Travelling to a new country is always exciting, but planning for it can be overwhelming. Travellers face the bothersome issue of having to furnish proof of a return or onward flight when they apply for a visa before setting off. This is where dummy flight tickets come into the picture. They act as your saviour when you need to provide proof of return or onward fight for a visa.

The Legality of Dummy Flight Tickets–All You Should Know  

When the need arises to buy a dummy flight ticket, many travellers are left wondering if it’s legal or not. This blog takes you through the nitty-gritty of a dummy flight ticket.

What Is a Dummy Flight Ticket?  

Dummy flight tickets are temporary bookings on a flight. With details like your name, dates and flight number, it appears like a real flight ticket. While it looks real, it’s not really a confirmed ticket, not a ticket you’ve paid for. These tickets are held only for a short time.

Dummy flight tickets are primarily used by travellers when they apply for a visa. As part of the visa approval process, some embassies ask for proof of return or onward ticket. That’s when you buy a dummy ticket to furnish it as evidence of return or onward journey. When you buy these tickets, you don’t need to pay for them and hence, you eliminate any risk of monetary loss in the event of your visa being denied.

How Does a Dummy Ticket Work?  

Travellers get dummy flight tickets through travel agents or online services. These tickets are valid for no more than 24 to 72 hours. These tickets are automatically cancelled after the time has lapsed when they aren’t paid for.

Before you make the payment, some airlines allow you to hold a booking while others don’t. Hence, when they create dummy tickets, some travel agencies use their own systems. You receive a dummy ticket on your email address just as you would receive a genuine flight ticket.

Why Do People Use Dummy Tickets?  

There are several reasons why people use dummy flight tickets. We have outlined them for you here:

• To furnish proof of return or onward journey when applying for a visa

• To avoid the risk of buying a genuine ticket before visa approval

• To enter any country where an exit plan needs to be submitted at the immigration

Cancelling a real flight ticket after buying it can be a risky affair. If the ticket is non-refundable, you end up losing money. For many, dummy tickets are a much cheaper and safer option.

Are Dummy Flight Tickets Legal?  

Here is a simple answer: dummy flight tickets are indeed legal, however, conditions apply. If you are honest and you buy a dummy flight ticket only for temporary use, it's absolutely legal. Using dummy flight tickets Is allowed to apply for a visa or to enter a country that demands proof of return or onward journey. As long as you don't lie and you don't use any fake documents, you aren't doing anything that violates any law.  

However, there is a certain condition. You can't use any fake ticket that isn't held in any airline's system since that is considered illegal. It shall be treated as forgery or fraud. So to put things in a nutshell, you can't use forged documents and your reservation has to be on a genuine airline.

Legal Dummy Tickets vs Fake Tickets  

We make the difference between legal dummy tickets and fake tickets absolutely clear here.

• Legal dummy ticket: It's a real reservation that can be checked in an airline’s system and it's made through an airline itself or a travel agency.

• Fake ticket: These look like real tickets but they don't have any real existence since they aren’t on any booking system. It's no more than only a created image or PDF file.

In most cases, using a real dummy ticket is allowed while using a fake ticket isn’t.

When Are Dummy Tickets Accepted?  

Dummy tickets are accepted for visa applications by many embassies. When you apply for a Dubai visit visa, the concerned authorities realise that you don't want to spend money on a real ticket before your visa is approved. In some cases, the immigration authorities themselves suggest the use of temporary bookings.

If they are real reservations, the immigration officials may also accept dummy tickets in some countries. However, in such cases, everything depends entirely on the country and the officer concerned. You must therefore check the visa and immigration rules of the country you are travelling to.

Risks of Using Dummy Tickets  

While dummy tickets are considered legal documents, there still are some risks involved in using them.

• The ticket may not be valid till the time when your visa is approved

• If it's not a real booking, the immigration officials may question your ticket.

• Some services may sell you a fake ticket that has no valid reservation

You can reduce these risks by using a trusted service or by booking a real ticket that offers free cancellation.

How to Get a Dummy Ticket  

There are a few ways to get a dummy ticket.

• Travel agency: Many travel agencies charge a fee and make a temporary flight booking.

• Online services: You can get dummy flight tickets on some websites instantly by paying a small fee.

• Airline reservation: You can hold a ticket for free or by paying a small fee with some airlines.

You have only got to make sure that the dummy ticket bears  your name, flight number, dates and the booking code (PNR). It should show on the airline's website when you check for it.

Final Thoughts  

You can make your travel plans much easier with dummy flight tickets. It's best to approach reliable travel agencies offering international visa services for dummy tickets. Dummy tickets are a big help when you need to show proof of onward or return travel when you apply for visas. If you use them correctly, they are accepted as legal documents often. Make sure that you use a real reservation and not a fake document. To summarise, you can save money and reduce your stress with dummy flight tickets. You only have to follow the rules and be honest.