US B1/B2: travel plans and flight documents

Overview

Requirements vary by destination country, visa type, and the embassy, consulate or visa application centre handling your file. Always follow the official checklist for your post. This page is general information, not legal advice. FlyDummy does not guarantee that any authority will accept a reservation document.

B-1/B-2 visitor visas are decided by a US consular officer. The DS-160 form and the interview are the core of the process. Document habits that work for Schengen files do not automatically apply.

Official requirement considerations

The US Department of State visitor-visa pages explain eligibility, the DS-160, and the interview. They are the source of truth — not a vendor blog.

Posts in India (Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata) can publish local appointment notes. Read the page for the city where you will interview.

Whether flight details may be required

The DS-160 asks about intended travel. That is not the same as uploading a paid e-ticket. Some applicants still carry an itinerary so they can describe dates and cities clearly.

Whether an officer asks to see a printout is a case-by-case matter. Do not treat a reservation document as a required exhibit unless your appointment instructions say so.

Whether a fully paid ticket is necessarily required

State Department material for visitor visas does not instruct you to buy a non-refundable ticket before a decision. It also does not say a paid ticket is forbidden in every situation.

FlyDummy does not state that a paid ticket is or is not required for B1/B2. If a consular officer or written instruction asks for a specific document, follow that instruction.

When to purchase actual flights

Many applicants wait until the visa is issued before paying for a US-bound fare, because a refusal would leave a large unused ticket. That is a personal financial choice, not a rule we can certify.

A FlyDummy PDF cannot be used to check in or board. Buy a real ticket from the airline when you intend to travel.

Common mistakes to avoid

Spending a large non-refundable fare only because a consultant said “you must have a ticket.” Check travel.state.gov and your post’s page instead.

Itinerary dates that contradict the DS-160.

Presenting a SAMPLE watermarked page as if it were a live booking.