What the document shows
- Your name exactly as in your passport
- Flight numbers, airports, dates and times
- The airline and a booking reference it can look up
- Dates inside the stay you are applying for
- A status line that says it is a reservation
If your consulate asks for a return to your country of residence, choose that route. If it accepts onward travel, a short flight to a neighbouring country is enough.
- Booking reference
- SAMPLE
- Passenger
- SAMPLE / ALEX MR
- Flight
- SA 550 · BKK 07:35 → SGN 09:05
- Status
- Confirmed hold (unpaid reservation)
- Valid until
- Airline payment deadline, shown on the pass
Look it up under Manage booking on the airline's website with the reference and family name.
Timing it against your appointment
- 01
Book your appointment or open the application
Know the date you will submit, or upload, the itinerary.
- 02
Order the reservation close to that date
Holds last until the airline's deadline, often hours to a few days. Order the day before an appointment, or schedule it.
- 03
Submit it with your application
Bring the PDF, and keep the booking reference handy in case the consulate checks it.
- 04
Buy the ticket you want after the decision
The hold lapses by itself. Nothing to cancel, nothing more to pay.
Destinations that often need a visa itinerary
Questions
01Do consulates accept a flight reservation instead of a ticket?
Many say so on their checklists, and some explicitly advise against buying a ticket before a decision. Always follow the checklist of the consulate handling your application.
02Can the consulate verify it?
Yes, while it is valid. The reservation exists in the airline's system under the booking reference and your family name. See how to verify a flight reservation.
03My appointment is weeks away. When should I order?
Close to the appointment or upload date, or order now and choose a creation time so the hold is fresh when you need it.
04What if my visa is refused?
Nothing more to do: the reservation lapses on the airline's deadline and there is no ticket to cancel.