On my Facebook Page, John asked:
Has anyone ever been asked to produce that ‘onward travel’ ticket that shows you will not be staying in the country you are entering?
The short answer: YES!
Proof of Onward Travel Requirements
Many countries’ immigration departments require you to provide proof that you’re leaving their country (in the form of an onward travel ticket) before they’ll let you in. This can be tricky, since sometimes we nomads just don’t know where we are going next (or when), and shelling out a heap of cash for an onward ticket without knowing where you’re going is impractical.
In some cases, you can’t even board the plane to your destination without one.
True Story: I was once not allowed to check-in for a flight from Australia to New Zealand because I didn’t have a valid flight out of NZ. I had to buy a full-fare ticket from NZ to Fiji on the spot (that was the cheapest one available) just to get on the plane.
And once I was in New Zealand, I wasn’t even allowed to cancel the onward ticket without providing proof of a different onward ticket!
In other cases, you can talk your way out of it.
For example, depending on the geography of the country, you can say you’re leaving overland by train/bus/ferry and you’re waiting to book your ticket locally. Whether or not you’ll be allowed in ultimately depends on the immigration agent in front of you and how lenient they choose to be.
Sometimes you can show them some proof of commitment to being somewhere else.
When I had to do some tricky visa paperwork in Thailand, they asked for an onward travel ticket. Because I was going to leave Thailand by train and had no tickets yet, I showed them my flight out of Singapore. That was enough to prove to them I had somewhere else to be and would leave Thailand.
Showing them confirmed accommodation reservations in another country might get you though as well…again depending on the leniency of the immigration agent and the country you’re trying to enter.
And Sometimes, they just don’t ask.
I’ve dazedly left more than a few immigration counters having been ready to show my onward travel ticket but never having been asked for it. Island nations are usually the strictest for requiring onward travel tickets, but again – you just never know when you’re going to need to show it.
Creative “Onward Tickets”
In places like the Caribbean, it’s common for people to fly to one island then hop on a boat from there – be it a sailboat, ferry, or yacht. If you know a boat-owner/captain in the general area where you’re headed, they can write a letter to immigration saying that you’ll be joining them on the boat and stating approximately when the boat will be leaving that country’s waters.
Note: I would never want you to lie to an immigration officer about your onward travel plans (lying is bad), but sometimes our best-laid plans change….maybe you intend to join a boat but end up leaving the country another way. They won’t hold you to your onward travel plans; they just want to see that you have some. Just saying. (CYA: check!)
If you must buy a ticket…
If you need to provide a ticket but really don’t know where you want to go next (or when), then you’re best off buying a fully-refundable ticket. This will cost you a pretty penny, but you’ll get (most of) your money back when you do decide where you’re going and no longer need the ticket. Make sure you choose a relatively inexpensive onward destination to begin with, and read the fine print about refunds carefully before you buy.
Even if you end up going to the same destination anyway, you can save money by exchanging your full-fare ticket for a cheaper non-refundable ticket.
Also, choose an airline with whom you have the greatest chances of leaving the country with; the fees for changing reservations (including a switch to a non-refundable ticket) are usually cheaper than the fees for getting a refund.
Where to find your destination’s requirements
Ultimately the entry requirements for your destination will depend on the country, and its relation to your citizenship.
The best place to start is your home country’s immigration site, which should allow you to search for your destination’s country information, advisories, and entry & exit requirements.
And here’s the one for US citizens.
NOTE: If you read the accompanying travel advisories too carefully, you’ll never leave home. They are incredibly conservative with cautions and advisories, so if you are a remotely experienced traveler, take it all with a grain of salt.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Glad you addressed this topic. I’ve heard people pooh poohing the onward ticket thing before and it always concerns me. I’ve been asked for my onward ticket several times and had to buy one on the spot once in order to board an inbound flight.
Hey Gigi – Where did you get barred from an inbound flight before buying a ticket on the spot? Just curious…(It happened to me going to New Zealand).
Manchester, UK
I think they were particularly suspicious that I might be trying to move in permanently since I had my dog.
Ha ha! I hadn’t thought of a dog being an object of suspicion, but then again not that many people travel with their pets….
Thanks for the information. I’ve often wondered about immigration issues for frequent travellers, but I have never been away for long enough on one outing for it to be a problem. I’m sure many of your more nomadic readers will find this useful!
Thanks, Steve!
A great article. I had an option to travel for an extended period, but wasn’t sure what to do about airline tickets. I opted for the open end ticket over the one way or a fixed date ticket that I’d have to jump through hoops to change at a later date. It seems an open end ticket is as much of a red flag to immigration as a one way ticket…. but I did manage to talk my way out of being refused entry.
Glad you made it through, Len!
I would have thought with an open ticket that you wouldn’t be given so much grief, since you’ve purchased a two-way ticket (and even open tickets have return dates, no?).
What country gave you a hard time with the ticket?
I was just refused check-in to a flight to Christchuch from Melbourne flying with Jetstar and had to purchase an onward “fully refundable” ticket to Singapore for over $900. I have gone to New Zealand with a one way ticket before and not had a problem. According to their own website, New Zealand only requires “evidence of sufficient funds to purchase a ticket to a country which you have the right of entry”.
http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/visit/visitors/
I’m curious, what airline were you flying with?
Hi James – I guess it boils down to who you get. But I found that the check-in agents don’t have much leeway, and are probably told “no ticket, no check-in”. I wonder what would have happened if you showed them the legislation above and a statement of your bank account (to prove sufficient funds)?
PS – It was Air New Zealand.
Does a person need an ongoing ticket to get into France??
Can a train ticket or other type of future reservation suffice??
Thanks.
Hi Loulou,
It depends on where you’re from, but generally – yes. France is part of the Schengen group of countries which means (for Canadians and Americans anyway) that you can stay for 3 months of any 6 month period in ALL of the Schengen countries – which comprise most of western Europe minus the UK. So they’re used to travelers entering via one country (eg: France) and planning to travel around and leave via another country.
When I’ve entered the Schengen, I have indeed been able to say I will be leaving via train (without having bought a ticket) and I’ve been okay. But depending on who you get at customs, they may require a train ticket or reservation as proof.