Do I need a flight reservation to apply for a Switzerland visa?
A traveler named Victor is seeking urgent advice about getting a visa for Switzerland since the consulate requires a flight 'reservation' that he believes no longer exists. He's frustrated with the lack of clear answers from the consulate and wants to know what kind of flight documentation will be accepted to avoid unnecessary expenses.
- When applying for a Swiss visa, providing a flight itinerary instead of a reservation is sufficient as per the consulate's response.
- Beware that refundable tickets can be significantly more expensive than nonrefundable ones, often costing 180% more.
- Consider using a dummy ticket from a travel agency as an option, though some countries may not accept them.
AI-generated summary-
I really need help with this question. My wife has a visa appointment coming up, and the Swiss consulate will not give me an answer. I have inquired by email several times, and they keep sending the same useless form response. They refuse to take phone calls.
They require a flight “reservation” in order to get a visa. There is NO SUCH THING. It used to be possible to call an airline, give them your name, reserve a flight, and pay at the airport before departure. As far as I know, this has been impossible for about 30 years. The closest thing to a reservation is a flight hold, which only lasts a couple of days.
Generally, there are three things people use in order to get visas.
1. Paid nonrefundable tickets. These are less expensive than refundable tickets, but if a capricious consulate employee shoots you down, you get stuck with a big loss or a credit you may never be able to use.
2. Paid refundable tickets. These can cost 180% as much as nonrefundable tickets.
3. Dummy tickets. These are fake tickets prepared by travel agencies or other companies. They are worthless, but if a consulate checks the system, they pop up as valid. Consulates know they are worthless, but for some reason, many countries accept them anyway.
Does anyone here know what the Swiss will actually accept? I would rather spend money in Switzerland than waste it on a refundable ticket.
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Hi Victor,
The requirement for entry visa to Switzerland differs by country of origin. Please have a look at our general visa guide here: https://www.myswissalps.com/planning/practical/visa/
For some countries, a return flight ticket may be required as part of the visa application.
I would recommend contacting the consulate or embassy directly by email for clarification.
regards,
Anna
Thanks for the reply.
I have seen the list. That isn’t the problem. The problem is that they ask for flight “reservations,” which are things that no longer exist on planet Earth. The reservation system disappeared many years ago. Now travelers are limited to refundable paid tickets, nonrefundable paid tickets, and dummy tickets, which some nations do not accept. A refundable ticket may cost 180% of the price of a nonrefundable ticket.
There are also paid “holds” which allow a passenger to keep a seat without paying for it, but they only last a couple of days, so they are useless for visa purposes.
Emailing Swiss consulates is not very practical. I have tried it repeatedly. They keep saying the same incorrect things over and over.
After many emails, I finally got a sort of answer today. Maybe the results I got will help someone else. I asked, “So if we supply a flight itinerary, which is not an actual ticket and cannot be used for travel, that is sufficient?” They responded: “Yes, as long as we have your name and the flight details. The visa processing is done by verifying all the dates for the flight, hotels, medical coverage, etc.”
Hi Victor,
Thanks for sharing this information. I’m sure this is useful for travellers who may be in a similar situation.
Hope everything goes smoothly for you.
Regards,
Anna
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