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16 Oct 2026
expedited US visa interview

$750 Expedited US Visa Interview: Pilot Ends 31 December

Categories Immigration, Visa Updates

The US is running a pilot that lets business and tourist visa applicants pay $750 for an expedited US visa interview at selected posts, and it ends on 31 December 2026. The State Department’s temporary final rule, published in the Federal Register on 9 June 2026, creates the fee for B-1/B-2 applicants only, from 1 July through 31 December. With about eleven weeks left, here is how it works and what it does not do.

In this explainer

How to request a slot

According to the rule text, applicants first complete the DS-160 form, pay the standard visa fee and book a regular appointment. They then ask for an earlier date and, where expedited slots exist, are shown options within ten business days. After choosing a slot, they have a short hold, described as five to ten minutes, to pay $750 online. If the payment is not made in time the slot is released and the original appointment stays. Law firm Cozen O’Connor describes the fee as paid in addition to the standard $185 application fee.

What the fee does not buy

The fee pays for an earlier interview slot and nothing else. Cozen O’Connor says it does not speed visa adjudication or administrative processing, and that slots are offered only where capacity exists, capped at a share of each post’s appointments. The rule says only a limited set of overseas posts take part, with the list kept by the Bureau of Consular Affairs on travel.state.gov, and it does not name them. An applicant who does not attend or who cancels forfeits the expedited fee, and the rule does not address refunds more generally. Existing no-fee expedite options remain, so some urgent cases may still qualify at no charge. Before paying, check the post’s own appointment page, because availability is decided post by post and slots can disappear during the short payment hold. Keep your DS-160 confirmation and payment receipts, and arrive with the documents your embassy lists for the interview.

Who should consider it

The route suits someone with a fixed business trip and a standard appointment that falls after it. Consider a hypothetical case. Arjun is an Indian engineer invited to a trade fair in Chicago in six weeks, with a regular interview slot booked for three months away. If his post takes part in the pilot, paying $750 could bring the interview forward, but it would not guarantee approval or remove any security checks. If the trip can move, waiting may cost nothing. Applicants should also be ready for the interview itself, since the rule leaves the usual eligibility standards unchanged.

What happens after 31 December

Cozen O’Connor describes the programme as a proof-of-concept pilot and says further updates may follow once it ends. Nothing in the sources says whether it will be extended, widened to other visa classes or dropped. Anyone planning travel in 2027 should not assume it will return. Other US costs and rules are changing too, as covered in our reports on the H-1B payment and the public charge rule. Our visa eligibility checker can help you compare destinations if timing is the problem.

Expedited interview questions

How much is the expedited US visa interview fee?

$750 per person, on top of the standard $185 application fee, according to Cozen O’Connor and the Federal Register rule.

Which visas does it cover?

B-1/B-2 business and tourism visas only, according to the rule text.

When does the pilot end?

31 December 2026. It began on 1 July 2026.

Does it guarantee a visa?

No. It only brings forward the interview slot. It does not speed adjudication or administrative processing.

Is it available at every embassy?

No. Only a limited set of posts take part, and the list is kept on travel.state.gov.

What if I cancel the appointment?

The rule says an applicant who does not attend or who cancels forfeits the expedited appointment fee.

Sources

16 Oct 2026
Japan residence permit fees

Japan Residence Permit Fees Rise From 1 October 2026

Categories Immigration, Visa Updates

Japan residence permit fees rose sharply on 1 October 2026. Foreign nationals now pay between ¥10,000 and ¥75,000 to extend or change their status, depending on how long the permission lasts, and ¥200,000 for permanent residence, up from a flat ¥10,000. According to Metropolis Japan, the Cabinet approved the ordinance on 25 August 2026, and fees depend on the date an application is received. Applications accepted on or before 30 September pay the old rates.

At a glance

The new fee table

Until 30 September, an extension or change of status cost ¥6,000 in person or ¥5,500 online, whatever the length of permission. The fee now rises with the length of stay, according to the table published by Erickson Immigration Group, which links to Ministry of Justice materials:

  • Up to 3 months: ¥10,000 in person and online.
  • 3 to 6 months: ¥18,000 in person, ¥15,000 online.
  • 6 to 12 months: ¥25,000 in person, ¥21,000 online.
  • 1 year: ¥33,000 in person, ¥27,000 online.
  • 1 to 3 years: ¥48,000 in person, ¥42,000 online.
  • 3 to 5 years: ¥64,000 in person, ¥56,000 online.
  • 5 years or more: ¥75,000 in person, ¥65,000 online.

The online discount applies to every band above three months. Metropolis Japan adds that a Certificate of Eligibility remains free.

Permanent residence

The largest change is permanent residence. The fee is ¥200,000 and, according to both sources, the online option does not apply, so applications are made in person. Metropolis Japan reports that the Immigration Services Agency framed the revision as recovering processing costs, and that Justice Minister Hiraguchi Hiroshi described its aim as an orderly society coexisting with foreign nationals. Reduced fees are available to some applicants in financial difficulty, including people recognised as refugees, but the sources give no amounts or criteria.

Entry visa fees

This is the second increase this year. The Nation reported on 23 June that the Cabinet had approved a fivefold rise in consular visa fees from 1 July 2026, the first revision since 1978. Single-entry visas went from ¥3,000 to ¥15,000 and multiple-entry visas from ¥6,000 to ¥30,000. The article names no primary government document, so check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or your nearest Japanese embassy for the current schedule.

Who pays more

Everyone who renews, changes status or applies for permanent residence in Japan. Metropolis Japan lists extensions, changes of status such as to Business Manager, and permanent residence among the affected procedures. Consider a hypothetical case. Wei is a Chinese researcher with a two-year permission who renews in person next spring. Under the new table that falls in the one-to-three-year band, so he would pay ¥48,000 in person or ¥42,000 online, against ¥6,000 or ¥5,500 before. For a family renewing together, the cost multiplies by each person.

How to plan renewals

Check how long your current permission lasts and which band your renewal is likely to fall into. Use the online route where it is available, since it is cheaper in every band above three months. Note the received date, not the date you prepare the paperwork. Employers sponsoring staff should budget for the longer-permission bands. For other regional fee changes, see our reports on Singapore’s ONE Pass and New Zealand’s visa fees, and use our visa eligibility checker if you are comparing destinations. The Immigration Services Agency’s official site is where fee tables are published.

Japan fee questions

When did Japan’s residence fees rise?

On 1 October 2026. Fees depend on the date an application is received, so those accepted by 30 September pay the old rates.

How much is permanent residence now?

¥200,000, up from ¥10,000, according to Metropolis Japan and Erickson Immigration Group. Applications are made in person.

What does a one-year extension cost?

¥33,000 in person or ¥27,000 online, according to the published table.

Are online applications cheaper?

Yes, for every band above three months. For stays of up to three months the fee is ¥10,000 either way.

Did Japan also raise visa fees?

The Nation reports a fivefold rise in consular visa fees from 1 July 2026, with single-entry at ¥15,000 and multiple-entry at ¥30,000.

Is there any reduction?

Metropolis Japan says reduced fees apply to some applicants in financial difficulty, including refugees. Amounts are not given.

Sources

15 Oct 2026
ETIAS start date

ETIAS Not Live Yet: What Travellers to Europe Need Now

Categories EU, Visa Updates

The ETIAS start date has not been announced. ETIAS is not yet in operation, and no travel authorisation applications are being accepted. The Dutch government’s ETIAS page says the EU will announce the start date several months before launch, and it names no date. Meanwhile the Entry/Exit System (EES) is already running: the European Commission says it became fully operational on 10 April 2026. Travellers from visa-exempt countries should treat any website selling an ETIAS application today with suspicion.

In this guide

Where ETIAS stands

The Netherlands says ETIAS will apply to travellers from 59 visa-exempt countries entering 30 European countries for short stays, usually up to 90 days in any 180-day period. VisasNews reported in May that ETIAS remains expected in the final quarter of 2026, that it could slip, and that a six-month phase-in would follow. That article cites no official EU document for the timetable, so treat the quarter as a press expectation rather than a confirmed date. Nothing on the Dutch page confirms it.

What EES already requires

According to the European Commission, EES replaces passport stamping for non-EU nationals on short stays. Each time they cross an external border of the 29 countries using the system, travellers are registered with their name, travel document details, fingerprints and facial image, plus the date and place of entry and exit and any refusal of entry. VisasNews adds that implementation varies by airport and that biometric collection can be temporarily suspended when queues are long. Allow extra time at first-time crossings.

Fee and validity

CIBT, a visa services firm, reports that the European Commission announced a rise in the ETIAS fee from EUR 7 to EUR 20 on 17 July 2025, that the fee applies to travellers aged 18 to 70, and that an approval lasts three years or until the passport expires. CIBT also says the Commission had not confirmed an exact launch date. This is a secondary source, and the Dutch page does not mention the fee, so confirm the amount on the official EU site once applications open.

Who will need ETIAS

ETIAS is for people who can enter without a visa, not for those who already need a Schengen visa. Consider a hypothetical case. Diego is a Colombian chef invited to a food fair in Amsterdam. He does not need a Schengen visa for a short stay today. Once ETIAS is live and the phase-in ends, he would need an authorisation before boarding. Until then he needs only a valid passport and to register at the border under EES. Travellers heading to Britain face a similar tool, covered in our report on UK ETA enforcement.

What travellers should do

Do not pay for an ETIAS application now, because none exists. Check your passport validity, keep return-ticket and accommodation details to hand, and expect biometric registration at the border. Bookmark the official EU travel site and the foreign ministry page for your destination, since the start date will be announced there. For other short-stay rules, see our guide to Thailand’s visa exemption rules, and use our visa eligibility checker to compare destinations.

ETIAS questions

Is ETIAS in force?

No. The Dutch government says it is not yet in operation and no applications are being collected.

When will ETIAS start?

No official date has been given. The Dutch page says the EU will announce it several months ahead. One news report expects the final quarter of 2026.

Is EES already running?

Yes. The European Commission says EES became fully operational on 10 April 2026.

How much will ETIAS cost?

A visa services firm reports EUR 20 for travellers aged 18 to 70. Confirm on the official EU site when applications open.

Who needs ETIAS?

Travellers from visa-exempt countries making short stays in the participating European countries. Those who need a visa are not covered.

Can I apply for ETIAS now?

No. Any site offering an application today is not an official service.

Sources

15 Oct 2026
Vietnam company formation

Vietnam Company Formation: ERC-First Route for Foreigners

Categories Business

Vietnam company formation for foreign investors can now start with the company itself instead of the project licence. Under Decree 96/2026/ND-CP, a foreign investor may obtain an Enterprise Registration Certificate (ERC) either before or after an Investment Registration Certificate (IRC), according to law firm DFDL. The new route follows Article 19 of the 2025 Law on Investment. The company must then obtain the IRC within 12 months, and until it does it cannot carry out the project.

In this explainer

The old sequence

Foreign-invested companies traditionally obtained the IRC first, then the ERC, then contributed charter capital and applied for any sub-licences. Apolat Legal describes the traditional method in those steps. The effect was that a foreign founder could not rent premises, open a capital account or hire staff through a Vietnamese entity until the investment licence was issued.

The ERC-first route

Apolat says the new method reverses the order. The ERC is processed within three working days of a complete, valid application, in line with a domestic company. After that the company can open a direct investment capital account, contribute capital, lease premises, and apply for the IRC and sub-licences in parallel. The company must obtain the IRC within 12 months of the ERC, and it can change its registered business lines only after the IRC is granted. The legal basis is Article 72 of Decree 96/2026/ND-CP.

The sources disagree on one date. DFDL says the Law on Investment 2025 took effect on 1 March 2026, while Apolat says 1 April 2026. Decree 96 itself is dated 31 March 2026, according to DFDL. Check the official text before you rely on either date.

Risks and open questions

Apolat warns that investors must meet the market access conditions in force when the establishment dossier is filed. If they do not, they may face IRC refusal, liability for damages or a business ban. DFDL lists several unresolved points: whether charter capital must still be paid within 90 days of ERC issuance under the Law on Enterprises, whether a direct investment capital account can be opened before the IRC, and whether an ERC can be obtained before an investment policy approval where one is required. Decree 96 does not state the consequence of missing the 12-month IRC deadline, and the enterprise registration forms do not yet include the market access undertaking the decree requires.

Who it suits

Apolat suggests the new method suits sectors Vietnam has committed to liberalise, while the traditional route may be safer for conditional or uncommitted sectors. Consider a hypothetical case. Camila is a Brazilian founder planning a software services unit in Ho Chi Minh City. Under the ERC-first route she could lease an office and open an account while the IRC is processed, but she could not start the project until the licence arrives. If her sector had a market access condition, the safer path might still be the old sequence. A local lawyer should confirm which applies.

For comparison with other jurisdictions, read our guides to the UAE companies law amendments and Oman free zone regulations. Our company formation page explains the options we cover.

Vietnam company formation questions

Can a foreign investor now form a Vietnamese company before getting the investment certificate?

Yes. DFDL says the ERC may be obtained before or after the IRC under Article 72 of Decree 96/2026.

How long does the ERC take?

Apolat says within three working days of a complete, valid application under the new method.

What is the deadline for the IRC?

The company must obtain the IRC within 12 months of the ERC, per both firms.

Can the company run its project before the IRC?

No. Apolat says it may only implement the project after the IRC is granted.

Is the new route risk-free?

No. Market access conditions at the time of filing apply, and DFDL lists several unresolved points on capital and approvals.

Do I need a lawyer?

Both sources advise caution, and sector conditions vary, so local legal advice is sensible.

Sources

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