US VAC Delhi at Shivaji Stadium: Metro, Entry and Biometrics Guide

Your US visa biometrics appointment is at the Visa Application Center near Shivaji Stadium on Baba Kharak Singh Marg, not at the US Embassy in Chanakyapuri. The two sites are about 4 km apart, and going to the wrong one is the most common reason first-timers miss their slot.

Get off at Shivaji Stadium metro station on the Airport Express Line and follow the signs to the VAC inside the station complex. Reach 30 minutes before your slot with your passport, DS-160 confirmation page and appointment letter. Most people are out in 20–40 minutes.

Coming only for biometrics? This page covers just the VAC visit. For the interview day rules, read can you take your phone to the US Embassy. For Schengen, UK or Canada fingerprints in the same area, read the VFS Global at Shivaji Stadium guide.

VAC or Embassy — check your letter first#

Biometrics usually happens a day or two before the interview. The VAC collects your fingerprints and photo and links them to your DS-160. Nothing is decided there. The interview at Chanakyapuri is the separate trip where the officer decides.

If your letter says VAC, OFC or biometrics, come to Shivaji Stadium. If it says Consular Section or Shantipath, go to Chanakyapuri.

Reaching the VAC by metro#

Shivaji Stadium is an underground station on the Airport Express Line between New Delhi and Dhaula Kuan, right on Baba Kharak Singh Marg near Connaught Place. The VAC sits inside this station complex, above the concourse level — follow the in-station signs for the Visa Application Center after you exit the ticket gates.

Practical notes:

• From New Delhi railway station, it is one stop on the Airport Express toward Dwarka. From Rajiv Chowk, it is a 10-minute walk or one auto ride — many applicants coming from CP hotels just walk.
• For an 8 AM slot, the metro works: Airport Express runs from ~5 AM and regular lines from ~6 AM — see Delhi Metro first and last train timings. A 6:30–7 AM auto or cab is the backup if your hotel sits off the metro spine.
• Keep your metro card charged. Morning queues build fast, and you do not want to stand in the recharge line with an 8 AM slot.
• The station area has construction for the Magenta Line extension, so allow a few extra minutes and follow the marked pedestrian paths.
• If you are coming from another state for the visa interview, stay near Janpath, Barakhamba or CP the night before. A 6:30–7 AM auto or cab covers the distance in 15–20 minutes before traffic builds.

What to carry for biometrics#

Carry three papers in a slim transparent folder and leave everything else at the hotel:

1. Current passport
2. DS-160 confirmation page with the barcode
3. VAC appointment confirmation letter

Add old passports with prior US visas if you have them. One 50×50 mm US-spec photo is worth carrying, though the VAC normally takes your photo digitally.

Phones are handled differently here than at the Embassy. At the Delhi VAC, a switched-on phone on silent is generally permitted, but photography is prohibited and you must put it away during the process. Laptops, large backpacks, suitcases, cameras, power banks and other battery devices are not allowed, and there is no proper storage counter — that is why a small folder works best. Full Embassy-day restrictions are stricter; see the US Embassy phone and electronics rules before interview day.

Black-and-white printouts are fine. The barcode must scan cleanly, so do not fold the DS-160 page across the code.

What happens inside#

Security check, token, document verification, fingerprints, photo, done. Fingerprints are digital — no ink. The photo is taken against a white background, so avoid a white shirt if you can.

Queues move steadily. An 8 AM slot with a 7:30 arrival usually means you are back outside well before 9. Do not bring a companion inside unless they are assisting an elderly applicant or a minor — only the applicant is admitted otherwise.

After biometrics, keep the stamped confirmation safe. You need it for the interview, and after approval the passport submission and tracking runs through the same VAC channel.

Timing and stay plan#

• Reach 30 minutes early for the VAC. For the Embassy interview the next day, reach 45 minutes early — Chanakyapuri security takes longer.
• An 8 AM biometrics slot pairs easily with a same-day flight out of Delhi, since you are free by mid-morning. An 8 AM Embassy interview needs more buffer; read how to get from the Embassy to the airport before booking a noon flight.
• If your interview is early morning, stay near the Embassy in Chanakyapuri rather than near the airport. For the full day-before checklist, see what to carry and how early to reach for US visa biometrics day.

Quick answers#

Is the VAC inside Shivaji Stadium metro station? Yes, the VAC is part of the Shivaji Stadium station complex on Baba Kharak Singh Marg. Follow the Visa Application Center signs after exiting the gates.

How is this different from VFS Global nearby? The US VAC handles only US biometrics. Schengen, UK and Canada fingerprints go to VFS centres on the mezzanine level of the same station area — different counters, different letters.

Can I go to Chanakyapuri for biometrics? No. The Embassy at Shantipath handles interviews only. Biometrics at Chanakyapuri will turn you away.

Sources#

• U.S. Department of State — New Delhi instructions PDF, updated Jun 4, 2026
• U.S. Embassy & Consulates in India — security information
• DMRC — Shivaji Stadium station information

Last verified: 2026-09-18. VAC counters occasionally shift floors within the complex — follow the address and floor printed on your appointment letter on the day.