Proof of Travel
Mariam Kostadinova, a Bulgarian national, submitted her application for Vietnam's 90-day e-visa in March 2026, planning to depart Sofia (SOF) on an Emirates flight via Dubai (DXB) to Ho Chi Minh City (SGN). Her initial application was returned with a request to resubmit because the document she attached as onward travel evidence contained no booking reference number. A dummy ticket, also called an onward ticket, is a real airline booking recorded in the GDS for visa or border-check purposes without commitment to the full published fare.
The Initial Document Set and the Compliance Gap
Kostadinova's document package at first submission:
| Document | Format | PNR present | GDS-verifiable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inbound flight (Emirates SOF-DXB-SGN) | PDF e-ticket | Yes (EK reference) | Yes |
| Onward travel evidence | Screenshot, Google Flights SGN-BKK | No | No |
| Accommodation bookings (SGN hotel) | PDF confirmation | N/A | N/A |
| Passport biographic page | Scanned copy | N/A | N/A |
The screenshot showed a plausible SGN to Bangkok route at a plausible fare. It contained no booking reference, no passenger name field, and no GDS locator code. Vietnam's e-visa portal does not perform a real-time GDS lookup during review, but it does require that itinerary submissions contain a booking reference that can be independently cross-checked. Kostadinova's screenshot did not meet that threshold.
The application was not rejected outright. The portal returned a request for a valid booking confirmation to be resubmitted. Kostadinova had to restart the documentation process, adding approximately five days to her timeline.
The Corrected Document Set
On resubmission, Kostadinova obtained a purpose-booked PNR through Proof of Travel: a real airline booking against a live SGN-BKK flight, entered in the GDS, with her name recorded as the passenger and a status code of HK. The confirmation document she received contained:
- A six-character IATA PNR locator.
- A passenger name field reading KOSTADINOVA/MARIAM, matching the passport exactly.
- A departure date within her intended 90-day stay period.
- GDS status HK, confirming held space on the flight.
| Document | Format | PNR present | GDS-verifiable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inbound flight (Emirates SOF-DXB-SGN) | PDF e-ticket | Yes | Yes |
| Onward ticket (dummy ticket, SGN-BKK) | PDF, GDS-issued confirmation | Yes | Yes |
| Accommodation bookings | PDF hotel confirmations | N/A | N/A |
| Passport biographic page | Scanned copy | N/A | N/A |
The resubmission was processed within 3 business days and approved without further query.
The Check-in Verification Layer
Approval of the e-visa resolved the entry permission question. A second, independent compliance check occurred at check-in for the EK flight departing SOF.
Emirates, routing international passengers through DXB, applies IATA Timatic parameters for the destination country. For Vietnam, Timatic requires that passengers hold a ticket or confirmed reservation demonstrating exit from Vietnamese territory. The Emirates check-in agents at SOF verified Kostadinova's onward ticket PNR independently, running a GDS lookup on the locator before issuing her boarding pass for the SOF-DXB-SGN itinerary.
Two independent verifications were applied to the same document: the e-visa portal and the check-in carrier each reviewed the onward booking. The booking was checked at application stage and again at departure. Compliance with both is the correct planning frame; treating one as a substitute for the other creates the documentation gap that resulted in Kostadinova's initial delay.
GDS Status Codes and Their Compliance Implications
For advisers and travellers managing onward ticket documentation, the GDS booking status field is the determinative compliance indicator:
| Status code | Meaning | Compliance status |
|---|---|---|
| HK | Confirmed holding space | Compliant |
| UD | On hold, unconfirmed, short window | Compliant within hold window |
| TK | Schedule change, still confirmed | Compliant |
| WL | Waitlisted | Non-compliant |
| UN | Unable to confirm | Non-compliant |
| XX | Cancelled | Non-compliant |
| HX | Hold cancelled by carrier | Non-compliant |
Kostadinova's booking carried HK status at both verification events. A booking that transitions from HK to XX between e-visa submission and the check-in date would fail the second check even if it satisfied the first. Short-hold PNRs that expire during the visa processing window represent the most common compliance gap in this scenario type.
The Regulatory Framework
Vietnam's entry requirements governing this area derive from Decree 07/2017/ND-CP, which mandates that foreign nationals hold documentation sufficient to establish intent to depart during the permitted stay period. This decree forms the statutory basis from which the onward ticket expectation operates in practice.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office notes in its Vietnam travel advice that travellers should ensure they hold a return or onward ticket before departure to Vietnam. This guidance is consistent with the operational expectations at SGN, HAN, and DAD.
Vietnam's e-visa reform, which progressively expanded from 2019 through the 2023 extension to all nationalities on 90-day terms, has not modified the departure documentation requirement. The e-visa and the onward ticket requirement operate under separate instruments.
Compliance Checklist for Vietnam Entry Documentation
For practitioners and travellers preparing a full document set for Vietnam entry:
| Requirement | Compliant document | Non-compliant document |
|---|---|---|
| Entry authorisation | Approved e-visa; valid bilateral exemption | Expired visa; wrong visa category |
| Onward travel | GDS-issued PNR (HK/UD status); confirmed airline booking | Screenshot; OTA-only reference; no PNR field |
| Passenger name | Exact match to passport biographic page | Nickname; initials only; spelling variation |
| PNR timing | Active at e-visa submission and at check-in | Expired; cancelled; waitlisted before either check |
| Exit destination | International departure from Vietnam | Domestic Vietnamese sector |
For comparable entry-documentation structures in the wider region, the Indonesia entry document compliance case study and the Malaysia onward ticket compliance case study cover analogous border frameworks.
Proof of Travel provides a compliant onward-ticket PNR with a verified GDS locator, exact passenger name matching, and HK status confirmation. Book a verified onward ticket for Vietnam before the check-in clock starts.
Frequently asked questions
Does Vietnam's e-visa portal perform a live GDS check on onward ticket submissions?
The portal requires a booking reference as part of the itinerary submission but doesn't perform a real-time GDS lookup during review. The check-in carrier at your departure airport does perform a live lookup. Both must be satisfied.
What is the statutory basis for Vietnam's onward ticket requirement?
Decree 07/2017/ND-CP requires foreign nationals to hold documentation sufficient to establish intent to depart during the permitted stay period. The onward ticket expectation derives from this instrument.
Can a domestic Vietnamese flight satisfy the onward travel requirement?
No. The requirement is for departure from Vietnamese territory to another country. A domestic sector does not satisfy it.
How long must the dummy ticket PNR remain valid to cover both verification events?
The PNR must be active at e-visa submission and again at check-in. Where those dates are separated by more than 48-72 hours, a standard short-hold PNR will expire between them. Extended-validity PNRs of 7-14 days cover this gap.
Does the bilateral visa exemption remove the onward ticket requirement?
No. The bilateral exemption removes the visa application requirement for eligible nationals. The onward travel documentation requirement operates under a separate instrument and remains in effect regardless of entry category.