Dummy ticket for a US B1/B2 visa: what the DS-160 and interview need

Neither a dummy ticket nor a paid ticket is required for a US B1/B2 visitor visa. The State Department advises applicants to wait for the visa before purchasing tickets or making final travel plans. Prepare a travel plan that you can explain on the DS-160 and during the interview. A tentative flight itinerary may help you organise those details.

Why no ticket is asked for in a B1/B2 application

The US process is built around an interview, not a document file. There is no checklist that you submit at a counter. The consular officer reads your DS-160, asks a few questions and decides, frequently in two or three minutes, whether you have overcome the legal presumption that every visitor applicant intends to immigrate.

On its visitor visa page the State Department says there is no guarantee a visa will be issued and that you should not make final travel plans or buy tickets until you have one. Officers in India frequently do not review any papers at all. A flight booking pushed across the window does not answer the main consideration, which is why you will come back.

The DS-160 travel section, field by field

The form asks whether you have made specific travel plans. Your answer changes what appears next:

Most first-time applicants from India should answer No, because interview waits can be long and you cannot know your dates yet. An estimated arrival date is acceptable. If you answer Yes, the flight details you type should come from an itinerary that actually exists, not numbers invented to fill the boxes. A held reservation or a simple saved search both work for this. Whatever you enter, be ready to say it aloud at the window in the same words.

What the officer may ask about your trip

Expect short, direct questions: where are you going, for how long, who are you visiting, who is paying, what do you do in India. A parent visiting a son in New Jersey should know the town, approximately when they will fly and when they will return for work or family commitments. A B1 traveller should know the conference or client meeting dates.

An itinerary helps you prepare these answers, since it forces you to select a gateway city, a duration and a return date. Carry it if you like, along with your invitation or conference registration, but offer documents only if asked. Never present a reservation as a purchased ticket. If the officer asks whether you have booked, say what is true: that you will buy tickets after the visa.

Our guide on reservations and visa interview appointments covers timing in more detail.

Booking the appointment in India

After submitting the DS-160 you pay the visa fee (US$185 for B1/B2 at the time of writing) and schedule two visits on the official scheduling site: one at a Visa Application Centre for fingerprints and photo, and one at the Embassy in New Delhi or a Consulate General in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata or Hyderabad for the interview. You may book at any post in India, not only the one nearest your home.

Wait times for visitor interviews vary sharply between posts and through the year. Check the State Department's published wait times before you fix even a rough travel month. Interview-waiver rules have been tightened recently, so do not assume a renewal skips the interview.

Planning the route once the visa is stamped

Air India flies non-stop from Delhi and Mumbai to New York and Newark, and to Chicago and San Francisco from Delhi; Bengaluru has a San Francisco service. United and American also operate Delhi non-stops at the time of writing. From Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi or Ahmedabad, one stop through Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Frankfurt, London or Paris is normal.

If you route through Europe or the UK, review transit rules for Indian passports. A valid US visa typically exempts you from an airport transit visa in Schengen states and the UK when you stay airside, but confirm this for your specific airport. Gulf hubs need no transit visa for a simple connection.

B1/B2 visas for Indians are commonly issued for ten years with multiple entries, so there is no rush to correspond to the ticket to the visa start date. The length of each stay is set by the officer at the US airport, who may ask about your return plans.

Is a held reservation worth ordering for a US trip?

For the visa itself, typically not, and you should not feel pressed to purchase one. It is useful if you want real flight numbers for the DS-160, if a relative or employer needs proposed dates for an invitation or approval letter, or if you are entering the US on a one-way ticket and want to show onward plans to the airline at check-in.

If you do want one, Flight Dummy Tickets furnishes a genuine airline reservation with a checkable PNR for ₹799 per passenger, delivered in approximately 10 minutes and verifiable for up to two weeks. Because US interview dates are frequently months away, order close to when you need it. You can do that at the booking page or through the chat assistant. For background, see what a dummy ticket is.

Frequently asked questions

Should I answer Yes or No to "Have you made specific travel plans?" on the DS-160?

Answer No unless you genuinely have flights planned. You will then give only an intended arrival date, length of stay and US address. Answering Yes requires flight numbers and cities, which should reflect a real itinerary.

Does the consular officer check flight bookings at the B1/B2 interview?

Rarely. Decisions are based on the DS-160 and your answers. Officers may ask about your travel plan verbally, so know your dates, destination and return reason. Show documents only if requested.

My travel dates changed after I submitted the DS-160. Is that a problem?

The dates on the DS-160 are intended dates. If asked at the interview, give your current plan honestly. A B1/B2 visa is typically valid for multiple trips, so it is not tied to the dates you entered.

Can I book a non-refundable US flight before my interview to show I am serious?

The State Department advises against buying tickets before the visa is issued. A paid ticket does not improve your chances and you risk losing the fare if the visa is refused or delayed.

Will US immigration ask for a return ticket when I land?

The officer at the port of entry may ask how long you are staying and when you leave. Most travellers on B1/B2 fly with a return ticket bought after the visa, which answers the question.