Getting a travel itinerary for visa application is the most difficult and confusing parts of the visa process. Consulates insist on providing with confirmed flight and hotel bookings. But they do not recommend purchasing an actual ticket. They just want an itinerary. Did you see how confusing is that?
Often times the consulates ask for one of these –
- Flight tickets
- Flight itinerary
- Flight confirmation
- Confirmed flight tickets
- Confirmed flight itinerary
- Round trip flight tickets
- Proof of onward travel
They all mean the same thing. “Flight tickets”. Consulates understand the fact that a visa application does not result in a guaranteed approval. Therefore, they only recommend you to “hold” a flight reservation, not actually “purchase” the flight tickets.
If your visa application is denied or delayed, you will lose the money that you have spent on the flight tickets. Airlines and insurance providers do not consider visa denial as a reason for refund claims. So, do not purchase your flight tickets till your visa application is approved.
If consulates would like to see purchased tickets, they will specifically ask for it. For example, Chile visa application mentions that you may have to show your purchased ticket on visa approval.
BONUS: Click here for an easy-to-use resource list for your visa application travel itinerary
Not every airline service every route. You have to play around with different airlines and different booking sites to avail the hold option. Below are 14 proven ways to get a travel itinerary for visa application.
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Flight itinerary for visa application
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01. Purchasing a refundable ticket
Refundable flight tickets on Aeromexico
This is the best and foolproof option for your flight itinerary. A refundable ticket is a purchased ticket. No one can question its authenticity.
Most airlines offer this option at a higher price. Usually 5-10 times higher than a non-refundable or sale ticket. Most airlines process refunds fairly quickly within a few days to a few weeks.
One thing to keep in mind is even though it’s a refundable ticket, some booking sites and airlines charge a fee to cancel the tickets. Few examples –
- Cheapoair (Cancellation fee is $150 USD)
- Etihad Airways (Cancellation fee is $75 USD on “refundable” tickets. Etihad calls this some kind of “tax”)
Pro tip: Always purchase a refundable ticket directly from the airline website. I suggest you call the airline first inquiring about the cancellation policy of their refundable tickets.
Pros
A refundable ticket is a valid ticket. You do not need to worry about the consulate verifying it’s authenticity.
Cons
You need to pay for the ticket first which usually is about 5-10 times more than a sale price ticket. Refunds take from a few days to a few weeks depending on the airline. You also need to keep the credit card open to receive the refund.
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02. Using a local travel agent to hold a flight reservation
Kim Travel, a local travel agent in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
This is the second best method. Travel agents can hold tickets for up to 7 days. They may charge a small fee for this service.
Pros
For just a small fee, you will be able to hold a ticket as long as 7 days.
Cons
This option is good only if the visa processing takes maximum 7 days.
Also Read: What to pack for international travel
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03. Using a visa ticket booking website
Travel Visa Bookings, an online travel agent
There are quite a few online travel agents providing this service for a small fee. They can hold the ticket for up to 7 days. They also provide express service if you are in a hurry. Few examples –
- Rent-A-Flight Ticket (Fee $30 / €24)
- Flight Reservation for visa (Fee €25.99)
- Dream Euro Trip (Fee €25.99)
- Travel Visa Guru (Fee $14 USD)
- Visa Reservation (Fee $35 USD)
- Schengen Visa Flight Reservation (Fee $15 USD)
- Booking for Visa (Fee $15 USD)
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04. Using award miles and hold option
Award miles flight ticket hold option on American Airlines
Some airlines will let you hold your reservation for up to 5 days if you are purchasing an award ticket or using your airline miles. The held reservation is a printable itinerary that you can use for your visa application. The reservation might say that it needs to be purchased within a given time. But, it is still an acceptable option for visa applications. Few examples –
- American Airlines (Hold up to 5 days using AAdvantage miles)
Pros
This option works perfectly fine for visa applications. This service is offered free of charge for the airline award members.
Cons
You must have a frequent flyer account and a few thousand miles to avail this option. It may not be useful for visa applications that take longer than 5 days to approve.
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05. Free ticket hold option by airlines
Free flight ticket hold option on Copa Airlines
Quite a few airlines have the option to hold a fare for up to 48 hours. Few examples –
- Copa Airlines (Free 48 hour hold option)
- American Airlines (Free 24 hour hold option)
- United Airlines (Free 24 hour hold option if pay in-person)
- Turkish Airlines (Free 24 hours or more hold option)
Pros
This service is offered for free of charge by the airlines.
Cons
This option may not be used for visa applications that take longer than 2 days to approve.
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06. Free ticket hold option by online booking sites
Free flight ticket hold option on Yatra.com
There are some online booking sites that let you hold a reservation for free. Few examples –
- Yatra.com (Free 3 day hold option. It’s an India based booking website, but anyone can hold and book international tickets)
- Agent.ru (Depends on the airline. It’s a travel hack, I will write a detailed article on how to use their hold option soon)
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07. Ticket hold option for a fee by airlines
United Airlines Farelock option
Some airlines allow you to hold your ticket for a small fee for a few days. Different airlines have different hold days and different fee. Usually, the fee is $5-20 USD depending on the hold days. Few examples –
- United Airlines Farelock (3 day hold for $6.99 USD and 7 day hold for $8.99 USD)
- Aeroflot Deferred Payment (2 day hold for $17.40 USD)
- Air New Zealand Fare Hold (3 day hold for $30 USD)
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08. Email price quote or itinerary option from airlines
British Airways price quote email
Some airlines allow you to print an itinerary or email a price quote. These look similar to a reservation which can be used for visa application. Few examples –
- British Airways (Email price quote option)
- Qatar Airways (Email price quote option)
Pros
Works perfectly fine for United Kingdom visa applications. I have used a British Airways price quote email for my UK visa application and it worked perfectly fine. The UK is not asking for flight itineraries anymore for their visa applications. If they do for some reason, you can always use this option.
Cons
You may not be able to use this option for visas other than the UK.
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09. 24 hours ticket cancellation option on United, Expedia, Priceline, and Orbtiz
United Airlines free cancellation within 24hrs
A few airlines and online ticket booking websites provide options for free cancellation within 24 hours of booking. These sites allow you to cancel a flight ticket within 24 hours of booking. Few examples –
- United Airlines (Free cancellation within 24 hours of booking)
- Expedia (Free cancellation within 24 hours of booking)
- Priceline (Free cancellation within 24 hours of booking)
- Orbitz (Free cancellation within 24 hours of booking)
- Travelocity (Free cancellation within 24 hours of booking)
- Yatra (Free cancellation within the same day of booking)
Pro tip: Certain budget airline tickets, such as Airasia cannot be cancelled even when booked on Expedia/Priceline/Orbitz. You must read the fine print on the checkout page carefully to make sure that the ticket can be cancelled within 24 hours. When you in doubt, call the booking site (Expedia/Priceline/Orbitz) before purchasing to make sure the ticket can be cancelled within 24 hours.
Pros
This is a great option as a proof of onward travel if you are availing visa on arrival. You just have to time it properly so that you are still in the 24 hours period when availing the visa on arrival. You can cancel the ticket right after you finish your visa on arrival formality.
Cons
These tickets must be canceled within 24 hours. After that, you cannot cancel and cannot get a refund. This option may not be used for a visa application that takes longer than 24 hours.
Also Read: How to book flight tickets with 24 hour FREE cancellation on Expedia – A step-by-step guide
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10. Using an onward ticket booking agency
Best Onward Ticket, an online onward flight ticket booking agent
There are a few onward ticket booking sites that provide this service for a small fee. They cancel the ticket after 24 hours on your behalf. Few examples –
- Flyonward (24 hours valid ticket for $9.99)[UPDATE: As of August 2017, Flyonward is not responding to queries and they might have shutdown their business]
- OnwardFlights (24 hours valid ticket for $7 USD)
- BestOnwardticket (48 hours valid ticket for $12 USD)
- ReturnFlights (Free service, downloadable photoshopped fake tickets)
- NomadProof (Free service, downloadable photoshopped fake tickets)
Pros
These are great as a proof of onward travel for visa on arrival. You have to time it properly so the ticket is still valid while going through the visa on arrival formality. For a small fee, you will have a legitimate and verifiable flight ticket.
Cons
This option may not be used for visa applications that take longer than 24 hours.
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11. Purchasing non-refundable flight ticket
Non-refundable flights on Skyscanner.com
I have done this a few times. I suggest this option only if you are 100% certain that your visa will be approved.
Pros
You have the actual ticket. No need to worry if the consulate verifies it’s authenticity. Since you bought it early, it probably was cheaper than purchasing after the visa approval.
Cons
In case of visa denial, you will lose the money since the ticket is a non-refundable ticket.
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Hotel itinerary for visa application
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Hotel itinerary is much easier to obtain than a flight itinerary. These days many hotels and hotel booking sites offer refundable or pay at check-in options.
12. Refundable or pay-at-the-property option
Refundable or pay-at-the-property hotels on Expedia.com
These options sometimes do not even require credit card information. Just make a note of when the booking needs to be canceled. Create a calendar reminder to make sure you cancel these bookings right after your visa approval. Few examples –
- Booking.com and Expedia have plenty of refundable or pay-at-the-property options.
Pros
No pre-payment is necessary. Just book refundable hotels/hostels and cancel once your visa is approved.
Cons
You have to remember the date by which the reservation needs to be canceled. Otherwise, you will be charged for the booking.
Not all “pay at check-in” are refundable. Read the description carefully when making a hotel booking.
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13. Pay deposit option
Pay deposit on Hotelworld.com
Some booking sites let you hold a reservation by paying a small deposit upfront. Few examples –
- HostelWorld – You pay 20% of the booking as non-refundable deposit. You can cancel the booking after your visa application is approved. You will lose the deposit, but if you pick a cheap dorm room for a few days, 20% deposit will not be that much.
Pros
For a small deposit, you can book a hostel dorm bed. You can cancel it right after your visa is approved.
Cons
20% is still a big amount if booking in cities like Paris where a dorm bed costs about €10.00 per night. You must make sure to remember the date by which the reservation need to be cancelled.
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14. Non-refundable hotel/hostel
Non-refundable hotels on Expedia.com
Book a non-refundable hotel/hostel only if you are 100% certain that your visa application will be approved.
If you are re-applying for a visa that was approved previously with the same documentation, then there is a good chance that your visa application will be approved this time as well.
Even in this case, I do not suggest to book a non-refundable hotel. But if you see a really good hotel deal that you can’t pass up, you can probably consider.
***
Visa Reservation (Fee $50 USD) not $20.
Thanks for letting me know Habib! I think they keep changing. Now, it’s $30 USD for the basic flight itinerary on their website.
ITs visa reservation or travel visa booking its safe to use ? itsn´t scam ? i dont want to lose my money
No, they are not scams. They are online travel agents. But, make sure to pay using “PayPal”. If you do not receive the ticket or received an invalid ticket for your visa, then you can open a dispute in PayPal. PayPal will then refund your payment. That way, you will be on the safe side. Hope that helps!
How long the flight itineraries will be valid? 2-3 months, till the visa gets approved?
Not all itineraries are valid that long. Usually, itineraries are valid anywhere from 24 hours to 7 days. Turkish Airlines will let you hold a ticket for up to 3 months, but that’s the only airline that I know so far holds a reservation that long.
GOOD INFO. BUT DOESN’T WORKS ON ALL EMBASSIES. THANKS FOR SHARING.
11. Purchasing non-refundable fight ticket ” FIGHT ” 🙂
That is true. This is not an exhaustive list and requirements for embassies vary.
Haha, thanks! Just fixed it.
Do I need a flight itinerary / flight ticket for a UK visa ? I m pretty confused …these online visa travel booking say it’s needed !
UK wasn’t asking for flight itineraries at some point. Not sure if it is still the same case. So, the only way to figure this is to start your online visa application. You will then be asked to upload documents, so you will know if you need flight itinerary or not.
You can save your online application and come back to it later. So, no need to get a flight/hotel itinerary before you start the application.
Thanks for the reply…online application is done..and it did not ask for flight bookings..jus asked bout hotel bookings,which is done …
So that means v need not have a flight itinerary na..?
That’s correct. You were not requested for a flight itinerary. Therefore, you DO NOT need a flight itinerary for your visa application.
Hi Thirumal ,
Thanks for all the details mentioned, really a great site including all the info.
After hunting lot many websites for UK visa processing found your blog very helpful.
I just need to know , I am actually applying for 3 visitors visa for UK.
2 adults and 1 child. So is the return journey tickets needed now also. As it would be, costlier to book the tickets. Can you suggest a option which is feasible, as UK visa process takes 15 working days. Does any airline provide flight reservation options so long.
Hi Raina! Thanks for the kind words! First of all, NEVER purchase actual flight tickets before applying for any visa for any country. Even consulates make it clear not to actually purchase the tickets, instead will ask you to just book/reserve/hold the tickets.
That being said, UK has stopped asking for flight tickets. It’s only in rare cases they ask you to send the flight tickets (again just book/reserve/hold) along with other supporting documents.
If, for some reason, you were asked to upload or send flight tickets for your UK visa, try British Airways’s email price quote. UK immigration accepts that as a proof of flight tickets. I have actually used BA’s email price quote when I applied for my UK visa 2 years ago.
You don’t need to hold the tickets for 15 working days. So, you can try the hold option on airlines such as Turkish Airways, Qatar Airways, American Airlines, etc.
Hi,
How can I the price quote? Can you please share the steps?
I did not have to submit anything for online form but have to carry flight itinerary for interview for UK.
The best option I’ve found till date only allows 24 hr itinerary which will be useless to me.
Thanks
You can get the price quote from British Airways. It worked fine for my UK visa. The steps to get a price quote from British Airways is below –
– Go to the URL https://www.britishairways.com/en-us/flights-and-holidays/flights
– In the “Create Trip” screen, enter your source and destination airports, dates, etc and click on “Find Flights”
– In the next screen, select your flights and click on “Continue”
– In the next screen, under “Check your flight details”, on the right side, you will see a link “Email price quote”.
– Click on the “Email price quote” link and follow the instructions
Hello Thirumal,
Very useful information indeed! I am about to apply for a Schengen visa and knowing about the complexities/strict rules applied to it, I just want to be completely sure of the documents I submit. The visa center is asking for a Travel itinerary
(travel reservation to and from Schengen area in your name, not a ticket), so does this mean I have to show the itinerary only to port of entry and departure country, or also for all the other countries I will be visiting in the Schengen area? My itinerary looks like this Budapest-Vienna-Prague-Paris-Amsterdam, and I plan to use road/rail transport for a few of the places, so please let me know how should my air itinerary look.
Hi Madhumita! To give you a more specific answer, I would need some extra information. Here are a couple questions –
– How long is your trip?
– Are you planning to enter from Budapest and leave from Amsterdam?
I can give you a more specific answer based on your information for the above 2 questions. But meanwhile, there are a couple ways to go about it.
Option 1: Pick just one country
Since you are only showing an itinerary or booking (not actual purchased tickets), just pick one country. Say Hungary. Get a flight itinerary in and out of Hungary. Show hotel reservations in 2 or 3 different places in Hungary. After your visa approval, you can purchase your actual tickets to fly into Budapest and fly out from Amsterdam.
Option 2: Pick any two countries
Pick any two countries. Say Hungary and Netherlands. Show a flight itinerary to fly into Budapest and out from Amsterdam, but also another itinerary for Budapest to Amsterdam. You will basically provide two flight itineraries. Plus provide hotel reservations in 2 or 3 cities in Hungary and Netherlands. After your visa approval, you can purchase your actual tickets to fly into Budapest and fly out from Amsterdam.
Option 3: Do not provide any road/rail itinerary for now
Provide your flight itinerary as is (into Budapest and out from Amsterdam) and provide hotel reservations in all the cities you are planning to visit (Budapest, Vienna, Prague, Paris, Amsterdam). When submitting your application, just let the visa officer know that you will purchase rail/road tickets later since you are still researching cheaper options.
Hello Thirumal,
Thank you for your detailed response. I plan to apply for visa for Czech republic as Prague will be my port of entry. The checklist says that I need to submit the flight reservation of return ticket. Does this mean confirmed ticket reservation? Websites like travelvisabookings.com are offering confirmed travel itinerary for a fee. How genuine is this and will this be accepted for visa processing?
Thanks in advance,
Madhumita
Hi Madhumita! Yes, travelvisabookings and other websites I have mentioned are all genuine. They are just online travel agents who will hold flight tickets for you. The reservation will be held for certain days depending on the airline. The reservation becomes void after that.
Itineraries from them are perfectly acceptable for Schengen visa applications. Just make sure to verify the reservation on the airline’s website using the booking/PNR number right after you receive the itinerary from them.
Hello,
Many thanks for this page.
Do you think the embassies are checking the validity of the plane tickets?
I mean when they issue a VISA
They sometimes do. That’s why you cannot submit photoshopped/fake flight tickets. They want you to hold the tickets for now and purchase them when your visa is approved. This works if the visa processing takes just a few days (say 2-5 days). Consulates that take longer know that you will eventually get different tickets altogether since your hold/reservation will not be valid for that long.
Hello Thirumal,
I just found your site. Thanks for all the helpful information! We are trying to get Schegen visas. We have booked a cruise trip for end of May through early June (roundtrip from Rome, Italy), already paid in full. Now the question is if we still need an airline ticket for the visa since we have paid in full for the cruise? Thanks.
Hi GQ! Thanks for the kind words! I understand that your cruise will start and end in Italy. But, are you flying into Italy to catch your cruise? If so, you would need to show the round trip tickets to and from Italy for Schengen visa application. For example, say you reside in India. In that case, you would need show roundtrip ticket from India-Italy and Italy-India.
Also, make sure your Schengen visa is multiple entries as you enter Italy to catch your cruise is considered as entry 1 and when you return from the cruise to Italy again, it’s considered as entry 2.
Hello sir, please, i wish to make a reservation for iceland and new zealand visa application for purpose of summer studies, please which airline do you recommend to book reserve for visa application? i think this is just reservation right? so no payment is needed upfront? but please, since some can only reserve for few days, what do you suggest about some application that takes month to get granted? wont the short days reservation be a problem?
Hi Chris! Yes, just reservation. No payment is needed upfront. You should NOT purchase tickets before your visa is approved.
I understand that some visa applications take a month to grant, but they still accept flight reservations that are valid for just a few days. Consulates and visa officers know this already. So, there is no problem with it.
Hi Thirumal,
Thanks for one of the most exhaustive post on getting travel itinerary. I also admire your prompt reply to all queries. True selfless service indeed. Hopes you can help me with my problem regarding getting NZ visa.
Would you know any airlines that offer fully refundable tickets, flying from Singapore to NZ. If there are none, then any insurance scheme that would cover Visa rejection scenario.
I would really appreciate any help you can provide.
Cheers
Aswin
Hi Aswin! You’re welcome! Thanks for the kind words!
It’s hard to find airlines that offer fully refundable tickets without any fee in this route. But, check Quantas Airlines’ “Flex” fare. It is fully refundable but they may charge a small service fee when you cancel. Check the “Flex” tickets availability on Quantas first. Then call them to find out the exact service fee that they charge for cancellation. If that service fee is negligible, then go for it. Here is more info -> https://www.qantas.com/regions/amadeus/minirules/SGAUFLEXI_SUMMARY/index.html
I’m not aware of any insurances that cover visa denials. Your best bet is to go for a (1) fully refundable ticket or (2) hold reservation.
is this site genuine for reserving flight itinerary?
https://www.booking.com
https://travelvisabookings.com
Yes, those sites are genuine. But booking.com is only for hotel reservations. Whereas, travelvisabookings.com is good for flight reservations.
since this site (https://travelvisabookings.com) looks genuine, i will use it, please how much to reserve flight ticket, and please , do you have idea how i can get travel medical certificate?
you know, i saw this under the requirement of iceland visa application
Travel Medical Insurance: photocopy; valid in all Schengen states; valid for entire duration of stay; minimum coverage of at least EUR 30,000/USD 50,000/PHP 2.5M
please, do you know where i can get this medical insurance, does travelvisabookings.com offer it too? this site ok http://www.visitorscoverage.com?
Chris, you can use travelvisabookings. You can send them your itinerary and the number of days, then they will send you the reservation which usually is valid for up to a week.
Travel medical insurance is mandatory for Schengen visa. You can use vistorscoverage if you can find an inexpensive plan. But using a local provider may get you a good deal. Are you from the Philippines? If so, check out https://www.bpims.com/.
thank you for the site, yes am situated in the Philippines sir, so i can use this https://www.bpims.com/. for travel medical insurance?
but http://www.visitorscoverage.com seems cheaper, so is genuine site right?
Yes Chris, you can use bpims.com for your travel medical insurance. Also, check this article from Aileen (https://iamaileen.com/how-to-apply-schengen-visa-embassy-belgium/) on how to apply for Schengen visa from the Philippines.
ok thank you again sir
Please, am going to iceland for a short course, i wish to know, what can i tie would immigration wish to see, am only a student going for a short term program in iceland
chris
Thanks for everything you shared here. It was the most exhaustive post on the internet I could find and that too from an Indian.
Thanks again.
Thanks a lot, Prithvi! I’m just a traveler helping fellow travelers.
sir, it does not matter if i use foreign travel medical insurance company right? i think i prefer it than the philippines companies ones
Please get back
Yeah Chris, it does not matter if you use a foreign travel medical insurance company.
want to book a hotel for 90 days , please suggest website for booking
Moien, 90 days is too long for a booking. It can also raise questions from the visa officer on why you want to stay in one place for 90 days. I suggest to break down that 90 days into 5-6 different bookings in different cities. You can use Expedia or Booking.com for your hotel bookings.
Hello Thirumal,
Can I use flight itinerary from yattra.com for German Schengen Visa. Website provided me free reservation with no time limitation as if it is a fake:))
Yes, you can use your flight itinerary from Yatra. But it’s not a fake reservation. The tickets are held for a certain number of days after which they are released. The German consulate can verify the reservation if they need to.
Hello,
Thanks for this article. It is very informative! I have an Indian passport (‘powerless passport- this made me chuckle) but I am currently residing in the United States(work visa). I am planning a trip to the Schengen area – fly in and out of Amsterdam and probably visit Belgium and Germany while there. The documents specify bank statements – do you think online print outs will do fine? I am glad that these online sites that book the flight/hotel/insurance for you are genuine and I plan to use ‘travelvisabookings’. The question I have for you is that Indian passports or maybe it’s just my passport has my whole name listed under ‘given name’ and ‘surname’ is blank. Do you have any suggestions regarding this when it comes to filling out visa applications where they ask for first and last name? Thanks a lot for your time!
Hi Nala! Haha yes, indeed our passports are weak and powerless. It’s not fair to go through so much struggle to secure visas.
For bank statements, just the printouts are sufficient. You can download the PDFs from your bank website and then just print them out.
TravelVisaBookings, of course, provide you with genuine reservation. All you have to do is just print them out. Or, you can also use the PNR number on the airline website and print the itinerary from there as well.
It’s not uncommon to have “surname” left blank in Indian passports. First thing I would suggest is to get that fixed the next time you renew your passport. And for visa applications, fill your actual surname in the “surname” field and actual given name in “given name” field in any visa application. I know it would be different from what you have in your passport. But, most visa applications would need “surname” field to be complete and it cannot be left blank. For example:
Your Passport
=============
Surname:
Given Name: John Doe Smith
Visa Application
===============
Surname: Smith
Given Name: John Doe
sir, Turkey airline good to reserve ticket for 24 days for purpose of visa application?
Yes, you can hold tickets on Turkish airlines. Also, try United airlines and Expedia. Which routes and what dates are you flying? Let me check and see if I can find something for you.
Origin and destination: manila, Philippines to Norðurárdalur, Iceland (NB: sorry, but trying to locate for the nearest airport where this university is located, Bifröst University, that is the exact place am going for a short term program)
date of travel: FROM JULY 18 TO AUGUST 12
Hi bro, please can i have your email for an important question
My experience with https://travelvisabookings.com
Ok guys, despite the good things said about the above mentioned site, i think my experience with them was not a good one
before i paid them for itinerary reservation, they said i could use my one account for 5 bookings
i have already booked one itinerary for visa application, now wanting to book for the second itinerary but was told i will pay, fill fresh application
to me, this is dishonesty and failure in keeping their promise
a deal is a deal, travelvisabookings should maintain their promises and keep their customers happy
I don’t just like it when people or companies don’t live up to their expectations and promises
to me, this is fishy
dont want to continue using them, please poster, any other good source or site an applicant could reserve ticket itinerant please?
like ticket reservation for 24 days/, please get back
Thanks for letting me know, Chris! If they are dishonest and don’t keep up their word, they do not deserve to be on this list. I will take them off this list. Sorry for the inconvenience!
sir, i tried the turkish airline but there is no reserve this ticket and pay later button
only Express checkout, Credit card/Debit card, and the UnionPay
does it mean the turkish airline does not offer ticket resersation anymore sir?
Chris! I just emailed you. Let me know your questions.
Can you also send me info about Turkish Airlines hold option. I also cannot find it anywhere in their booking/checkout process.
The hold option for Turkish Airlines is on the payment page (which is the last step). On the payment page, you will see 4 options – Express Checkout, Credit/Debit Card, Union Pay and the last option – “Reserve this flight and pay later”.
HI Sir,
I wanted to book itenary for Canada visit visa. please suggest me the sitesin which I can do itenary ticket
As it takes 2-4 weeks for Visa processing. Can I hold the flight ticket for 30 days. Is there any flight booking site which holds ticket for 30 days . If I say I am travelling on May 20 . Do I need to I apply for Visa on April 20 as I have to hold ticket for minimum 30 days?.
Hi Harshada! You don’t have to hold your tickets for 30 days. Canadian Consulates know this clearly and they won’t insist you on holding tickets for that long. Anywhere from 1-2 weeks should be fine.
I have applied for Canada visa twice and in both cases, my flight reservations were valid for 1 week only. I didn’t have any issues at all and both times my visas were approved.
I have used a local travel agent for my first time. For the second time, I have used the FareLock feature on United Airlines to hold my ticket for 7 days.
Hi Thirumal
Do you have any idea if the website “Flight Reservations for Visa” is legit?
Thanks
Yes, they are legit but I suggest to explore the FREE options first. If you want to go with “Flight Reservations for visa”, chat with them first to inquire about the fee, turn around time, how long the tickets will be valid, etc.
Hi Thirumal,
Have you ever heard of Tripmasters.com? They provide an itinerary at no cost but I’m not sure if this will work for a Schengen Visa application because it doesn’t have my name. It’s basically just a quote but it shows specific flights, hotels and train info. Do you think this would work?
Yes, I have heard about Tripmasters. But, the itinerary must have your name on it. Otherwise, the visa officers will not accept it as a valid flight itinerary.
Do NOT use https://travelvisabookings.com
My husband ordered for me Flight,Hotel & Insurance Package and wrote the wrong last name (I still have my travel passport under my maiden name). I contacted them RIGHT AWAY in live chat, via website contact form and via customersupport email to let them know about the correction.
I told them that I have a visa appointment soon and I need the papers ASAP. So 3 hours of delivery (as they promise on website) was exactly what I needed and could only wait for.
I contacted them again 2 hours after my purchase and correction to remind about me. Both times they said they would take care of it and deliver everything on time.
It’s been more than 4 hours since my order and correction. I contacted them again saying that they didn’t deliver as promised and I either need the papers right now or the refund.
This time nobody even responded me via live chat – they just ignored me, just like they apparently have been ignoring my order all along!
Now I’m going to miss my visa appointment because of them and not even sure if I can get another one in time to still make it to my June trip.
HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE SCAM! Don’t fall for it, stay away!
Hi Irina! I’m really sorry that you had to go through this. I’m hearing complaints about travelvisabookings.com. I don’t want others facing the same problem as you. I have removed them from the list.
Let me know if travelvisabookings do not get back to you in time. I can try to see if someone else can help you with your itinerary.
Hi , read your blog and it is really helpful for visa process. Emirates airlines is providing 72 hours flight reservation blocking facility with nominal charge. Is it good enough hold period for getting visa for Denmark , the consulate takes 2 weeks of processing time. or should i use services from ‘ visa reservation.com’ or ‘travelvisabookings.com’
Nilesh, 3-day hold is perfectly fine for Schengen visa application. Consulates very well know that you cannot hold tickets for 2 weeks. So, my recommendation – go for Emirates. Regarding visareservation.com and other services, I recommend using the airlines’ services first if available. If none of those are available or don’t work for you, then go for visareservation.com, etc.
Hi
Read through the entire thing but still have a question regarding holding flight tickets for UK visa.
As you know UK visa may take up to 2 weeks for processing, so when do you think is the right time to book the “hold ticket”. Is it during filling the application or just before the biometrics appointment considering we can hold ticket up to 2 days and biometrics appointment is dependent on slot availability.
I am planning to schedule an appointment a week post paying visa fee so when is it a good time for me to book “hold tickets”?
Hi Sakshi! I suggest getting your “hold ticket” right before you submit or mail your documents. That way the ticket would be still valid when the consulate receives your application.
Thank you Thiru.
Had another question regarding the residence proof.
My passport is issued by a different city to the one i am currently residing in.
Will a notarized rent agreement suffice as a valid and legal proof of residence?
Will an airtel telephone bill be counted as a valid residential proof?
Sakshi, Yes, rent agreement and airtel bill should work fine as a residence proof. But, is the UK visa application asking for a residence proof?
Yes. There is a section which asks for proof of accommodation. It can be either property deed / tenancy agreement / letter from accountant / land registration document.
The lease agreement i have is only notarized but not registered. Will that suffice as a tenancy agreement?
Proof of accommodation usually means your accommodation details in the UK during your trip. Which is basically your hotel booking. I think there is some kind of confusion here. Can you send a screenshot or link to that page to my email thirumal@visatraveler.com? I would like to take a look and do some research.
Whom should we address the noc from company to? British High Commission or Consulate
And is it advisable to carry travel or general medical insurance of travelling with parents who are 60+ in age? Will that make any difference?
You can address the NOC letter to something like below.
The Visa Officer,
UK Visas and Immigration
Travel medical insurance is NOT required for UK visa application. But, when you are actually traveling to the UK, you may want to consider getting some kind of travel medical insurance. It’s a good practice to get medical insurance while traveling as it can be extremely useful in case of emergency health issues.
Good morning. Thanks for the post. Please, I’m applying for a schengen visa at the German Consulate. My appointment date is exactly 14 days from my flight itinerary’s departure date. I understand the visa processing time is minimum of 14days. Would this be an issue for me? If yes, please what should I do? Thank you.
Hi Syl! 14 days should be enough for the German consulate to process your visa. Did you already purchase your flight tickets? If not, just allow at least 3 weeks between the visa application and travel date.