Dummy ticket for a Germany visa: what the German Missions ask for

The German Missions in India's tourism checklist requests a "Flight reservation". It does not require a paid ticket, and it states that purchasing a ticket does not speed up the decision. Submit your reservation and VIDEX form through VFS Global. The relevant German mission will consider the application.

What the German checklist says about flights

Three lines in the tourism checklist deal with your travel plan:

• Item 5 requests a personal covering letter with "proof of intended means of transport and itinerary".
• Item 11 reads simply "Flight reservation".
• The general remarks add that "a booked flight ticket does not result in a preferred processing of the application".

Read together, the message is plain. The mission wants to see your planned route and dates. It is not asking you to spend money on a ticket, and paying for one provides nothing in the queue. The same applies to trade fair visitors: the checklist notes that the start date of an exhibition does not speed things up either.

Checklists are revised, so download the current version from the German Missions' website before your appointment.

Any VFS centre in India, five missions behind them

Germany is unusual among Schengen states in India: the German Missions state that Schengen applications can be submitted at any VFS Global centre in the country, regardless of where you live. If Bengaluru has no slots, you can review Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi or another city.

The files are decided by the Embassy in New Delhi or the Consulates General in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bengaluru. VFS only collects documents and biometrics.

This flexibility affects your reservation in one way. If you travel to another city for the appointment, the flight on your visa file should still depart from the airport you would really use for the trip.

Frankfurt and Munich are easy to route to

Germany has more nonstop links with India than any other Schengen country. At the time of writing, Lufthansa flies to Frankfurt from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad, and to Munich from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Air India also flies Delhi to Frankfurt. Confirm days of operation with the airline for your dates.

That means a simple, direct reservation is available from most metros. For Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne or Stuttgart, the normal plan is a connection in Frankfurt or Munich, or an ICE train from Frankfurt airport's own long-distance station. Either is fine on a visa file. If you use the train, say so in the covering letter, since item 5 requests your means of transport.

Landing in Frankfurt does not make it a German application

Because Frankfurt and Munich are the big hubs, a large share of Indian travellers to Portugal, Spain, Greece or Scandinavia enter the Schengen area in Germany. That does not make Germany the main destination. You apply to the country where you spend the most nights; Germany takes the file only if it has the most nights, or if nights are tied and Germany is where you first enter.

The reverse error is just as common: a Black Forest and Bavaria holiday booked through Zurich because the fare was better. That is still a German application. Put the Zurich arrival on the reservation and explain the onward train in the letter. The wider rules on stay length and insurance are in the Schengen guide.

No remonstration any more: get the file right the first time

Until mid-2025 a refused applicant could write to the German mission and request the decision to be reviewed, a free process called remonstration. Germany abolished it worldwide from 1 July 2025. A refusal now leaves two options: a fresh application with a new fee, or a court case in Germany.

So small inconsistencies have a higher cost than they used to. Before the appointment, check that:

1. the dates on the reservation equal the dates in the VIDEX form and the insurance policy, which must cover the entire journey "as per your application";
2. every passenger's name is spelt as in the passport;
3. hotel bookings cover each night between arrival and departure, in each country you visit.

Counting back from Oktoberfest, a trade fair or a Christmas market

The checklist gives processing as 15 working days from the day the file reaches the visa section, and the missions tell you to allow extra days for transport between VFS and the consulate. Their own advice for travel within two weeks is to consider postponing the trip.

Work backwards. For Oktoberfest in late September, a Christmas market trip in December, or a fair in Hannover, Frankfurt or Düsseldorf, check for an appointment at least six to eight weeks ahead, and earlier for May to August travel.

A held reservation is checkable for a limited time, so order it close to the appointment. FDT supplies a genuine airline reservation with a PNR you can retrieve on the airline's Manage Booking page, for ₹799 per passenger, approximately 10 minutes after payment at the booking page. It is not a ticket and cannot be used to fly. For a business visit, the work visa article covers national visas, which follow different rules.

Frequently asked questions

Does the German checklist ask for a confirmed ticket?

No. The tourism checklist item is "Flight reservation", and the remarks state that a booked flight ticket does not lead to preferred processing.

Can I submit my German visa application in a city I do not live in?

Yes. The German Missions say Schengen applications can be lodged at any VFS Global centre in India regardless of your place of residence.

What can I do if Germany refuses my Schengen visa?

The remonstration procedure ended on 1 July 2025. You can submit a new application with corrected documents, or take legal action in Germany. The refusal letter explains the options.

My fair starts in ten days. Will the consulate hurry?

The checklist states that the start date of a trade fair does not result in preferred processing. Applications must be lodged at least 15 working days before travel.