Schengen · 6 minute read
Flight Reservation and Hotel Booking for a Schengen Visa
Most Schengen consulates accept a flight reservation, not a paid ticket, but Greece is an exception. What counts as a valid reservation and hotel booking.
Fast Travellers · Reviewed
You usually do not need to buy flights before you apply for a Schengen visa. Most consulates ask for a flight reservation and proof of where you will stay, in your name, with dates that match your application. Greece is the main exception and wants paid tickets. Buy non-refundable tickets only after your visa is issued.
What consulates ask for
For applications made in the UK, the EU has agreed one list of supporting documents that every Schengen consulate works from. It is set out in a European Commission decision of 2021. For travel and accommodation, it asks for:
- "proof of reserved return ticket to the United Kingdom", or proof of onward travel if you are not coming back to the UK
- proof of accommodation, or of enough money to pay for it
- for tourism, a "confirmed hotel booking for the full stay", or a tour booking confirmation
Note the word "reserved". The Commission's handbook for consulates goes further: "A paid return ticket should not be required upon lodging but may be requested in exceptional circumstances when the visa has been issued."
So for most countries, the question is not "do I need a ticket?" but "what makes a reservation acceptable?"
The exceptions you need to know
National checklists can still ask for more, and some do:
- Greece. The checklist used by Greece's visa centres in the UK asks for "fully paid return travel tickets" with a booking reference or e-ticket number, plus a receipt. Tickets from travel agencies are only accepted from agencies based in Europe.
- Italy. The consulate's tourism page asks for a "reserved return ticket", printed directly from the airline, train or bus company. A family-visit checklist on the visa centre's site asks for a fully paid ticket. Check the checklist for your exact visa category before you book.
- Spain. The London consulate's checklist asks for a "round-trip ticket booking", but BLS's Manchester centre says it wants actual tickets, not reservations. Follow the checklist for the centre you are using.
Germany's embassy sits with the majority. It asks for a "reserved return airline/ ferry/ train ticket" and adds: "It may be advisable to book a fully refundable ticket." It also strongly recommends that you make no travel arrangements or other financial commitments until your visa has been approved.
Always read the current checklist for your consulate and visa category. If it says "paid", a reservation will not do. If two official pages disagree, check with the consulate before you book.
Flight reservation or ticket: what is the difference?
A ticket is paid and issued. It has a ticket number and, on the cheapest fares, usually cannot be refunded.
A reservation holds seats in your name on specific flights. It has a booking reference that the airline or agent can confirm, but it may not be paid in full yet.
You have two practical options:
- A reservation with a booking reference. An airline hold or a travel agent's reservation for your application dates. Holds can expire, so time them with your appointment.
- A refundable or changeable fare. You pay, but can cancel or change it if the visa is refused or delayed. This is the safest way to meet a "fully paid" rule, such as Greece's, and it is what Germany's embassy suggests.
What a good flight reservation shows
- Your full name exactly as in your passport
- A booking reference, also called a PNR
- Flight numbers, dates and times
- A route into the Schengen Area and back out, usually to the UK
- Dates that match your application form, insurance and hotel bookings
If you are visiting more than one country, show how you move between them, for example with a train or bus booking or a clear day-by-day itinerary.
Why you should not buy non-refundable tickets first
- Decisions take time. A consulate normally decides within 15 calendar days, but it can take up to 45 in some cases.
- Refusals happen. If you are refused, the visa fee is not refunded, and a non-refundable flight is lost too.
- The visa may not match your plans. The consulate decides the dates and the number of days on your visa.
- Appointments move. If you cannot get an appointment in time, a fixed ticket forces a rushed application.
Wait for your passport to come back with the visa in it. Check the dates and the number of days allowed. Then buy your tickets.
Hotel bookings that consulates accept
Your accommodation evidence should cover every night of your stay, in every country. A good hotel booking:
- is confirmed, not a search result or a quote
- is in your name, or lists you as a guest
- shows the hotel's name, address and contact details, and your dates
- matches your flights and itinerary
A booking with free cancellation is normal. Keep it active until your visa is decided. Be aware that the Commission's handbook calls a hotel reservation "a weak means of proving purpose of travel", because it can be cancelled so easily. So support the purpose of your trip with other documents too, such as a day-by-day itinerary, tour or event bookings, or an invitation.
Do not treat reservations as disposable once you have the visa. Spain's consulate in Edinburgh warns: "Modification or cancelation of any travel reservation after the Visa is granted may lead to refusal in future Visa applications." Plans can change for genuine reasons, but keep evidence of what you did and why.
Holiday rentals
Apartments and holiday rentals are usually fine if the confirmation shows your name, the full address and the dates. Greece's checklist, for example, accepts a "hotel/holiday home confirmed reservation" with those details. A confirmation from the booking platform is better than a screenshot of a message.
Staying with family or friends
If you stay with someone, you usually need an invitation from your host, a copy of their passport or residence permit, and proof of their address. Several countries use an official form that your host must get or sign in their own country:
| Country | What your host provides |
|---|---|
| France | An attestation d'accueil, requested at the town hall where you will stay. It costs €30 |
| Germany | A recent, informal invitation letter. A formal obligation letter (Verpflichtungserklärung) from the host's local immigration office can also cover your costs |
| Netherlands | The "proof of sponsorship and/or private accommodation" form, legalised by the host's municipality. Apply within six months of legalisation |
| Spain | A carta de invitación from the police station where the host lives, or a private invitation statement signed at the Spanish consulate |
| Italy | A signed "proof of sponsorship and/or private accommodation" form. The host also undertakes to tell the local police within 48 hours of your arrival |
| Greece | An invitation certified by a Greek authority, such as the police or a Citizens Service Centre, no older than 30 days |
| Iceland | The official invitation form, filled in and signed by your host and posted to you in original |
Check the country page for the exact form, and ask your host to start early.
Do not use fake or "dummy" bookings
Some websites sell "dummy tickets" or edited booking confirmations. Do not use them.
Under Article 32 of the EU Visa Code, a consulate can refuse a visa when there are "reasonable doubts as to the authenticity of the supporting documents" or "the veracity of their contents". A fake booking can turn a strong application into a refusal, and the refusal stays on your visa record.
There is also the border. Under the Schengen Borders Code, border guards can check the purpose of your stay and, if necessary, the supporting documents, including where you are staying and your return ticket. Your bookings should be real when you travel.
After your visa is issued
- Check the visa dates, number of entries and duration of stay.
- Buy your flights for dates within the visa.
- Keep or rebook your hotels. If you change hotels, keep the new confirmations.
- Carry copies of your bookings, insurance and invitation when you travel.
Let us handle the reservations
We make flight and hotel reservations for visa applications as part of our service, with dates that match your form and insurance, and we check what your consulate accepts first. Book a free eligibility check to start. For country checklists, see Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Greece and Italy.
Questions people ask
Do I need to buy a flight ticket before applying for a Schengen visa?
Usually not. The EU's agreed document list for UK applicants asks for proof of a reserved return ticket, and the Commission's handbook says a paid ticket should not be required when you apply. Greece is an exception: its visa centre in the UK asks for fully paid tickets.
Is a hotel booking with free cancellation accepted for a Schengen visa?
Generally yes, if it is a genuine, confirmed booking in your name covering every night of your stay. Consulates know these bookings are easy to cancel, so back up the purpose of your trip with other documents too.
Can I use a dummy ticket for a Schengen visa?
Do not use a fake or edited ticket. A consulate can refuse a visa if it has reasonable doubts about whether your documents are genuine. Use a real reservation that the airline or agent can confirm.
What if I am staying with family or friends in Europe?
You usually need an invitation from your host with proof of their address and status. Several countries use an official form that your host gets in their own country, such as France's attestation d'accueil, so ask them to start early.