What happens at the VAC appointment?

Your biometrics are taken at the Visa Application Center (VAC) as part of your US visa application in India, before your interview.

Does the VAC appointment come before the interview?

Yes. You book the VAC slot first and then the interview date, both on the US Visa Scheduling portal.

What documents do I bring to the VAC?

Follow the list in your appointment confirmation. If you corrected your DS-160 after booking (appointments booked since 15 November 2023), bring both confirmation pages, or cancel and rebook with the new number.

VAC appointment: what is it and what should I bring?

Q: What is the meaning of OFC appointment?

Many people search for "OFC appointment". In this guide we use VAC, the term on the US Embassy India visa page, for the same biometrics stop.

Q: Where are US visa interviews held in India?

In five cities: New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata.

By Travitap · Updated November 2, 2026

Travi, the Travitap mascot, places his passport and documents into a folder on a wooden table by the front door of a warm home before his appointment

The VAC (Visa Application Center) is where your biometrics are taken for your US visa in India, before your interview. Bring the documents listed in your appointment confirmation, and if you corrected your DS-160 after booking, bring both confirmation pages. Many people still search for it as the "OFC". With Travitap, Travi fills out your DS-160 for you, so you reach the VAC with everything in order, easily and quickly.

What is the VAC?

The VAC is the Visa Application Center. It is the stop where your biometrics are taken as part of your US visa application in India. Depending on your case, the appointment portal may send you to a VAC or to a document drop-off location.

Is the OFC the same as the VAC?

You will often see people search for "OFC appointment". In this guide we use VAC, the term on the US Embassy India visa page. If someone tells you about your "OFC appointment", they usually mean this same biometrics stop.

When is the VAC appointment?

The VAC appointment comes before your interview. You book both on the US Visa Scheduling portal (usvisascheduling.com) after paying the fee: first the VAC slot, then the interview date. Not booked yet? See how to book your US visa appointment in India, and for the fee in rupees, how much the US visa fee is in India.

Interviews take place in five cities: New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata.

What should I bring to the VAC?

Follow the list in your appointment confirmation from the portal, since it shows what applies to your case. One point is clear on the US Embassy India page: for appointments booked since 15 November 2023, if you submitted a corrected DS-160 after booking, bring both confirmation pages to the VAC (the original and the corrected one), or cancel and rebook with the new number.

To avoid that extra step, review every answer before the signature step of the DS-160. If you want to go over the form first, here is how to fill out the DS-160 step by step.

Who can help with my VAC booking?

For questions about your account or your booking, the portal's support team answers at support-india@usvisascheduling.com.

Sources

We cite these pages as sources of information so you can check the details. Travitap is an independent app and is not affiliated with the US government, its embassy or its consulates. Consulted on 20 October 2026 (the pages did not load when we checked again on 2 November 2026).