Card Holders Are Protected

Here are the facts:

  • Individuals who hold a Green Card have the legal right to live and work permanently in the United States.
  • Their status cannot be taken away arbitrarily by immigration authorities.
  • In most cases, a permanent resident can only lose their status through formal removal proceedings before an immigration judge.
  • Loss of permanent resident status typically occurs only under specific circumstances, such as certain criminal convictions, immigration fraud, or abandoning residence by staying outside the U.S. for extended periods.
  • Despite recent immigration policy discussions and media coverage, the core legal protections for Green Card holders remain in place.

#2 Laws Don’t Change Overnight

U.S. immigration laws cannot change instantly. Most changes must be approved by Congress or a formal regulatory process. Even when new policies are announced, they typically take months or years to implement.

Additionally, major immigration changes require public notice and comment periods.  This means members of the public are given advance notice before significant rules take effect, and the government must take their feedback into account before reaching a decision.

Furthermore, not every announcement or headline represents a new law—many are simply policy proposals or enforcement priorities.

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Rising tensions in the Middle East amid the escalating conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran have triggered a collapse in regional air travel. Widespread airspace closures, airport shutdowns, and thousands of canceled flights have stranded travelers across major transit hubs such as Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi.

Among those caught in the disruption are thousands of green card holders and visa holders who left the United States temporarily and are now unable to return as flights remain suspended and regional travel remains restricted.

In this video, we discuss key steps the State Department recommends for permanent residents and other noncitizens currently stranded in the region.

75-Country Ban on Immigrant Visa Issuance

As a reminder, the Trump administration imposed an indefinite pause on immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries beginning January 21, 2026. Due to the pause, the State Department has suspended the issuance of all immigrant visas while it develops new procedures to assess whether applicants may become financially dependent on the U.S. government under the public charge standard.

  • Impact: While U.S. consulates may continue accepting applications and conducting interviews, they are currently unable to issue or print immigrant visas, including family- and employment-based green cards, for affected applicants until the new policy is implemented. This further complicates travel for immigrants residing in the Middle East, including Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Syria, and Yemen.

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