World Cup visitors to get faster US visa interviews under ne...

World Cup visitors to get faster US visa interviews under new plan

WASHINGTON, D.C.: With the United States preparing to host matches in next year's World Cup, the Trump administration is rolling out a new visa initiative aimed at keeping the influx of international visitors moving smoothly, while still maintaining the president's hard-line messaging on immigration. The program, called the "FIFA Pass," will allow foreign travelers who have purchased official World Cup tickets to secure expedited visa interview appointments. The name stands for "prioritized appointments scheduling system." "If you have a ticket for the World Cup, you can have prioritized appointments to get your visa," said FIFA President Gianni Infantino, standing alongside President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on November 17. Turning to Trump, he added: "You said it the very first time we met, Mr. President, America welcomes the world." Trump urged prospective visitors to apply "right away," emphasizing the scale of interest and the need for early action. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the State Department has deployed more than 400 additional consular officers worldwide to handle increased demand. He noted that in roughly 80 percent of countries, travelers can already secure a visa appointment within 60 days. Under the new system, those with FIFA-purchased tickets will use a dedicated "FIFA portal" to help move their applications and interviews to the front of the line. "We're going to do the same vetting as anybody else would get," Rubio said. "The only difference here is, we're moving them up in the queue." Next year's World Cup will span 104 games across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Trump has made its success a significant priority, and Infantino has become a frequent White House visitor as FIFA prepares for the Dec. 5 World Cup draw at the Kennedy Center, now run by Trump loyalists. Trump again raised the possibility of shifting matches away from any host city he views as unsafe, most recently pointing to Seattle, where newly elected mayor Katie Wilson has spoken about protecting the city's sanctuary-city status and, in Trump's words, "Trump-proofing" the city. "If we think there's gonna be a sign of any trouble, I would ask Gianni to move that to a different city," Trump said. Infantino did not commit to any venue changes, responding only that "safety and security is the number one priority for a successful World Cup" and adding that strong global ticket sales show "people have trust in the United States."

The program, called the "FIFA Pass," will allow foreign travelers who have purchased official World Cup tickets to secure expedited visa interview appointments. The name stands for "prioritized appointments scheduling system."

"If you have a ticket for the World Cup, you can have prioritized appointments to get your visa," said FIFA President Gianni Infantino, standing alongside President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on November 17. Turning to Trump, he added: "You said it the very first time we met, Mr. President, America welcomes the world."

Trump urged prospective visitors to apply "right away," emphasizing the scale of interest and the need for early action.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the State Department has deployed more than 400 additional consular officers worldwide to handle increased demand. He noted that in roughly 80 percent of countries, travelers can already secure a visa appointment within 60 days. Under the new system, those with FIFA-purchased tickets will use a dedicated "FIFA portal" to help move their applications and interviews to the front of the line.

"We're going to do the same vetting as anybody else would get," Rubio said. "The only difference here is, we're moving them up in the queue."

Next year's World Cup will span 104 games across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Trump has made its success a significant priority, and Infantino has become a frequent White House visitor as FIFA prepares for the Dec. 5 World Cup draw at the Kennedy Center, now run by Trump loyalists.

Trump again raised the possibility of shifting matches away from any host city he views as unsafe, most recently pointing to Seattle, where newly elected mayor Katie Wilson has spoken about protecting the city's sanctuary-city status and, in Trump's words, "Trump-proofing" the city.

"If we think there's gonna be a sign of any trouble, I would ask Gianni to move that to a different city," Trump said.

Infantino did not commit to any venue changes, responding only that "safety and security is the number one priority for a successful World Cup" and adding that strong global ticket sales show "people have trust in the United States."