The Donald Trump administration in the United States appears to be considering a premium fee for expedited processing of interviews for applicants for non-immigrant visas, including tourist visas.
According to Reuters on the 4th (local time), the Trump administration is considering introducing a premium service that would expedite visa interviews for a fee of $1,000 (about 1.36 million won).
Currently, individuals intending to visit the United States for non-immigrant purposes must pay an application expense of $185 (about 250,000 won).
According to internal documents obtained by Reuters from the State Department, the expedited premium service is expected to be piloted as early as December; however, the legal team at the State Department believes there is a strong possibility that the Office of Management and Budget or the judiciary will put a stop to it. This is because there are Supreme Court precedents stating that the government cannot charge fees greater than the expenses required to provide visa services.
The State Department spokesperson reportedly only noted that, "We are continually working to improve operations."
The Trump administration has consistently pursued paid services related to visa issuance. In February, Trump revealed plans for a "gold card" that would grant permanent residency for a fee of $5 million (about 700 million won), abolishing the existing investment immigration (EB-5) program.