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Being a Russian citizen, I am interested in obtaining a tourist visa to Luxembourg. Usually when you apply for a Schengen tourist visa, you require a proof of accommodation and usually a booking.com reservation is alright (in case you stay at a friend's place or something). But Luxembourg doesn't accept booking.com reservations and they ask to provide a certificate of prepaid accommodation.

What can I do in case I don't want to stay in a hotel and thus cannot pay for it? Is it possible to make a German Schengen visa with plane tickets arriving in Luxembourg and departing from Cologne?

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    The German consulate is supposed to refuse to process your application if the trip you're describing has Luxembourg as its main destination, no matter which airports you use. So unless they're not following the rules (Germans, not following the rules?!), your plan will not work unless you lie about your purpose. And lying in visa applications is highly not recommended; it can easily result in a lifetime of being considered untrustworthy by visa officers and border guards from anywhere that shares data with the country you lied to.
    – hmakholm left over Monica
    Aug 22, 2018 at 13:02
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    Conversely, the same rules don't allow Luxembourg to insist on prepaid accommodation as long as you can demonstrate in some other way that you have the means to support yourself during your proposed visit. But if they're not following the rules, there's not much you can do about that.
    – hmakholm left over Monica
    Aug 22, 2018 at 13:05
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    If you're not staying in a hotel, where will you be staying? If you're staying, for example, at someone's home, they should accept a letter from that person attesting to that fact.
    – phoog
    Aug 22, 2018 at 19:18

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As Henning Makholm stated in comment, Schengen Visa Code requires "proof of accommodation or means to provide one". It certainly does not require prepaid accommodations. If you are dealing with a Consulate, you can argue with them, but usually this is waste of your time.

One possibility is to book and prepay the accommodation, which allows free cancellation. Many booking websites allow this. Agoda, for example, provides travel vouchers which clearly state the accommodation has been paid for. This way you are following the rules, since your accommodation is prepaid.

Another option is to book with a local travel agency, which offers reasonable cancellation policy and can provide a written confirmation in English.

After you get visa, you can then cancel the prebooked accommodation - Schengen Visa Code does not require you to stick to your original accommodation.

Please also note that if you do this, the border guards might ask you about your accommodation once you arrive to Luxembourg. You'll attract much more scrutiny if you come without a booked reservation.

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