The hardest and most confusing part of getting a visa is figuring out how to get a travel itinerary. Consulates insist on providing them with flight itinerary for Schengen visa or dummy hotel reservations. But they say that you shouldn’t buy an original ticket unless your visa decision is still in process. Did you see how strange that is?
To make the process of applying for a flight itinerary for Schengen visa easy we have brought some interesting ways that can help you.
Guide About Booking Flight Itinerary
Most of the time, embassy/visa officer asks the applicant to submit flight itinerary by addressing in the following terms:
- Flight Tickets
- Flight Itinerary For Schengen Visa
- Dummy flight tickets
- Confirmed Flight Itinerary
- Travel Document
- Proof of duration of stay
All of them have the same meaning and they are used for referring to “Tickets for flights.” Embassy/Visa officers know that submitting a visa application does not mean that it will be approved.
So, they recommend you to only “hold” a flight reservation and not actually “buy” the tickets. For this purpose, we recommend applicants to book dummy flight tickets for Schengen visa, as they can be purchased at half price.
Related: Things To Keep In Mind Before Applying For Schengen Visa.
If your visa application is denied or delayed, you will lose the money you spent on the flight itinerary. Airlines and insurance companies do not see being denied a visa as a reason to get a refund.
Therefore, we recommend that you do not buy your tickets until your application for a visa has been approved.
Four Interesting Ways To Book Flight Itinerary
These four ways can help you in buying a flight itinerary for Schengen visa and you can save a lot of money.
Flight Plan For Visa Application — Buying A Ticket That Can Be Refunded
It is the best and safest way to plan your flight schedule. Most airlines have this option, but they charge more for it. Usually 5 to 10 times higher than a ticket that can’t be changed or sold.
Most airlines process refunds quickly, within a few days to a few weeks. Even though the ticket is refundable, keep in mind that some booking sites and airlines will charge you a fee to cancel it.
Pro Tip
Always buy a ticket that can be changed or refunded directly from the airline’s website. You can also call the airline and ask what their cancellation policy is for tickets that can be refunded.
Using A Website To Book A Visa Ticket
There are a lot of online travel agencies that do this for a small fee. A reservation can be held for up to 21 days. If you are in a hurry, they also offer express service. So in this way you can book a flight itinerary for Schengen visa by using a website which is verifiable.
Putting A Flight On Hold Through A Local Travel Agent
It’s the second-best way to do things. You can book your tickets by travel agents for up to 7 days. The local travel agent might charge you a little extra fee. You can hold a dummy ticket for visa for up to 14 days for a small fee.
Using Award Miles And The Hold Option
If you buy an award ticket or use your miles, some airlines will let you hold your reservation for up to 5 days. The held reservation is an itinerary that you can print out and use when you apply for a visa.
The reservation might say that it has to be bought by a certain date.
