A dummy ticket is a flight reservation held without paying the fare: ₹699 per passenger at Dummy Tickets Visa (DTV). A refundable ticket is a paid fare with an e-ticket number that you cancel for a refund, less any charge in the fare rules. Most visa checklists ask only for a reservation. Pay for a ticket where the rule you face says ticket, paid or confirmed.
- A dummy ticket is an unpaid ₹699 reservation with a PNR. A refundable ticket is a paid fare with a 13-digit e-ticket number.
- Under India's DGCA refund rules, effective 26 March 2026, airlines must refund card payments within 7 days of cancellation and agent or portal bookings within 14 working days.
- The same rules cap the cancellation charge at the basic fare plus fuel surcharge and require taxes and airport fees to be refunded, even on non-refundable fares.
- Schengen checklists in India ask for a flight reservation, and a paid ticket should not be required when you apply.
- A paid ticket fits where the wording says ticket, paid or confirmed, for example New Zealand's proof of onward travel.
On this page
- Dummy ticket vs refundable ticket: what you get
- What a refundable fare really costs you
- Cancellation charges: what India's rules cap
- How long a refund takes in India
- Free cancellation windows: the DGCA 48 hours and the US 24 hours
- When a paid or refundable ticket is the better choice
- When a reservation is enough
- How to decide
The dummy ticket vs refundable ticket choice comes down to whether you pay the airline now. A dummy ticket is a reservation held in the airline's system without paying the fare, at ₹699 per passenger. A refundable ticket is a real, paid fare that you cancel later for a refund, less whatever the fare rules keep back. For most visa files a reservation is the document the checklist asks for. A paid ticket is worth its cost where the rule you face says "ticket", "paid" or "confirmed". Below are the costs, India's refund deadlines, and the rules that tip the choice.
Dummy ticket vs refundable ticket: what you get
A reservation gives you a checkable booking without paying the fare. A refundable ticket gives you a seat you have paid for, with the right to cancel on the airline's terms. Once a fare is paid, the airline issues a ticket, which puts a 13-digit e-ticket number on the booking. A reservation has a booking reference (PNR) but no e-ticket number, because no ticket has been issued.
| Point | Dummy ticket (reservation) | Refundable ticket |
|---|---|---|
| Paid to the airline | Nothing; the booking is held | The full fare, at booking |
| Reference | PNR only | PNR plus a 13-digit e-ticket number |
| Cost | ₹699 per passenger, one-way or return | The airline's flexible fare for your route and date |
| If the visa is refused | ₹699 spent; orders are final once issued | A refund under the fare rules, often less a cancellation charge |
| Money tied up | ₹699 | The full fare, until the refund reaches you |
| Can be used to fly | No | Yes |
| Meets wording that says "paid" or "ticket" | No | Yes |
What a refundable fare really costs you
A refundable fare usually costs more than the cheapest fare on the same flight, and it ties up the whole amount on your card until any refund arrives. Airlines price flexible fares by route, date and demand, so there is no fixed premium. The only way to know is to compare the saver and flexible fares for your own dates on the airline's website.
A worked example makes the trade-off concrete. The fares below are made-up round numbers for illustration, not quotes. Say a return saver fare to Frankfurt is ₹45,000, the flexible fare on the same flights is ₹70,000, and cancelling the flexible fare costs ₹3,000.
| Choice | Visa granted | Visa refused |
|---|---|---|
| Reservation now, saver fare after the visa | ₹699 + ₹45,000 = ₹45,699, if the saver fare is still available | ₹699 lost |
| Flexible fare now | ₹70,000 | ₹3,000 lost, ₹67,000 back after the refund is processed |
The reservation route is cheaper in both outcomes unless fares rise sharply while you wait for the decision. The flexible fare also means ₹70,000 sits on your card during processing. For a family of four that becomes ₹2,80,000, which can use up most of a card limit. Our family and group bookings page covers reservations for up to 9 passengers on one itinerary, and the dummy ticket price list shows what the ₹699 fee covers.
Cancellation charges: what India's rules cap
A refundable fare can still carry a cancellation charge, but India's aviation regulator limits how large it can be. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) revised its refund rules, Civil Aviation Requirement Section 3, Series M, Part II, on 24 February 2026, with effect from 26 March 2026 (News On Air report). As of September 2026 the CAR says:
- The cancellation charge may not exceed the basic fare plus fuel surcharge. Travel agent fees disclosed at booking are extra.
- Statutory taxes and airport fees (UDF, ADF, PSF) must be refunded on cancellation or no-show, even when the basic fare is non-refundable.
- Cancellation charges must be shown prominently at the time of booking.
- The airline may not charge a fee for processing the refund.
- Taking a credit shell instead of money is your choice, not the airline's default.
"Refundable" is a label, not a promise of every rupee back. Open the fare rules on the booking page and find the cancellation section before you enter card details. If the charge is not shown, ask the airline or agent in writing what you get back, and keep the reply.
How long a refund takes in India
An Indian airline must refund a credit card payment within 7 days of cancellation, under the same DGCA rules. The deadline depends on how you paid.
| How you paid | Deadline for the airline |
|---|---|
| Credit card | Within 7 days of cancellation, to the card account |
| Cash | Immediately, at the airline office where you bought the ticket |
| Through a travel agent or portal | Refund completed within 14 working days; the airline is responsible |
Two limits matter. Foreign airlines flying to and from India refund under the rules of their own country, so their timelines can differ. And the deadline is when the airline must send the money; when it shows on your statement depends on your bank. Do not plan on having the fare back before your visa appointment.
Need the reservation for your visa file?
A flight reservation with a PNR you can check on the airline website. ₹699 per passenger, delivered in 10–20 minutes.
Free cancellation windows: the DGCA 48 hours and the US 24 hours
Two rules let you cancel a paid booking without a charge, and neither covers the weeks a visa decision takes. India's CAR gives a "Look-in option" for 48 hours after booking, during which you can cancel or amend without additional charges. It does not apply to flights leaving less than 7 days (domestic) or 15 days (international) after the booking date, and the CAR links it to tickets booked on the airline's own website. If you book through an agent or portal, ask whether it applies. The DGCA 48-hour rule covers the details.
In the United States, airlines selling flights there must let a booking made a week or more before departure be "held at the quoted fare without payment, or cancelled without penalty, for at least twenty-four hours" (14 CFR 259.5). The airline picks which of the two it offers. For what carriers sell elsewhere, see 24, 48 and 72-hour flight holds.
Neither window lasts through a visa decision. Do not book a ticket, cancel it inside the window and submit it anyway. A cancelled booking no longer supports the plan your file describes.
When a paid or refundable ticket is the better choice
A paid ticket is the better choice when the rule you must meet asks for a ticket, a paid booking or a confirmed booking, rather than a reservation or itinerary. A held reservation does not meet that wording, and we will not tell you it does.
| Rule | Official wording | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand visitor visa (Indian applicants) | Asks for "your ticket for travel out of New Zealand" or proof of money to buy one, and says: "We recommend that travellers do not book any non-refundable travel until after their Visitor Visa is approved." (Immigration New Zealand) | If you want to show a ticket rather than funds, a refundable fare fits both lines. Proof of funds is the official alternative. |
| Italy, Embassy in New Delhi | "You are invited thus to seek for refundable tickets and hotel bookings." (Embassy of Italy) | The embassy suggests refundable bookings because a visa can be refused. See our Italy visa page for its checklist. |
| Malaysia visa waiver for Indians (until 31 December 2026 unless extended) | "Confirmed Return Flight Tickets" (High Commission of Malaysia) | An arrival rule, not a visa file. The word is "confirmed", and the airline decides at check-in. |
| New Zealand visa waiver (not open to Indian passports) | "Your onward tickets must be paid for before your travel." (Immigration New Zealand) | Relevant if you travel on a visa-waiver passport. A reservation does not meet it. |
For a full list of who checks onward travel and what they accept, see proof of onward travel, and the New Zealand onward ticket rule for that country in detail.
A refundable ticket works well when
- The rule you must meet says ticket, paid or confirmed
- Your dates are firm and you will fly if the visa is granted
- You can leave the full fare on your card until any refund lands
It falls short when
- Your checklist asks only for a reservation or an itinerary
- Your appointment or travel dates are likely to move
- The fare rules keep back a large cancellation charge
When a reservation is enough
A reservation is enough wherever the checklist asks for a flight reservation or itinerary, which covers Schengen applications from India. The EU's handbook for consular staff says a paid return ticket should not be required when you apply, and flight itineraries for Schengen visas sets out what consulates ask for. In those files a refundable fare buys nothing extra for the visa itself.
The reservation still has to be accurate and live when you submit it. Its dates should match your form, and the PNR should open on the airline's website. Receive it the day before your appointment; when to book before your appointment explains the timing.
How to decide
Read your checklist's exact wording
Look for "reservation", "itinerary" or "booking" on one side and "ticket", "paid" or "confirmed" on the other. The word decides which document you need.
If it asks for a reservation or itinerary
A ₹699 dummy ticket meets it, with no card block and no refund to chase. Order one for delivery the day before your appointment.
If it asks for a paid or confirmed ticket
Compare the flexible and saver fares on the airline's own site, read the cancellation section of the fare rules, and note the refund deadline for how you pay.
Keep proof of the terms
Screenshot the fare rules before you pay. If a refund is due later, that screenshot is what you hold the airline to.
Frequently asked questions
Is a refundable ticket safer than a dummy ticket for a visa?
Only where the rule asks for a ticket, a paid booking or a confirmed booking. There it meets the wording and a reservation does not. Where the checklist asks for a flight reservation or itinerary, as Schengen checklists in India do, a paid fare adds cost but not approval odds. No document guarantees a visa. Dummy ticket vs real ticket covers the wider comparison.
Do I get anything back on a non-refundable ticket if my visa is refused?
Usually some of it. Under the DGCA rules in force since 26 March 2026, airlines must refund statutory taxes and airport fees such as UDF, ADF and PSF on cancellation or no-show, even when the basic fare is non-refundable. The fare itself follows the fare rules. Flight ticket refund if your visa is rejected goes through the claim step by step.
Can I cancel a refundable ticket as soon as I have submitted my visa file?
Wait for the decision. The consulate reads your file as it stands while it decides, and a ticket you have already cancelled no longer supports the plan you described. The EU handbook also allows a consulate to ask for a paid ticket after issuing a visa in exceptional cases. Cancel after the decision, within the fare rules, if you are not travelling.
Does the DGCA 48-hour rule give me a free ticket for my visa file?
No. The look-in option lets you cancel or amend within 48 hours of booking without extra charges, but only for flights at least 7 days (domestic) or 15 days (international) away, and the CAR links it to bookings made on the airline's own website. A visa decision usually takes longer than 48 hours. See the DGCA 48-hour rule.
Is a DTV reservation refundable if my visa is refused?
No. Orders are final once the reservation has been issued, and they are non-refundable and non-transferable whatever the visa outcome. That is why the price is ₹699 rather than a full fare. The refund and cancellation policy sets out the terms in full.
How long does a flight refund take in India?
Under the DGCA rules effective 26 March 2026, an airline must refund a credit card payment within 7 days of cancellation, refund cash immediately at the office where you bought the ticket, and complete refunds for agent or portal bookings within 14 working days. Foreign airlines flying to and from India refund under their own country's rules, so check their fare conditions.
- News On Air (Prasar Bharati): DGCA revises ticket refund rules for airlines, 26 February 2026
- Immigration New Zealand: Visitor Visa
- Immigration New Zealand: Visa Waiver Visitor Visa
- Embassy of Italy, New Delhi: visas
- High Commission of Malaysia, New Delhi: entry requirements for foreigners
- Cornell Law School LII: 14 CFR 259.5, customer service plans (24-hour hold or penalty-free cancellation)
- European Commission: Handbook for the processing of visa applications (C(2024) 4319)
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.