The U.S. State Department is reportedly considering a “premium service” that would allow applicants to move up their visa interview appointments by paying an additional $1,000 expedited fee. On June 4, Reuters reported—citing internal documents—that the State Department is reviewing a plan to let applicants pay an extra $1,000 (about 1.35 million KRW) on top of the usual $185 visa application fee (around 250,000 KRW) to receive faster visa processing. According to the documents, a pilot program could begin as early as December.

Reuters also noted that this expedited fee is part of a broader initiative alongside President Trump’s “gold card” visa plan. In February, Trump announced a policy to introduce a “gold card” visa granting U.S. permanent residency in exchange for a $5 million investment (approximately 680 million KRW).

(Hankyoreh Journal, June 5, 2025)