Dummy ticket FAQ: 40 straight answers before you order

This dummy ticket FAQ answers the 40 questions people ask most before they order a flight reservation from Dummy Tickets Visa (DTV), and a few they ask once it arrives. A dummy ticket is a reservation made in the airline's system and held without paying the fare. It costs ₹699 per passenger, carries a PNR you can check on the airline's website, and cannot be used to board a flight.

Two points before you read on. For UK, US, Canada and Australia visitor visas, a flight booking is generally not a required document, and the UK Home Office lists flight bookings among evidence that is "less useful" unless you are transiting. And a few rules ask for a paid ticket, which a reservation does not meet; they are in the last section.

Answers checked on 27 September 2026. This is general information, not legal or immigration advice: follow the checklist of the embassy or visa centre you apply to. If your question is missing, reach the booking desk from our contact page.

Dummy ticket FAQ: the basics

What does a dummy ticket look like when it arrives?

It is a PDF itinerary showing each passenger's name, the airline, flight numbers, route, dates and a PNR (the booking reference). It looks like the confirmation an airline sends before payment, because that is what it is. It has no e-ticket number, since no fare has been paid. You can study a sample dummy ticket before you order.

Is a dummy ticket the same as a flight itinerary, e-ticket or confirmed booking?

It is the same document a visa checklist calls a flight itinerary or flight reservation. It is not an e-ticket or a paid booking. Those exist only after the fare is paid, and they carry a 13-digit e-ticket number starting with the airline's 3-digit code, which a held reservation does not have. Our comparison of reservations, tickets and itineraries sets out the differences.

Can I choose the airline and the route?

You choose the route, and the booking desk chooses the airline. We book any route, one-way, return or multi-city, and pick a flight that fits your dates. If you prefer a particular airline, write it in the notes box on the order form; it is a request, not a promise. The ordering steps show everything else the form asks for.

Can I use one dummy ticket for two visa applications?

Yes, if both applications describe the same trip on the same dates. Each consulate needs an itinerary that matches its own form and your cover letter, so if the dates differ, order one reservation for each set of dates. The hold lapses when the airline decides, not when both decisions are made, so check the PNR before each submission. See what dates to put on a flight itinerary.

Can a dummy ticket be used for travel insurance or a passport application?

Only where the form asks about your planned travel, and only if you present it as a reservation, not a paid ticket. We cannot tell you what a particular insurer or passport office accepts, so ask them first. Never use a reservation as proof that a journey took place or was paid for, for example in a leave travel allowance claim; that is a false statement. Our key facts page lists what the document contains.

Legality and embassies

Can an embassy check or "detect" a dummy ticket?

Yes, and there is nothing hidden to detect. Anyone with the PNR and the lead passenger's surname can open a live reservation on the airline's website and see that it has no e-ticket number. Whether an officer checks is up to the officer, so assume yours will. If you are asked, say it is a reservation. How checks work is explained in do embassies verify dummy tickets.

Do embassies accept a dummy ticket as the flight document?

For a Schengen visa, a reservation is the document the rules name: the EU Visa Code lists a "reservation of or return or round ticket" among the documents a consulate may ask for. For UK, US, Canada and Australia visitor visas, a flight booking is generally not required at all. Each country publishes its own checklist, and what embassy checklists say compares them.

Does VFS Global accept a dummy ticket at the counter?

If your checklist asks for a flight reservation, a reservation fills that line at the counter. VFS Global is a visa application centre: its staff check your file against the checklist and pass it to the consulate, which makes the decision. If staff ask for something different, such as a paid ticket, check the consulate's own checklist before you buy anything. The counter itself is covered in does VFS accept a dummy ticket.

Why do consulates ask for a reservation rather than a paid ticket?

Mainly because a visa can be refused, and buying a ticket first puts your money at risk for no benefit. The German missions in India ask for a "Flight reservation" and state plainly: "A booked flight ticket does not result in a preferred processing of the application." The reasoning, and how other destinations word it, is in why embassies ask for a reservation.

Can a dummy ticket cause my visa application to be rejected?

It can, if it contradicts the rest of your file. The usual trouble spots are travel dates that differ from your application form or cover letter, names that differ from the passport, a hold that has lapsed when an officer checks it, and any PDF that has been edited. No document guarantees a visa, and we cannot tell you how an officer will read yours. The risks are set out in can a dummy ticket cause visa rejection.

Is it safe to share my passport details to get a dummy ticket?

We ask for less than a passport copy: each passenger's name, date of birth and nationality exactly as printed, plus the route, dates and an email address or WhatsApp number. We do not ask for a passport scan, and you do not create an account. Our privacy policy explains how details are handled, and sharing passport details safely covers what any provider should and should not request.

PNR and verification

What is a PNR, and why does my dummy ticket have one?

A PNR (passenger name record) is the booking record in a reservation system, and the code on your PDF, usually six characters, is its reference. It exists as soon as the reservation is made, before any fare is paid. That code is what lets you, or anyone checking your file, open the booking on the airline's website. Our guide to what a PNR is shows where to find it on the PDF.

Why is my dummy ticket's PNR not showing on the airline's website?

The usual causes are a typo in the code or surname, the wrong airline's website, or a hold that has already lapsed. A booking made through a travel agent's reservation system can also carry a different code from the one the airline's own system uses. Work through the fixes in PNR not showing, then message us on WhatsApp with your order ID if the booking still will not open.

What is the difference between a PNR and an e-ticket number?

A PNR is the booking reference and exists as soon as a reservation is made. An e-ticket number has 13 digits, starts with the airline's 3-digit code, and exists only once a fare is paid. A held reservation has the first and not the second. If a checklist or an officer asks for an e-ticket number, a reservation does not meet that request. See PNR vs e-ticket number for examples.

Do I need to print my flight itinerary for my visa appointment?

Print it if your visa centre takes a paper file, and put it with your other documents in the order your checklist lists them. For an online application, upload the PDF instead. Either way, keep the PDF on your phone so you can open the PNR on the airline's website if someone asks. Our visa documents checklist covers the rest of the file.

Can I check my reservation on CheckMyTrip or ViewTrip instead of the airline's site?

Sometimes, but the airline's own Manage booking page is the check that counts. ViewTrip is run by Travelport, one of the reservation systems travel agents use, and lookup sites like it only find bookings held in their own system. So if one of these sites cannot find your booking, that alone does not mean anything is wrong. The steps for both sites are in CheckMyTrip and ViewTrip.

Price and payment

Prices are per passenger and do not change with the route. Start an order once you know what you need.

What payment methods can I use to pay for a dummy ticket?

In India you pay by UPI, using a QR code. Outside India you pay by PayPal, debit card or credit card, charged in US dollars at about US$8.50 per passenger for a flight reservation. The reservation is the same whichever way you pay. Paying from abroad is covered step by step in paying with PayPal or a card.

I paid by UPI. What happens after I scan the QR code?

Send the payment screenshot on WhatsApp straight away. The booking desk matches the payment to your order and starts the reservation, and the usual 10 to 20 minute delivery time counts from when the payment is confirmed. If you closed the page before sending the screenshot, message us from the contact page with the time and the amount you paid so the desk can find it.

Can NRIs or travellers outside India book a dummy ticket?

Yes. The reservation is the same, and the price is about US$8.50 per passenger, paid by PayPal, debit card or credit card instead of UPI. Enter each name and date of birth exactly as printed in the passport. Visa rules depend on your passport and sometimes on where you live, so read the checklist for the country where you apply. See dummy tickets for Indians abroad for the details.

How much does a hotel booking or a longer multi-city itinerary cost?

A hotel voucher is ₹699 per hotel, per passenger, so a flight plus one hotel is ₹1,398 per passenger. Multi-city is ₹699 per two flights, so a four-flight trip through three countries is ₹1,398 per passenger. Two travellers on that trip with one hotel pay 2 × ₹2,097, which is ₹4,194. For several cities or long hotel stays, ask on WhatsApp before ordering. See multi-city itineraries.

Can I get a dummy ticket for free?

Not from us, and the free options are narrow. Airlines selling flights in the United States must either hold a fare without payment or let you cancel without penalty for at least 24 hours when you book a week or more ahead. A day is short for a visa file. A free PDF generator has no booking behind it and should never go in a file. See what is really free.

Delivery, validity and changes

How fast can I get a dummy ticket if my appointment is tomorrow?

Fast enough, if you order today: delivery is typically 10 to 20 minutes after your payment is confirmed. Weekends, holidays and busy periods can add delay, so order during the day rather than late at night, and check the PNR as soon as the PDF arrives. Our page on urgent dummy tickets covers ordering against a tight deadline.

What if I don't receive my flight itinerary by email?

Check your spam and promotions folders first, since PDF attachments sometimes land there. If nothing has arrived 20 minutes after your payment was confirmed, message us from the contact page with your order ID. The desk can resend the PDF or send it on WhatsApp instead. At weekends and on holidays, allow a little longer before you chase.

Can I schedule my dummy ticket to arrive on a specific date?

Yes. The order form asks "When do you want to receive it?", and the reservation is issued on that date, not the moment you pay. Pick the day before you need the document: say your appointment is on the 14th, choose the 13th. That keeps the hold as fresh as possible when you submit. See when to book a dummy ticket for more on timing.

What if the hold lapses before my appointment or while my visa is processing?

It can, because the airline sets how long an unticketed reservation stays active and DTV cannot extend it. If the PNR stops opening before you submit, message us on WhatsApp with your order ID and we will tell you the quickest way to get a reservation for your dates. A hold lapsing during processing is normal; if you need a booking that stays live for weeks, a refundable ticket is the alternative. See date changes, reissue and expiry.

Can I change my travel dates after my visa has been approved?

Often, within limits. You can travel only inside the validity dates printed on the visa, for no more than the number of days it allows, and the trip should still match the purpose you applied for. Border officers may ask about your plans, so read the visa itself before you rebook. What to check is in changing travel dates after approval.

Do I need a new dummy ticket if I'm reapplying after a refusal?

Yes. The old reservation was held for the dates in the refused application, and the hold has probably lapsed. Order a fresh one with the dates on your new form and cover letter. Put most of your effort into the reasons given in the refusal letter, which a new flight document will not fix. See reapplying after a visa refusal.

Hotels, families and special cases

Can I book dummy tickets for my whole family or a group in one order?

Yes, up to nine passengers in one order, all on one itinerary and one PDF. Each passenger is ₹699, so a family of four on a return flight pays ₹2,796. Enter every name and date of birth exactly as printed in each passport. For more than nine people, ask on WhatsApp before you order. See family and group bookings for how the form handles this.

Do infants and young children need their own dummy ticket?

They need to be on the reservation, but not in a separate order. Add each child and infant to the family order as a named passenger, with the name, date of birth and nationality from their own passport. Say in the notes box which passengers are infants, because airlines handle infants differently in their booking systems. Children and infants count towards the nine-passenger limit. Our family booking page explains what to enter for each child.

Is a dummy hotel booking accepted for a visa the same way a flight reservation is?

It depends on the checklist, and we cannot promise how a consulate will treat it. Our voucher is a hotel reservation for the city and the check-in and check-out dates you enter. Some checklists ask for proof of accommodation, while the UK Home Office lists hotel bookings as "less useful" evidence. For several cities or a long stay, ask on WhatsApp first. See dummy hotel booking for visa.

Can I cancel or change the hotel booking once my visa is granted?

Not with us: like the flight, the hotel order is final once the voucher is issued, so there is no refund or change. For the trip itself, book and pay for the place you will actually stay. If it differs from your file, keep its booking with your travel documents in case you are asked. See changing your hotel after approval.

Which rules ask for a paid ticket instead of a reservation?

Two clear examples are the US Visa Waiver Program, whose regulation says travellers "at the time of arrival must have a round trip ticket", and New Zealand's visa waiver, which says "Your onward tickets must be paid for before your travel." A reservation does not meet either rule; a refundable fare does. Indian passport holders need a visa for both countries. See ESTA and one-way tickets.

Before you submit your file, check:

• Every name, date of birth and nationality on the reservation matches the passport exactly.
• The route and dates match your application form, cover letter and hotel booking.
• The PNR opens on the airline's own website on the day you submit.
• Wherever a form or an officer asks, you have described the document as a reservation.
• You have read the refund policy, since orders are final once issued.

Frequently asked questions