U.S. nonimmigrant visa applicants in India need to first appear for a biometric appointment at a Visa Application Center (VAC) prior to the visa appointment.

In some situations, applicants may not be able to reach the biometric appointment on time – this could include when applicants travel from places far from the city where the VAC is located, or due to other valid and unavoidable circumstances. If there are extraordinary circumstances beyond the applicant’s control, and if the visa applicant is able to arrive at the VAC by 4 p.m. IST on the date of biometrics, the VAC staff on a case-to-case basis will permit the applicant to provide the biometrics even if it is past the scheduled appointment time.

It is always wise to arrive for the scheduled appointment on time . As of this writing, staff at the VAC consider factors preventing the visa applicant’s timely arrival and permit them to attend the biometrics. If the applicant is not able to provide the biometrics on the scheduled date, then s/he needs to wait until the system reflects “No Show” and schedule a new biometric and consular appointment.