Do you need a flight itinerary for a US visa?
A flight itinerary for a US visa is a travel reservation showing your intended entry and exit dates. For a B1/B2 visitor visa, you are generally not required to buy actual tickets before your interview — and the US government advises against it. What helps is a flight reservation or itinerary you can reference, without gambling on a non-refundable fare before your visa is approved.
Buying real tickets early is risky: US visa outcomes aren't guaranteed, and refunds can be slow or partial.
Why you shouldn't buy tickets before approval
The B1/B2 process includes an interview, and approval is at the consular officer's discretion. If you purchase flights and the visa is delayed or refused, you can lose money. A flight reservation lets you show a concrete travel plan without that risk — the same principle behind using a dummy ticket for a visa application.
What to prepare for the interview
- A flight reservation with realistic entry and exit dates you can talk through.
- Your name spelled exactly as in your passport.
- Supporting documents — ties to your home country, funds, and purpose of travel matter far more than the ticket itself.
A verified flight reservation gives you a real, lookup-able PNR to reference, valid for 48 hours or longer.
Remember: for a US visa, your strong ties to home and clear purpose of visit carry the most weight. The itinerary supports your story; it doesn't replace it.
Is submitting a reservation legal?
Yes — a genuine, temporary flight reservation is completely legitimate. What's not acceptable is a forged document with an invented booking code, which counts as fraud. Use a reservation you can verify in the airline system, as we explain in our guide on whether a dummy ticket is safe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to book flights before my US visa interview?
No. The US advises applicants not to buy tickets until the visa is approved. A flight reservation or itinerary is enough to show your travel plans at the interview, so you avoid losing money if the visa is delayed or refused.
Will the consulate check my flight reservation?
They may reference it, but for a B1/B2 the officer focuses more on your ties to your home country, funds and purpose of travel. A genuine reservation with a real PNR supports your case; a fake one can undermine it if checked.
How long should my flight reservation stay valid?
It should be valid on the day of your interview. A 48-hour reservation covers a same-day appointment, but if your interview is scheduled further out, choose a longer or date-specific reservation so it hasn't expired when it's reviewed.