# South Korea Visa from India: Flight Reservation vs Confirmed Ticket > Whether a flight reservation works for a Korean visa depends on where you apply. What the Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru and New Delhi checklists actually ask for, and how to book safely. _Published: 2026-10-18 · Reading time: 5 min · Words: 1056_ ## TL;DR Korea's centres in India do not agree on flight proof. The Mumbai-jurisdiction VFS tourist checklist asks for a confirmed, refundable e-ticket and a refundable hotel booking, while the Chennai and Bengaluru sightseeing checklist lists no ticket for normal processing; express there needs a confirmed ticket copy. Follow your own jurisdiction's checklist. ## Key takeaways - Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Goa and Hyderabad centres ask tourists for a confirmed, refundable flight e-ticket and a refundable hotel booking. - The Chennai and Bengaluru sightseeing checklist (2026) lists no flight document for normal processing. - Express applications in Chennai and Bengaluru need a confirmed air ticket and accommodation, with travel within 10 to 14 days. - Since 21 September 2026, Mumbai-jurisdiction centres accept applications only if you travel within one month of submission. - Express fees are not returned on rejection, and after a refusal you can reapply only after three months. **It depends on your jurisdiction. The Mumbai-jurisdiction VFS Global checklist for Korean tourist visas (C-3-9) asks for a confirmed, refundable flight e-ticket, while the Chennai and Bengaluru KVAC sightseeing checklist lists no ticket for normal processing; express applications there need a copy of a confirmed air ticket.** ## Article Korea has three visa jurisdictions in India, and each publishes its own checklist. So the honest answer to 'dummy ticket or real ticket?' is to read the checklist for the centre where you will submit. This explainer sets them side by side, as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. ### What does each Korean visa centre ask for? Where you applyFlight document on the checklistAccommodation documentMumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Goa, Hyderabad (Consulate General, Mumbai), tourist C-3-9Confirmed, refundable flight ticket (e-ticket)Refundable hotel booking confirmation, plus a day-by-day itineraryChennai and Bengaluru KVAC (Consulate General, Chennai), sightseeing, normal processingNot listedNot listedChennai and Bengaluru KVAC, express processingCopy of a confirmed air ticketAccommodation proofNew Delhi and Kolkata KVAC (Embassy, New Delhi)Not in the Embassy's published document listNot in the Embassy's published document listThe Chennai and Bengaluru sightseeing checklist focuses instead on occupation proof, 1 year of salary slips, ITR acknowledgements for the last 2 years with PAN, a 6-month bank statement with the bank's stamp and a Health Condition Form. The Embassy's New Delhi page lists ITRs for 2 years and a 6-month bank statement. Its KVAC checklist pages for New Delhi and Kolkata were not located, so confirm at the centre before you submit. ### What is the difference between a flight reservation and a confirmed ticket? - Flight reservation: a booking held in an airline or reservation system under your name, with a verifiable PNR, that shows your planned dates. You have not paid the full fare, and it is not a ticket you can fly on. - Confirmed ticket: a paid, issued e-ticket. It may be refundable (you can cancel and get money back, subject to fare rules) or non-refundable. A genuine flight reservation is a real itinerary, not an altered or invented document. Never submit an edited PDF or a booking that cannot be verified. Embassies generally advise against buying non-refundable tickets before a visa decision. Because the Mumbai checklist asks for a refundable ticket, you keep the option to cancel if the visa is refused. ### Applying through Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Goa or Hyderabad? The C-3-9 tourist checklist used at these centres (in force since 16 June 2025) asks for a confirmed, refundable e-ticket. A reservation alone does not match that wording, so book a refundable fare and keep the fare rules. Two more rules shape the booking. From 21 September 2026, the Consulate General in Mumbai accepts applications only if your travel date is within one month of submission. Normal processing takes at least 10 working days in Mumbai and 12 in Pune, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Goa. In practice, your travel date has to fall after the minimum processing time and within one month of submission. First-time tourist applicants cannot use express in this jurisdiction. The same checklist asks for a refundable hotel booking and a detailed day-by-day itinerary, so your flight dates, hotel dates and itinerary must match exactly. ### Applying in Chennai or Bengaluru? For normal processing, the sightseeing checklist does not list a flight ticket or hotel booking. You can still include a flight reservation and itinerary to show a planned trip, but the core of your file is employment proof, ITRs, salary slips and bank statements. Express is different. Your travel date must fall within 10 to 12 calendar days of submission in Chennai, or 12 to 14 in Bengaluru, and you must attach a copy of a confirmed air ticket and accommodation. You cannot switch from normal to express after applying, and express fees are not returned on rejection. Normal processing takes at least 25 working days in Chennai and 27 in Bengaluru. ### How much is at stake if the visa is refused? CostAmountRefund on refusal?Single-entry visa up to 90 days (normal)INR 3,600The official pages do not describe a refundExpress single entryRs. 6,300No, express fees are not returned on rejectionVFS service chargeRs. 1,000 (Mumbai jurisdiction) or Rs. 1,600 (Chennai and Bengaluru page)Not statedRefundable flight ticketAirline fareSubject to the airline's fare rulesAfter a refusal you may reapply only after three months, and the Chennai consulate's KVAC page says no reason is disclosed for non-issuance. A non-refundable ticket bought too early can therefore be lost along with the trip. ### Which booking mistakes should you avoid? - Submitting a plain reservation at a Mumbai-jurisdiction centre that asks for a confirmed, refundable e-ticket. - Buying a non-refundable fare before the decision. - Choosing a travel date more than one month after submission in the Mumbai jurisdiction. - Letting flight, hotel and itinerary dates drift apart. - Assuming the Chennai rules apply in New Delhi or Mumbai, or the other way round. For fees, centres and other visa types, see our South Korea visa guide for Indians. The Mumbai-jurisdiction tourist checklist is on the VFS Global South Korea visa types page. Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares verifiable flight reservations, hotel bookings, day-by-day itineraries and cover letters for visa files. Packages run from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for a reservation, hotel booking, itinerary and cover letter. Where your centre asks for a refundable confirmed ticket, buy that from an airline instead. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or contact us. ### Frequently asked questions #### Is a dummy ticket accepted for a South Korea visa from Mumbai? The Mumbai-jurisdiction VFS tourist checklist asks for a confirmed, refundable flight e-ticket, so a reservation alone does not match it. Book a refundable fare and keep its fare rules with your file. #### Do I need a flight ticket for a Korea tourist visa in Chennai? Not for normal processing: the 2026 Chennai and Bengaluru sightseeing checklist does not list a flight ticket. Express applications do need a copy of a confirmed air ticket and accommodation. #### How early can I book my Korea flight before applying? In the Mumbai jurisdiction, applications are accepted only if travel is within one month of submission (from 21 September 2026). In the Chennai jurisdiction, you can apply no earlier than 89 days before travel. #### Does a Korean visa application need a hotel booking? Mumbai-jurisdiction centres ask for a refundable hotel booking confirmation and a day-by-day itinerary. The Chennai and Bengaluru normal sightseeing checklist does not list one, but express applications there need accommodation proof. ## FAQ ### Is a dummy ticket accepted for a South Korea visa from Mumbai? The Mumbai-jurisdiction VFS tourist checklist asks for a confirmed, refundable flight e-ticket, so a reservation alone does not match it. Book a refundable fare and keep its fare rules with your file. ### Do I need a flight ticket for a Korea tourist visa in Chennai? Not for normal processing: the 2026 Chennai and Bengaluru sightseeing checklist does not list a flight ticket. Express applications do need a copy of a confirmed air ticket and accommodation. ### How early can I book my Korea flight before applying? In the Mumbai jurisdiction, applications are accepted only if travel is within one month of submission (from 21 September 2026). In the Chennai jurisdiction, you can apply no earlier than 89 days before travel. ### Does a Korean visa application need a hotel booking? Mumbai-jurisdiction centres ask for a refundable hotel booking confirmation and a day-by-day itinerary. The Chennai and Bengaluru normal sightseeing checklist does not list one, but express applications there need accommodation proof. ## Sources 1. [VFS Global - C-3-9 Tourist visa checklist (Mumbai jurisdiction, w.e.f. 16.06.2025)](https://assets.ctfassets.net/xxg4p8gt3sg6/6lXuH9aiKMFvPdjyYd4ymi/81d972a0ff0b626671e570bae30ad2e1/C-3-9-Tourist-Visa.pdf) — VFS Global 2. [VFS KVAC - Checklist Short Term Tourist Visa (2026)](https://www.visaforkorea-ce.com/assets/pdfs/Tourist-visa-sightseeing-new-1_2026.pdf) — VFS Global 3. [VFS Global - South Korea Visa Submission Update (21 September 2026)](https://visa.vfsglobal.com/ind/en/kor/news/south-korea-visa-submission-update) — VFS Global 4. [Embassy of the Republic of Korea in India - New Delhi VFS Global Korean Visa Application Centre](https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/in-en/wpge/m_2660/contents.do) — Embassy of the Republic of Korea in India