Dummy ticket terminology: a glossary for your visa file

This glossary defines the dummy ticket terminology you meet while ordering a flight reservation and putting a visa file together, from PNR and GDS to Schengen area and VFS Global. Each entry opens with the definition, stays under 60 words where it can, and links to the fuller page on this site where one exists. The site is run by Dummy Tickets Visa (DTV), which sells flight reservations for visa files.

Why dummy ticket terminology trips up visa files

Dummy ticket terminology trips people up because three vocabularies describe one booking: the name of the product you buy, the name of the document a consulate reads, and the codes the airline's system prints. An airline can call the same code a booking reference on one page and a PNR on another.

The costly mix-up is with the word "confirmed". On a reservation, the status HK means a seat is held, not that a fare is paid. On an entry checklist, such as Malaysia's "Confirmed Return Flight Tickets" for Indian visitors, it may mean a paid ticket, and the official wording does not say which. Where a rule says "paid", a held reservation does not meet it. The entries for flight reservation, flight itinerary, e-ticket and dummy ticket below spell out how those four differ.

A to D: airline record locator to dummy ticket

Airline record locator

An airline record locator is the code, usually six letters and numbers, that an airline's own reservation system gives a booking so it can be found again with a passenger's surname. It is what most people mean by "the PNR". A booking made through a travel agent's system can carry a second code there, but the airline's locator is the one its Manage booking page needs.

Booking class

Booking class is the single letter on a reservation, such as Y or L, that marks the fare category a seat was booked in within a cabin. Each airline sets its own meaning for most letters, so the same letter on two airlines can mean different fares. It says nothing about whether the fare has been paid. The dummy ticket sample shows where the letter appears.

Booking on hold

A booking on hold is a reservation saved in the airline's system with a PNR but not yet paid for, so no ticket has been issued against it. It shows the passengers, the flights and a status, and it lapses once its ticketing time limit passes without payment. What the airline's record shows for a booking on hold covers the wording you will see.

Carrier liability

Carrier liability is the penalty an airline faces for bringing a passenger who does not meet the destination's entry rules, on top of flying that passenger back. The UK, for example, can charge £2,000 per passenger who arrives without a required visa or ETA (Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, section 40). It is why check-in staff check documents. Proof of onward travel explains the onward-ticket side of those checks.

CheckMyTrip

CheckMyTrip is Amadeus's public trip-lookup site, where a reservation made in an Amadeus-connected agency system can be viewed with its record locator and surname. It shows the same flights and names as the underlying booking, but its code can differ from the airline's own. CheckMyTrip and ViewTrip compared walks through both sites.

Codeshare

A codeshare flight is a flight sold under one airline's flight number but operated by another airline, so the reservation names one carrier while a different one flies the aircraft. Itineraries add an "operated by" line for this reason, so check which airline's website to use when you look the booking up. Dummy ticket airlines covers which kinds of carrier can be held.

Confirmed (HK)

Confirmed, shown in reservation systems as the code HK, means a seat is held on that flight for the passengers listed, and nothing more. It does not mean a fare has been paid or a ticket issued. Travelport's published list of status codes gives HK as "Holds confirmed"; the table lists the codes travellers ask about most.

Consulate

A consulate is the office of a foreign government, or the consular section of its embassy, that decides a visa application. Many consulates in India have the paperwork handled by a private visa application centre, which collects documents and biometrics; the consulate's own staff still make the decision. Our visa guides by country cover each destination's route.

Cover letter

A cover letter is the one- or two-page letter a visa applicant writes to explain the trip: purpose, dates, who is travelling and who is paying. It sits alongside the reservation, hotel booking and bank statement, and should describe the reservation as exactly that, a reservation, never a paid ticket. Cover letter for visa gives a structure and a worked example.

Dummy hotel booking

A dummy hotel booking is a hotel reservation voucher for the city and the check-in and check-out dates on your order, used as proof of accommodation in a visa file. At DTV it costs ₹699 per hotel, per passenger, or ₹1,398 per passenger together with a flight reservation. Dummy hotel booking for visa covers what the voucher shows and what to ask before ordering several cities.

Dummy ticket

A dummy ticket is the everyday name for a flight reservation held in an airline's system without paying the fare, used as the flight document in a visa file. It differs from a flight reservation only in name. It differs from a flight itinerary because the itinerary is the PDF that shows the booking, while "dummy ticket" names the booking itself. It differs from an e-ticket because no fare is paid, so no ticket exists. DTV charges ₹699 per passenger. What a dummy ticket is covers uses and limits.

E to H: e-ticket to GDS

E-ticket

An e-ticket is the electronic ticket record the airline creates once the fare is paid (or miles redeemed), and it is what lets you board. It differs from a flight reservation, the unpaid stage before it; from a flight itinerary, a PDF that can show either stage; and from a dummy ticket, which is never ticketed. PNR vs e-ticket number compares the codes each carries.

E-ticket number

An e-ticket number is the 13-digit number, starting with the airline's three-digit code, created only when a ticket is issued against a paid fare. Emirates tickets, for example, start with 176. A reservation that has not been ticketed has a PNR and no e-ticket number, which is the quickest way to tell the two apart on any PDF. PNR vs e-ticket number shows both fields.

EES

The EES, the EU's Entry/Exit System, is the digital border record that replaced passport stamping for non-EU travellers at the external borders of the 29 Schengen countries, fully operational since 10 April 2026. It records entries and exits and flags overstays. There is no fee and nothing to apply for; registration happens at the border. EES and ETIAS explained covers both systems.

ETIAS

ETIAS is the EU's planned travel authorisation for visa-exempt nationals, such as UK, US and UAE passport holders, visiting the 29 Schengen countries and Cyprus. It does not apply to Indian passport holders, who need a visa. As of September 2026 the official ETIAS site says it is "currently not in operation" and gives no start date. The fee will be €20 once it starts.

Fare basis

A fare basis is the code of letters and numbers that identifies the exact fare rules behind a booking: refundability, change fees, minimum stay and booking class. It is more detailed than the single booking-class letter and is used mainly by airlines and agents; a reservation's PDF may not print it. Dummy ticket vs refundable ticket shows why fare rules matter.

Fare hold

A fare hold is an option some airlines offer to keep a quoted fare for a short time before you pay; some charge for it, and the length varies by airline. In the US, airlines covered by DOT rules must either hold a fare without payment or allow penalty-free cancellation for at least 24 hours on bookings made a week or more ahead (14 CFR 259.5). Airline fare holds compared has more.

Flight itinerary

A flight itinerary is the document, usually a PDF, that lists a booking's flights, dates, passengers and booking reference, whether or not the fare has been paid. It differs from a flight reservation because it is the paper record, not the booking; from an e-ticket because an unticketed itinerary shows no ticket number; and from a dummy ticket because "dummy ticket" names the booking, while the itinerary is how it is delivered. Flight itinerary for visa covers the fields a file needs.

Flight reservation

A flight reservation is a booking made in an airline's reservation system and held without paying the fare, identified by a PNR that can be checked on the airline's website while the hold is live. It differs from a flight itinerary, the PDF that shows it; from an e-ticket, which exists only after payment; and from a dummy ticket only in register, since "dummy ticket" is the informal name for it. Flight reservation for visa explains how it is made.

GDS

A GDS, or global distribution system, is a reservation network, such as Amadeus, Sabre or Travelport, that travel agents use to search fares and to create and hold bookings with airlines. A booking made through a GDS can carry its own reference alongside the airline's, which is why one reservation sometimes shows two codes. Dummy ticket with PNR explains which code to use.

I to O: IATA code to open-jaw

IATA code

An IATA code is the three-letter code IATA assigns to an airport, such as DEL for Delhi or CDG for Paris Charles de Gaulle, or the two-character code it assigns to an airline. Itineraries, reservations and boarding passes use these codes instead of full names, which is why your PDF says DEL rather than Delhi. The sample itinerary shows them in place.

Main destination

Your main destination is the Schengen country that is the main point of a multi-country trip, judged by the number of days you stay there or by the purpose of the visit; if none stands out, you apply to the country you enter first (Visa Code, Article 5). That consulate, not the one with the easiest appointment, takes the application. Main destination or first entry works through examples.

Manage booking

Manage booking is the page on an airline's own website where you look up a reservation with its booking reference (PNR) and a surname, to see the flights and their status. The label varies by airline, but the fields asked for are usually the same. Looking a booking up does not change it. Verify your PNR gives the steps.

Multi-city

A multi-city itinerary is a reservation with flights on several routes, such as Delhi to Rome, Rome to Paris and Paris to Delhi, rather than one flight out and one back. DTV prices it at ₹699 per two flights, per passenger, so that three-flight example costs ₹1,398 per passenger, as would a four-flight trip. Multi-city itinerary has the pricing table.

NOC

An NOC, or no-objection certificate, is a letter from an employer, college or other authority saying it has no objection to the trip and confirming the traveller's leave, enrolment or position. Some visa checklists ask employed applicants for one alongside the cover letter and bank statement. NOC letter for visa gives the format and a sample.

Onward ticket

An onward ticket is a ticket showing you will leave a country, either back home or on to a third country; a return ticket is one kind of onward ticket. Some destinations ask to see one at check-in or on arrival, separately from any visa, and some specify that it must be paid for. Onward ticket explains where it applies and what counts.

Open-jaw

An open-jaw itinerary flies into one city and out of another, such as arriving in Rome and leaving from Paris, with no flight between them. It fits a multi-country Schengen trip where you travel overland in between. On the DTV form it is booked as a two-flight multi-city itinerary at ₹699 per passenger. Dummy return ticket shows how to set one up.

P to S: passenger name record to Schengen area

Passenger name record (PNR)

A passenger name record, or PNR, is the record a reservation system holds for a booking: names, flights, contact details and either a ticket number or a ticketing deadline. People use "PNR" loosely for the record locator, the short code that opens the booking on the airline's website. What is a PNR explains both and where to find each.

Proof of accommodation

Proof of accommodation is a document showing where you will stay, such as a hotel booking, a rental confirmation or a host's invitation letter, matching the dates on your visa form. Article 14 of the EU Visa Code requires documents on accommodation for a Schengen visa. Proof of accommodation for visa covers what counts.

Proof of onward travel

Proof of onward travel is evidence that you will leave a country, asked for at check-in or on arrival by some destinations, separately from a visa application. A held reservation fits some wording but not all: New Zealand's visa-waiver page says onward tickets "must be paid for before your travel". Proof of onward travel lists the rules by destination.

Refundable ticket

A refundable ticket is a paid, issued ticket whose fare rules let you cancel for a refund, usually at a higher price than a non-refundable fare. It meets rules that ask for a paid ticket, which a held reservation does not. How much comes back, and how fast, depends on the fare rules. Dummy ticket vs refundable ticket compares the cost and risk.

Return ticket

A return ticket is a booking that includes the flight back to where the trip began, as opposed to a one-way or onward-only booking. Some rules name a return specifically: Malaysia's High Commission lists "Confirmed Return Flight Tickets" for Indian visitors, and Sri Lanka's ETA site "A confirmed return ticket". Return ticket for immigration covers where the difference matters.

Schengen area

The Schengen area is the zone of 29 countries, 25 EU member states and 4 non-EU countries, where one short-stay visa covers travel without checks at internal borders. Ireland and Cyprus are EU members outside it. Its common rules decide which consulate you apply to. The European Commission's Schengen page lists the members; our Schengen visa guide covers the flight document.

T to Z: ticketing time limit to waitlist

Ticketing time limit

A ticketing time limit is the deadline, set by the airline's rules when a reservation is made, by which the fare must be paid and a ticket issued. If it passes, the airline can cancel the booking and release the seat. No official source gives one standard number of hours or days, and it varies by airline and fare. Dummy ticket validity explains what that means for when to order.

Timatic

Timatic is IATA's database of passport, visa and health-document rules for international travel, used by airlines, ground staff and government officials to check documents before boarding. IATA says over 700 million passengers' documents are checked with it each year. It is a paid service. IATA's Timatic page describes it; which airlines check onward tickets covers the check-in side.

Transit visa

A transit visa is a visa for passing through a country on the way to somewhere else. An airport transit visa covers passengers who stay airside and never pass immigration, and some countries require one by nationality; Germany, for example, dropped the requirement for Indian nationals on 3 June 2026. Dummy ticket for transit visa covers what a transit file needs.

VFS Global

VFS Global is a private company that governments hire to collect visa applications, documents and biometrics; it does not decide applications. In India it serves most Schengen countries, but Spain uses BLS International, Greece uses Global Visa Center World (GVCW), and Slovakia's embassy recommends BLS. Does VFS accept a dummy ticket covers what happens at the counter.

Visa application centre

A visa application centre is the outsourced office, run by a company such as VFS Global or BLS International, where you hand in documents and give biometrics for a consulate. The centre collects and forwards the file; the consulate's staff make the decision. Which company serves which country depends on where you apply. VFS, BLS and TLScontact explained sets out the differences.

Visa on arrival

Visa on arrival is a visa issued at the airport or border when you land, instead of in advance. Indonesia's visa on arrival for Indian passport holders costs IDR 500,000 (September 2026) for a 30-day stay, and its immigration FAQ lists a "Return ticket or onward ticket to continue traveling to another country". Visa on arrival and the return ticket rule covers more destinations.

Waitlist

A waitlist, shown in reservation systems as the code HL, means you have asked for a seat on a full flight and no seat is held yet. A waitlisted flight on any reservation, including a dummy ticket, should not go into a visa file as it stands; if you see HL on a DTV itinerary, message us on WhatsApp with your order ID. Dummy ticket on hold status explains the other statuses.

Which word belongs on your visa file

The safest words in a cover letter or at an appointment are the plain ones: a flight reservation, held without paying the fare, with a PNR the officer can check. Use "ticket" or "e-ticket" only if you have paid for one.

• Call the document a flight reservation or flight itinerary, matching your checklist's own wording.
• Look up the PNR on the airline's own Manage booking page, and use CheckMyTrip only as a second view.
• Read "confirmed" and "paid" on an entry rule carefully; where the rule says paid, buy a refundable ticket instead.
• Note which visa application centre and which consulate handle your country before the appointment; they are different offices.

When the words make sense, you can order a flight reservation: a PDF itinerary with a PNR, ₹699 per passenger, the same price for one-way or return.

Frequently asked questions