What Exactly Is Required Flight Itinerary or Flight Ticket and Why It Is Required for Visa Application?

 

Most Schengen consulates ask you to submit only the Flight Itinerary and not the actual flight ticket. They are very well aware of the non-refundable nature of the flight tickets.  However, some consulates may ask you to show the proof of the actual air ticket when your visa is issued.   In some cases, some consulates may ask you to submit the actual flight ticket, but that is not the normal procedure.

You do not have to buy a flight ticket before you apply for a visa. Instead, you can present a flight itinerary which you can book without paying the full price of the travel ticket and once you obtain your visa you can purchase the real flight ticket.

You can also get a confirmed Flight Itinerary/Flight Reservation through a travel agency or through an online visa agency such as Schengen Visa Itinerary. It is always recommended to get a flight reservation through these agencies because they have a lot of information about airlines, giving you access to cheaper flight deals. Most importantly, you can make the flight reservation without payment!

They are also offering Hotel Booking at your destinations and Travel Insurance for any Schengen visa country.

Why Is a Flight Itinerary Required?

Many people wonder why they need to submit the flight itinerary when applying for Schengen visa and why they cannot plan their trip after getting the actual visa.

There are several reasons behind that:

Appropriateness of the Embassy/Consulate

There are set rules regarding where to submit Schengen visa application.  That largely depends upon your travel itinerary, such as your primary destination and where you will stay each day in the Schengen area.

Having a flight itinerary helps the embassy/consulate make sure that the applicants are applying at the appropriate consulate.

Visa length

Once the consular officer sees your flight itinerary, they can see when you are planning to go to the Schengen area and for how long you will stay there. That helps them issue the Schengen visa for an appropriate length of time.

As the Schengen visa will be issued exactly for the duration of your trip duration you show, it is better to add a few days before and after in the itinerary. That way, when you actually book the trip, you will have more flexibility in making your travel arrangements.

Avoiding overstay

The consular officer can evaluate your flight itinerary and decide the visa length and the dates accordingly so that you do not end up overstaying in the Schengen area. Otherwise, that could cause you problems this time or when you apply for a Schengen visa again in the future.

If you need support with an upcoming trip to the Schengen Area, please contact us today.