In the dummy ticket vs real ticket choice, a dummy ticket is a flight reservation held in the airline's system without payment, and a real ticket is a paid fare with a 13-digit e-ticket number. A Schengen visa file can use a reservation, because the EU Visa Code names one. Buy a real ticket where the rule asks for a paid or confirmed ticket, such as New Zealand's visa waiver.
- A dummy ticket is an unpaid reservation with a booking reference; a real ticket has been paid for and has a 13-digit e-ticket number.
- The EU Visa Code lists a flight reservation for Schengen visa files, and for a UK visit visa no flight document is required at all.
- New Zealand's visa waiver says onward tickets must be paid for, and the US Visa Waiver Program asks for a round trip ticket; a reservation does not meet either.
- The money at risk with a reservation is US$15 (₹1,200) per passenger; with a real ticket it is whatever part of the fare the fare rules do not refund.
- A reservation cannot be used to board a flight. Once your visa is granted, buy the ticket you will fly.
On this page
A dummy ticket is a flight reservation held in the airline's system without paying the fare. A real ticket is a fare that has been paid, with an e-ticket number issued against it. For most visa files the reservation is the document asked for, because a flight itinerary for a visa shows your travel plan, not a payment. A few rules ask for a paid ticket, and there the reservation is the wrong document.
Dummy ticket vs real ticket: the core difference
The difference is payment, and the e-ticket number that payment produces. A reservation is a record in the airline's reservation system, found with a booking reference (usually six letters and numbers) and the passenger's surname. When the fare is paid, the airline issues a ticket against that record, with a 13-digit e-ticket number that starts with the airline's three-digit code. Until then, no ticket exists.
Booking and ticketing are separate steps. The airline sets a ticketing deadline when the reservation is made, and if the fare is not paid by then it can cancel the booking. The wording on a booking page, such as "confirmed" or "on hold", varies by airline and does not tell you whether a ticket exists; the e-ticket number does. For how a PNR, an e-ticket and an itinerary each look on paper, see flight reservation vs ticket vs itinerary.
| Point | Dummy ticket (reservation) | Real ticket |
|---|---|---|
| Payment to the airline | None; the booking is held | Fare paid in full, or miles redeemed |
| Reference | Booking reference only | Booking reference and 13-digit e-ticket number |
| Cost | US$15 (₹1,200) per passenger at Dummy Tickets Visa (DTV) | The fare for your route and dates |
| How long it lasts | Until the airline's hold ends, which the airline sets | Under the fare rules until the flight |
| Boarding | Not possible | Yes |
| Meets a rule that says "paid" | No | Yes |
What each one costs
A reservation from DTV costs US$15 (₹1,200) per passenger, the same for one-way or return. Customers outside India pay a flat US$15, or the listed local price, per passenger, by PayPal or card. The price does not change with the route or with how close you are to the travel date, because nothing is paid to the airline.
A real ticket costs whatever the fare is for your route, airline and dates, and there is no single figure to quote. Check the airline's own website for your dates. Remember that the reservation route often means paying twice: US$15 (₹1,200) now for the visa file, and the real fare later once the visa is granted.
What you can lose if the visa is refused or dates move
With a reservation, the amount at risk is US$15 (₹1,200) per passenger and no more. Orders are final once the reservation is issued, as our refund policy sets out, so that fee is not returned. Nothing was paid to an airline, so there is no fare to recover.
With a real ticket, the amount at risk is the part of the fare that the fare rules do not refund. A non-refundable fare can mean losing most of it if the visa is refused. A refundable fare returns more, but it usually costs more to buy and the refund can take time. What you can recover from a ticket after a visa refusal goes through each fare type.
A reservation is not accepted everywhere, and a paid ticket does not make a visa more likely. The consulate decides on your file, the airline decides at check-in and the border officer decides on arrival. We decide none of them.
Need the reservation for your visa file?
A flight reservation with a PNR you can check on the airline website. US$15 (₹1,200) per passenger, delivered in 10–20 minutes.
How each one is checked
Both are checked the same way: anyone with the booking reference and the surname can open the booking on the airline's Manage booking page. For a reservation, that page shows the passenger names and the flights while the hold is live, and no e-ticket number. How the booking is labelled and displayed differs from one airline to another, so do not expect a particular status word.
A real ticket shows the same details plus the e-ticket number, which the airline and travel agents can trace to a paid fare. That number is what a rule asking for a paid ticket is looking for. Whichever you hold, open it on the airline's site before your appointment; the steps are on how to verify your PNR.
Changing your travel dates
A reservation cannot simply be moved; you need a reservation for the new dates. If your appointment or trip moves, message us on WhatsApp with your order ID and we will tell you the quickest way to get one. Changing the date on a dummy ticket covers timing and what to expect.
Changing a real ticket means going back to the airline or agent that issued it, and the fare rules decide the cost. Some fares allow a change for a fee plus any difference in fare. The cheapest fares often allow no change at all. Read the change and refund rules before you buy a ticket for dates that depend on a visa decision.
When a real ticket is the right choice
A real ticket is the right choice in three situations: the rule asks for a paid or confirmed ticket, your visa is already granted, or the fare is low enough that buying it early costs little extra. Where none applies, the reservation is the usual document. The EU Visa Code, for example, lists a "reservation of or return or round ticket" for Schengen files. For a UK visit visa, the Home Office guide lists flight bookings (unless transiting) as "less useful as evidence", so a flight document is optional there; see whether a UK visa needs a flight ticket.
The rule asks for a paid or confirmed ticket
Some official wording asks for more than a reservation. A reservation on hold does not meet it, so buy a paid ticket, ideally a refundable one.
| Rule | Official wording | Who it applies to |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand visa waiver | "Your onward tickets must be paid for before your travel." (Immigration New Zealand) | Visa-waiver nationalities. Indian passport holders need a visa. |
| US Visa Waiver Program | "at the time of arrival must have a round trip ticket" (8 CFR 217.2) | ESTA travellers. India is not in the programme. |
| Malaysia visa exemption for Indians | "Confirmed Return Flight Tickets" (Malaysian High Commission, New Delhi) | Indian passport holders, visa-exempt until 31 December 2026 unless extended. |
The US regulation defines the ticket to include an electronic ticket record and says nothing about unticketed reservations. Malaysia's wording uses "confirmed" without defining it, so a reservation may not satisfy the airline or the officer; a paid return ticket removes the doubt. See the New Zealand onward ticket rule and entry to Malaysia for the details.
Your visa has already been granted
Once the visa is in your passport, the reason for a reservation has gone. You now need a ticket you can board with, for the dates you will travel. What happens to a dummy ticket after visa approval explains what to do with the old reservation.
The fare is low and your dates are firm
If the ticket you would fly is cheap, buying it now can cost less overall than a reservation now and a ticket later. Compare two numbers. The reservation route adds US$15 (₹1,200) per passenger. Buying early puts at risk the part of the fare you cannot get back if the visa is refused. Say the non-refundable fare on your route is ₹5,000 per person: you would be risking ₹5,000 to save US$15 (₹1,200). If the fare is closer to the reservation price and your dates will not move, buying the real ticket is the simpler choice.
If you need a real ticket, limit the risk
A fully refundable fare is the safest paid option when a rule asks for a paid ticket and your visa is not yet decided. It is a real ticket with an e-ticket number, so it meets "paid" wording, and the fare rules say how much comes back if you cancel. A dummy ticket compared with a refundable ticket sets out the cost and refund trade-off.
Some airlines also sell a fare-hold option for a day or a few days, for a fee. That locks a price while you decide, but the booking is still unticketed, so it does not meet a rule that asks for a paid ticket. Check the airline's own page for the current terms.
- Read your destination's own wording: reservation, itinerary, or paid ticket
- If it asks for a reservation or itinerary, a reservation that opens on the airline website is the usual document
- If it asks for a paid or confirmed ticket, buy one, and price a refundable fare first
- Once the visa is granted, buy the ticket you will fly
- If a reservation is right for your file, order it for delivery the day before your appointment
Frequently asked questions
Is a dummy ticket a confirmed ticket?
No. A dummy ticket is a reservation held in the airline's system, with a booking reference you can check yourself in the airline's Manage booking section, but no ticket has been issued against it. A paid ticket has a 13-digit e-ticket number. The status wording on a booking page varies by airline, so describe your document as a reservation, never as confirmed or paid.
Can a dummy ticket be converted into a real ticket?
A held reservation becomes a ticket only if the fare is paid before the airline's ticketing deadline, and whether that can be done for a particular booking depends on who holds it and on the fare. If you now need to fly, the simple route is to book the ticket you will actually use, directly with the airline or a travel agent, for the dates you have settled on.
Is a dummy ticket a fake ticket?
No, though the two are often confused. A dummy ticket is a reservation in the airline's own system that can be looked up with the booking reference and surname. A fake ticket is an edited or generated PDF with no booking behind it, and nobody can find it on an airline website. See the risks of a fake flight ticket before you consider one.
Can I board a flight with a dummy ticket?
No. A reservation on hold has no e-ticket number, so it cannot be used for check-in or boarding on any airline. It exists to show a travel plan in a visa file. When you travel, you need a paid ticket. Travelling with a dummy ticket explains what happens at the airport.
Does an embassy prefer a real ticket to a reservation?
Not where the checklist asks for a reservation. The German missions in India, for example, list a flight reservation on their Schengen checklist and state that a booked ticket does not lead to faster processing. Where a rule asks for a paid or confirmed ticket, as New Zealand's visa waiver does, a real ticket is the document that meets it.
- EU Visa Code (Regulation (EC) No 810/2009), consolidated text, Annex II
- UK Home Office: guide to supporting documents, visiting the UK
- Immigration New Zealand: visa waiver visitor visa
- Cornell Law School LII: 8 CFR 217.2, Visa Waiver Program eligibility
- Malaysian High Commission, New Delhi: entry requirements for foreign nationals
- German missions in India: Schengen visa checklist (Visit, Family and Friends)
This guide is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Visa rules change and consulates apply them differently, so confirm the current requirements with the embassy, consulate or official visa application centre before you apply.