Is It Permissible to Buy a Refundable Airline Ticket Due to Visa Uncertainty?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

Is it permissible to buy a refundable airline ticket with a cancellation fee if there is a chance of needing a refund due to visa issues? Should I choose a non-refundable ticket for a lower price if there’s a small risk the visa may not be approved?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

Yes, it is permissible to buy a refundable airline ticket with a cancellation fee. The cancellation fee is a service charge for processing administrative costs related to ticket cancellations.

May Allah make all your affairs easy and reward you for ensuring that your dealings are Sharia-compliant.

I pray this helps answer your question.

[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat 

Mawlana Ilyas Patel has received traditional education in various countries. He started his schooling in the UK and completed his hifz of the Quran in India. After that, he joined an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied secular and Aalimiyya sciences. Later, he traveled to Karachi, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern countries to further his education. Mawlana has served as an Imam in the Republic of Ireland for several years and taught the Quran and other Islamic sciences to both children and adults. He also worked as a teacher and librarian at a local Islamic seminary in the UK for 12 years. Presently, he lives in the UK with his wife and is interested in books and gardening.