The US government under Donald Trump is planning a new rule that could let tourists and business travellers pay $1,000 to skip the visa interview line. Right now, people who want to visit the US on tourist or other short-term (non-immigrant) visas already pay $185 as a visa fee. But under this new plan, they could choose to pay an extra $1,000 for faster processing and an earlier visa interview appointment.

This idea was mentioned in a memo from the US State Department and confirmed by a government official. The plan is still being discussed, but it could start as a test in December. If approved, the $1,000 fast-track service would be optional and aimed at people who want to speed up their visa process. It would work like airline boarding, where people can pay more to get on the plane first.

The US State Department is considering a plan that would let visa applicants pay $1,000 to get faster interview appointments. But the plan faceslegal concerns. An internal memo from the State Department’s lawyers warns that charging more than the actual cost of the service could be illegal. The memo says this idea may be rejected by the White House budget office or even blocked in court because it could turn visa processing into a system where only those who pay more get faster access.

This proposed $1,000 “fast-track” fee comes at the same time as another idea from President Trump-a “gold card” that would offer US citizenship to those who pay $5 million. When asked about the memo, a State Department spokesperson didn’t comment directly but said the agency is always trying to improve how it handles visa interviews.

Since taking office again on January 20, President Trump has made several changes to immigration rules, including cancelling some student visas and making background checks stricter. Now, he may also add ways for people to pay to move faster through the visa process. In 2023, the State Department issued over 10 million non-immigrant visas, including nearly 6 million for tourists.