Why do Embassies Ask for Flight Itinerary and Hotel Booking?

 

The visa embassies acknowledge the fact that it is not wise to purchase a flight ticket or pay for a hotel stay before you get your visa. Even if you are suggested to get one, which you can avail “free cancellation”, don’t do so since flight tickets which you can cancel are at least 25% more expensive than non-cancellation flights. The case is the same with hotel rooms.

Even the European Union’s visa consulate advises those applying for a Schengen visa not to purchase real tickets but only travel itinerary and hotel booking instead. Despite that, some others oblige the applicants to purchase and present their original air ticket when going to collect their visa, as the last condition.

You may ask yourself why embassies around the world are asking for such a document when it can be cancelled very easily. Well, the reasons are as following:

To prove you will not be overstaying

The main reason why these two requirements are so important for embassies around the world is that this is just another way to make sure you will be going back to your home country upon the end of your visa validity. Because the flight itinerary shows the dates of your arrival and departure, and the hotel booking reconfirms them, this assures the embassy that you have no intention to remain in their country after the expiration of your visa. It also supports the reason for travelling that you have presented to the consular officers.

Deciding the length of the visa

The second reason is that it helps the consular officers decide on the length of your visa validity. Upon having the itinerary in their hand they have it clear exactly how many days you need to remain in their country, thus they avoid limiting you to stay for less than you need or giving you a visa that exceeds your needs.

Deciding at what embassy you should apply

This is valid only for those applying for a Schengen Visa. A common Schengen visa rule says that the visitors that plan to go through two or more countries of the Schengen Zone must apply at the embassy of the country where they will be staying longer. Therefore, when you present the itinerary and the hotel booking, you actually prove that you are applying to the right embassy.

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