US Visa Flight Reservation

For a US visitor visa the usual advice is not to buy tickets before the visa is issued, and the process is built around that expectation.

What the interview turns on

A B1/B2 interview focuses on your purpose of travel and your ties to your home country. A flight booking is not the centre of it, and buying one does not strengthen the case for its own sake.

Where a reservation still helps

• When you are asked to describe concrete travel dates
• When an employer, sponsor or institution asks for an itinerary
• When a supporting document set is expected to hang together

Why holding rather than buying

US appointment waits can be long and outcomes are not guaranteed. A reservation lets you present specific dates without paying for flights that may need to change or may never be taken.

After approval

Once the visa is issued, book the real ticket. A held reservation is for the application stage; it is not something to travel on, and it will have expired long before departure in most cases.

Follow the current instructions from the consulate handling your interview. Requirements differ by post and by visa class, and the official checklist is the one that counts.