A dummy ticket for a US visa is optional. The State Department does not list a flight ticket among the required B1/B2 documents and says: "Do not make final travel plans or buy tickets until you have a visa." The consular officer decides your case at the interview. As of September 2026 the fee is USD 185, and interview waits in India average 6 to 11.5 months.
- A flight ticket or itinerary is not among the required documents for a US B1/B2 visa.
- The State Department says: "Do not make final travel plans or buy tickets until you have a visa."
- The DS-160 FAQs list a travel itinerary only "if you have already made travel arrangements."
- In the State Department table dated 17 September 2026, average B1/B2 interview waits in India ranged from 6 months in Kolkata to 11.5 months in Hyderabad.
- A reservation made when you fill in the DS-160 will lapse long before an interview months away. If you want one, get it the day before the interview.
On this page
- What the State Department says about flight tickets
- Travel plans on the DS-160: what to enter without a ticket
- US B1/B2 visa fees in 2026
- Applying from India: DS-160, VAC and interview
- B1/B2 interview wait times from India
- Getting a dummy ticket for US visa files: what it can and cannot do
- Before your interview: a short checklist
A dummy ticket for US visa applications is optional. The State Department does not list a flight ticket or itinerary among the documents required for a B1/B2 visa, and its visitor visa page says: "Do not make final travel plans or buy tickets until you have a visa." The consular officer decides your case at the interview, on your purpose of travel, your ties to India and your ability to pay for the trip. A flight document does not change that.
Timing matters more than the document. In September 2026 the average wait for a B1/B2 interview in India ran from 6 to 11.5 months, so the dates you write on the DS-160 today describe a trip many months away. If you want a reservation in your interview folder, get it the day before the interview, not on the day you fill in the form.
What the State Department says about flight tickets
It tells you not to buy one yet. The State Department visitor visa page says there is no guarantee a visa will be issued, and then: "Do not make final travel plans or buy tickets until you have a visa."
The required items are your passport, the DS-160 confirmation page, the fee receipt and a photo. Other documents "may be requested" to show the purpose of your trip, your intent to leave the US and your ability to pay. The India appointment portal says applicants "may also bring whatever supporting documents you believe support the information provided to the consular officer." A flight itinerary is not named on the required list. At most it falls under that optional line. Our guide to US visa interview documents lists what else belongs in the folder.
It is not quoting the State Department. None of the official pages for a B1/B2 application from India asks for a flight reservation or a ticket. An agent who insists on one is adding a step the US government does not ask for.
Travel plans on the DS-160: what to enter without a ticket
You enter the trip you intend to make; you do not need a booking to complete the form. The State Department's DS-160 FAQs list what to have with you while filling it in, and the travel item reads: "Travel itinerary, if you have already made travel arrangements." If you have not made them, that is what the State Department advises, and the form can still be completed.
A worked example. Say you complete the DS-160 on 1 October 2026 for a family visit to Houston and book your interview in Chennai. Chennai's next available B1/B2 appointment was 7.5 months away in the table dated 17 September 2026, which puts the interview around mid-May 2027. An intended arrival in late June 2027 leaves time for the decision and for your passport to come back. A reservation made on 1 October would have lapsed long before May, since a held booking stays live only as long as the airline allows.
What matters is that your dates make sense with your leave from work, the event you are travelling for and the length of stay you give. For more on choosing dates, see what travel dates to put on a flight itinerary, and for the longer discussion of the US rule, our article on whether a flight ticket is required for a US B1/B2 visa.
US B1/B2 visa fees in 2026
The application fee for a B1/B2 visa is USD 185, and Indian passport holders pay no separate issuance fee on top. The table lists every charge that comes up in 2026 and whether it applies to you.
| Charge | Amount | Applies to Indian passport holders? |
|---|---|---|
| MRV application fee | USD 185, non-refundable | Yes |
| Issuance (reciprocity) fee | None for B-1, B-2 or B1/B2 | No |
| Visa Integrity Fee (charged on issuance) | At least USD 250 under the law | Not listed on India's fee pages; check on the day |
| Expedited appointment pilot, 1 July to 31 December 2026 | USD 750 on top of the MRV fee | No; no post in India is in the pilot |
| Visa bond (50 listed nationalities) | USD 10,000, 15,000 or 20,000 | No; India is not on the list dated 13 May 2026 |
The USD 185 fee is paid in rupees at the consular exchange rate on the day, by NEFT, UPI, debit or credit card, or cash at the listed banks. The receipt is valid for 365 days for booking an appointment. The Visa Integrity Fee was written into US law in July 2025 and is charged "at the time of such issuance", not when you apply. On 27 September 2026 it did not appear on the official India fee pages and no start date had been announced, so do not add it to your budget as a certain cost.
The visa bond became a permanent programme under a rule effective 3 August 2026. Neighbouring Nepal and Bangladesh are on the list; India is not. If an agent tells you Indian applicants must post a bond, that is wrong as of the current list.
Applying from India: DS-160, VAC and interview
You fill in the DS-160, pay the fee, then attend two appointments in one of five cities: New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad or Kolkata. The embassy is in New Delhi and the other four are consulates; each city also has a Visa Application Center (VAC).
Complete the DS-160 online
This is the application form. Save the confirmation page with its barcode number.
Pay the USD 185 fee in rupees
Use one of the listed methods and keep the receipt; it is valid for 365 days.
Book two appointments on ustraveldocs.com
One at a VAC for fingerprints and photo, one for the interview. The VAC visit must be at least 2 business days before the interview.
Attend both
In India, children under 14 and adults over 79 also attend the interview in person, though they are excused the VAC visit.
Track your passport
The decision is normally given at the interview. Some cases go into administrative processing, which has no published timeframe.
The appointment site, ustraveldocs.com, is labelled the "Official U.S. Department of State Visa Appointment Service". Indians living in the Gulf should read the State Department notice of 15 July 2026: applicants should interview "in their country of nationality or residence", and a fee paid for the wrong country is not refunded or transferred.
B1/B2 interview wait times from India
The wait for a B1/B2 interview in India was 6 to 11.5 months on average in September 2026, depending on the post. These are the State Department's figures:
| Post | Average wait | Next available appointment |
|---|---|---|
| New Delhi | 7.5 months | 10 months |
| Mumbai | 11 months | 11.5 months |
| Chennai | 7 months | 7.5 months |
| Hyderabad | 11.5 months | 12 months |
| Kolkata | 6 months | 6.5 months |
The figures move every week, so check the wait-time page before you plan around a date. If you are renewing a B1/B2 that expired less than 12 months ago, you may qualify to skip the interview; the conditions are in the questions below.
Getting a dummy ticket for US visa files: what it can and cannot do
A reservation gives you flight dates on paper without buying a ticket the State Department tells you not to buy. That is all it does. Dummy Tickets Visa (DTV) books it in the airline's reservation system, with a PNR you can check on the airline's "Manage booking" page while the hold is live, and sends it as a PDF itinerary. It costs ₹699 per passenger and typically arrives by email or WhatsApp 10–20 minutes after payment is confirmed. It is not a paid ticket and cannot be used to board. The flight reservation for visa page explains how the hold works.
Worth having when
- You want flight dates in your folder that match the intended dates on your DS-160.
- You would rather not pay for a fare before a visa that is not guaranteed.
- Your interview is tomorrow and you want the PDF delivered today, using the scheduled-delivery date on the form.
Does nothing for you when
- You expect it to raise your chances of approval. It does not.
- You hope it will make up for thin funds, weak ties to India or no travel history. It cannot.
- You ordered it months before the interview. It will have lapsed by then.
Business travel uses the same B-1 category; our business visa page covers the points specific to that purpose. F-1 students and H-1B workers follow different rules; see student visas and work visas instead. DTV is not affiliated with the US Embassy, its consulates or any airline.
Before your interview: a short checklist
Check these the evening before your appointment.
- DS-160 confirmation page with the barcode, printed
- USD 185 fee receipt, within its 365-day validity
- Your passport, and a photo if the portal asks for one
- Supporting documents for your purpose, funds and ties to India, if you have them
- A flight reservation only if you chose to get one, with the PNR checked on the airline website using our PNR check guide, and described as a reservation if asked
If you decide you want a reservation for the folder, the booking form lets you pick the delivery date. For destinations where a flight document is a stated requirement rather than an option, see our visa guides by country.
Frequently asked questions
Will a flight reservation improve my chances at the US visa interview?
No. The consular officer decides on your purpose of travel, your ties to India and your ability to pay, mostly through the interview itself. No official page asks for a flight itinerary, and none suggests one helps. A reservation only gives you dates on paper. Put your effort into the documents that show ties to home instead.
What is the Visa Integrity Fee, and do I pay it now?
A Visa Integrity Fee of at least USD 250 was written into US law in July 2025. The law charges it when a visa is issued, not when you apply. As of late September 2026 it is not listed on the official fee pages for India, and no official start date has been announced. Check the fee page on the day you apply, and do not count it as a certain cost.
Do Indian applicants have to pay a US visa bond?
No. Indian passport holders are not subject to the US visa bond as of the State Department's country list dated 13 May 2026. The bond, now a permanent programme under a rule effective 3 August 2026, applies to nationals of 50 listed countries, including Nepal and Bangladesh, at USD 10,000, 15,000 or 20,000. Countries can be added with 15 days' notice, so check the list before you apply.
I am an Indian living in Dubai. Can I apply for the US visa there?
Yes, if you can show you live there. The State Department asks applicants to interview "in their country of nationality or residence". Waits in the Gulf are not always shorter: in the table dated 17 September 2026 the next available B1/B2 appointment was 11.5 months away in Dubai and 12.5 months in Abu Dhabi. Our page for UAE residents covers ordering from there.
What should I say if the officer asks whether I have booked a flight?
Tell the truth. Not having bought a ticket is normal, because the State Department tells applicants not to buy one before the visa. If you carry a flight reservation, call it a reservation or a planned itinerary, never a purchased ticket. Give the dates you actually intend to travel and explain the purpose of the trip in your own words.
Do I need a new interview to renew my US B1/B2 visa?
Possibly not. Since 1 October 2025 a B1/B2 renewal can skip the interview if you apply within 12 months of the old visa's expiry, the old visa was issued for full validity when you were at least 18, you apply in your country of nationality or residence, you have never been refused a visa (unless that was overcome or waived) and there is no apparent ineligibility. Officers can still call anyone to interview.
- U.S. Department of State: visitor visa
- U.S. Department of State: DS-160 frequently asked questions
- U.S. Visa Appointment Service India: nonimmigrant visa process
- U.S. Visa Appointment Service India: fees and payment
- U.S. Department of State: global visa wait times (updated 17 September 2026)
- U.S. Department of State: applicants to interview in their country of nationality or residence
- U.S. Department of State: interview waiver update, 18 September 2025
- U.S. Department of State: India reciprocity schedule
- Public Law 119-21, section 100007 (Visa Integrity Fee)
- Federal Register: Visa Bond Program final rule, 3 August 2026
Last reviewed by the DTV Editorial Team. Visa requirements change, so confirm the current checklist with the embassy, consulate or official application centre before you apply. A reservation supports a visa file and cannot guarantee a visa decision.