Flight reservation for your India application

What official sources say

The Indian Visa Online e-Visa page lists, among eligibility conditions, that the foreigner should have a return or onward journey ticket and sufficient money to spend during the stay. For the e-Transit Visa it lists a confirmed travel ticket to India and an onward journey ticket among documents.

Good to know for India

• The wording says ticket. We did not verify whether immigration or airlines accept a reservation in its place, so check before relying on one.

Step by step: using a flight reservation

1. Check the official checklist for your application and ask your application centre what they accept.
2. Search flights on Visa Flight Pass with your real route and dates.
3. Choose a flight and click Book for Visa proof. Only flights the airline lets us hold are offered.
4. Enter each traveller exactly as in the passport.
5. Pay the service fee and receive the reservation PDF by email.
6. Attach the PDF unaltered to your application.

Timing

Airline holds are short, typically from about a day to a few days. Apply while the reservation is still valid, or ask your application centre whether it must be active on your appointment date.

Limits and honesty

A reservation is not a ticket: you cannot fly on it. Use real names and never edit the PDF. Requirements differ between embassies, consulates and application centres, and some ask for a paid ticket. No document guarantees a visa or entry. Always confirm against the checklist for your own application.

Sources

• e-Visa, Indian Visa Online - Return or onward ticket condition

Last checked: 6 October 2026. Requirements change and differ between consulates. Always confirm with the official checklist for your own application.