regarded as disrespectful and bad manners- though arriving five minutes late for a meeting is usually acceptable. You should also not get to an appointment too early, because you might arrive before the others are prepared to meet you; five minutes early is usually acceptable. If you are in doubt about what is correct then be on time! In places like the US and Canada, one should apologize for arriving late. In addition giving a reason for tardiness is usually desirable. Traffic can play a big role in why people don't arrive on time for appointments, and often this is seen as unavoidable Therefore, people who claim to have been stuck in a traffic jam are easily forgiven. In some cultures, being late is not necessarily offensive. In fact, being late is often a sign of success and high status something that important people can do. Certain cultures are more lax about appointments than Americans or others would be able to accept. Brazilians, for instance, often think that a person is only late after 30 minutes: something that confuses and frustrates people who are unfamiliar with Brazil and its customs.