₦airaland Forum

MrBrownJay1:
yeah online bus/train ticket are a bit difficult to get in Africa, compared to the rest of the world. good luck on your life move/relocation!

Yeah.... Thanks

Hi guys,

I need to apply for a visa and one of the required documents is a hotel reservation.

My question is: Do I need to pay for the hotel reservation when applying for a visa?

I'd appreciate it if people can share their experiences. Thanks.

MrBrownJay1:
now many agencies know about onwardtickets and as they dont actually buy a ticket, a simple check can confirm that you dont have an actual ticket but only a reservation. a reservation is not a ticket thus some may deny you entry. on the other hand, if you buy a ticket with Expedia, thats a ticket. also, you could buy a train ticket too or even a bus ticket to leave the country. so long as you have an onward ticket, its all good (it doesnt have to be a plane ticket).

You're right. I checked and couldn't find any train or bus service with an online system.
Thanks.

MrBrownJay1:
very easy to do....lets say you are going to Congo for example: you buy a one way ticket from Nigeria to Congo, and then on the day of departure, you buy a fully refundable onward ticket from Congo to Zambia or Uganda... and as soon as you arrive in Congo and pass the Congolese immigration, cancel the ticket and get a full refund.... et voila!

most websites will give you a 24hr free cancelation policy on any ticket you buy, its the law (if in doubt just use Expedia)!

Thanks for the info.

I was actually thinking of using a service such as onwardticket. They book and reserves the flight without making payment. They charge $15. The ticket will be valid when checked by an airline or immigration.

But I think I might use Expedia since it's more solid and reliable.
Would this 'full refund method' work for Kenya Airways or Ethiopian airways?. They are the two airlines going to my destination.

Hi guys,

I'll be traveling to an African country on a tourist/visit visa.
Usually, airlines and immigration require a return ticket for visitors/tourists to make sure that you'll be leaving their country after your stay.

However, I have no intention of returning (I'll secure a resident permit) so I plan to book a 'Dummy Ticket' in place of a Return ticket in order to reduce my travel cost.

Has anyone tried this before? I'd like to know your experience/thoughts. Thanks!

Seslie:
If you have booked a hotel, then use the hotel reservation printout, else the letter from your host, stating the address should suffice.

If you're still concerned about whether or not that would be enough (and this is a visit/tourism visa), perhaps you can ask the host to provide a utility bill to confirm that s/he lives at the stated address.

Thanks for your response.

But, I'm still confused tbh.
My best guess is that a hotel reservation would serve that purpose.

This is because they've already asked for a 'letter of invitation' and a 'proof of residence' from host as part of the required documents. Both of these documents contains an address.

fcisca:
They are not comedians

Hi, are you still in Uganda? I'd like to ask you a few questions.

Hey guys, still looking for responses on this.

Please help.

advanceDNA:
They are asking where you will be staying...
If some one invited you...put their address and be sure to notify them...to be on the safe side...book an hotel for one night...and put the address of the hotel/reservation details

Hi there, thanks for the response. I totally understand what you mean.

The host address will be included in the invitation letter and I've notified them of that.

I also thought of booking a hotel, but where do I put the address?. That's the confusing thing.

Do I just write/type it out on a piece of paper?

They could've just asked for a hotel reservation instead of using an unfamiliar phrase such as 'Address at destination'.

I'll appreciate your thoughts guys.

Hi guys,

I want to apply for an E-visa to Zimbabwe. One of the documents requested is 'Address at Destination'.

I'm kind of confused about what that could mean. Is it a hotel reservation or do I have to put down my host address on a sheet of paper?.

I have all the other documents. This 'Address at Destination' is the only thing I'm missing.

I'd appreciate your responses. Thanks.