Answers
Ai‑je besoin d’un itinéraire de vol pour une demande de visa ?
Direct answer
Schengen short-stay (Type C) and Japan tourist visa checklists require a confirmed flight itinerary, whereas UK Standard Visitor, Canadian TRV, and Australian Subclass 600 guidance advise against pre-paying airfare while accepting optional itinerary timelines. Submitting a genuine airline reservation with a verifiable 6-character GDS PNR documents your planned dates without risking a non-refundable ticket before visa approval.
Statutory basis for submitting a reservation instead of a paid ticket
Consulates evaluate intended entry and exit dates to confirm stay-limit and insurance compliance, yet caution against buying non-refundable airfare prior to visa issuance. Under the EU Visa Code (Regulation (EC) No 810/2009, Article 14 & Annex II), the required supporting document for a Schengen short-stay (Type C) visa is a "return or round-trip ticket, ou une réservation de celui-ci." Meanwhile, UK Home Office (GOV.UK) Standard Visitor guidance, IRCC Canada Temporary Resident Visa guidance, and Australia Home Affairs Subclass 600 guidance advise applicants not to buy non-refundable tickets before a decision, though applicants often attach a dated itinerary timeline alongside hotel and financial records.
How requirements vary by consulate
- Mandatory flight reservation checklists: Schengen short-stay (Type C) visas (€90 adult / €45 child fee via VFS Global, BLS, or TLScontact) and Japan MOFA temporary visitor dossiers.
- Transit visas requiring onward proof: UK Visitor in Transit and airport transit visas require evidence of confirmed onward travel within the transit window.
- Optional itinerary / do-not-prepay frameworks: UK Standard Visitor, US DS-160 (B1/B2), Canada TRV (IRCC), and Australia Visitor (Subclass 600) do not require pre-paid tickets before approval.
- Digital Nomad, Student & Business visas: Consular checklists in Spain, Portugal, Germany, and across Asia frequently request a one-way or round-trip flight reservation matching insurance start dates.
Timing, pricing & limitations
One-Way reservations cost $7, Return reservations cost $11, and Multi-City reservations cost $9 per leg (no base fee). For consular submissions, order within 24 hours of your appointment and select the 7 days validity add-on (+$7.99 flat per order) rather than the 48 hours standard hold. Note that a reservation is a temporary held itinerary, not a purchased e-ticket for boarding, and PNR verification confirms the booking exists in the GDS while active—it does not guarantee visa approval. See Itinéraire de vol pour visa et Réglementations d’immigration & consulaires.