Proof of onward travel

[SenorJorge]

Hello,

 

My fiance and I are getting married in May.  Clearly, I have no intention of returning to the USA, maybe until Christmas.  

 

The last time I came through suvarnabhumi they asked me for my "return ticket" .  Is it okay for me to book a one way to thailand, and a second ticket to Cambodia?  Will this cause any problems at the airport?  Is my cambodia ticket proof of onward travel?  Will the immigration officer in suvarnabhumi ask me for my ticket leaving cambodia? 

 

Thank you in advance

[Crossy]

You just need an onward air ticket so a cheap flight to Cambodia would do the trick.

 

It's pretty unusual for the Thai authorities to ask for onward travel (usually it's the airline during check-in) so they may have been looking for a reason to deny entry. Do you have a history of visits on visa exemptions? Alternatively the immigration officer may just have been having a bad day.

 

I would get a proper Tourist Visa, that will give you a 60 day stay that can be extended by a further 30 days.

 

Once you are married you can nip to one of the local consulates and get a non-o visa which should keep you covered with a couple of border runs (90 day permission on each entry). Others will be along with recommended local consulates.

 

[post]

4 hours ago, Crossy said:

You just need an onward air ticket ...............

Is a confirmation of air ticket booking (not yet paid) generally not accepted as a proof of onward travelling?

[Snow Leopard]

12 minutes ago, post said:

Is a confirmation of air ticket booking (not yet paid) generally not accepted as a proof of onward travelling?

Never. The cheque is in the mail. Get yourself the 60-day visa as mentioned. Then the cheapest ticket possible for 59 days after arrival. 

[KhunBENQ]

AirAsia:

Phuket - Kuala Lumpur (or Penang) "Starting price" in May is 1030 Baht.

Hat Yai - Kuala Lumpur starts at 990.

Krabi - Kuala Lumpur starts at 830.

 

(all for selected dates in May)

 

Edited March 19, 2019 by KhunBENQ

[muffy]

Why not a bus ticket ?

[KhunBENQ]

4 minutes ago, muffy said:

Why not a bus ticket ?

How to book from overseas?

[cabanlit]

Land exits don't qualify for POOT, only air tickets.

[Jingjock]

I have just had 2 months holiday in New Zealand, on the 1st march this year, Flight Centre a farely big travel agent in Auckland refused to sell me a one way ticket to Thailand. After explaining that I had a retirement Visa, followed by a re entry permit to return by the 8th October this year, however they contacted their visa agents that confirmed it was ok to do this. They also said to contact Quantas office to be sure. Quantas said a one was not allowed. After hours of discussion, Flight Centre said the best option was to buy a cheap flight to Cambodia for $120 NZD. going on the 30th this month. I took that option, I had no problems with entry, my onward ticket was never asked for etc, I now have a ticket to Cambodia which will end up up in file 13 (the rubbish bin) unless I can give it away

[Ulic]

If you have a tourist visa you won't need an onward ticket.

[murraynz]

56 minutes ago, Jingjock said:

I have just had 2 months holiday in New Zealand, on the 1st march this year, Flight Centre a farely big travel agent in Auckland refused to sell me a one way ticket to Thailand. After explaining that I had a retirement Visa, followed by a re entry permit to return by the 8th October this year, however they contacted their visa agents that confirmed it was ok to do this. They also said to contact Quantas office to be sure. Quantas said a one was not allowed. After hours of discussion, Flight Centre said the best option was to buy a cheap flight to Cambodia for $120 NZD. going on the 30th this month. I took that option, I had no problems with entry, my onward ticket was never asked for etc, I now have a ticket to Cambodia which will end up up in file 13 (the rubbish bin) unless I can give it away

im also on retirement non o in thailand...i have made a one-way auck-bkk flight, without any problems.

i often deal with flight centre, but i think that particular flight was booked online.

i didnt have any problems completing the flight or entering thailand..

im no expert... but if your visa has many more months to run, i dont think its necssary to buy a'throw away' ticket.

i think , on one occasion, i did have another flight booked out of thailand, to nearby country, just to make sure that there was no problems...

i make small trips out of thailand every 90 days, so that i dont have to do 90 day reports.

it gives me a break and a chance to see all the nearby countries, very cheaply..

 

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, Jingjock said:

I have just had 2 months holiday in New Zealand, on the 1st march this year, Flight Centre a farely big travel agent in Auckland refused to sell me a one way ticket to Thailand. After explaining that I had a retirement Visa, followed by a re entry permit to return by the 8th October this year, however they contacted their visa agents that confirmed it was ok to do this. They also said to contact Quantas office to be sure. Quantas said a one was not allowed. After hours of discussion, Flight Centre said the best option was to buy a cheap flight to Cambodia for $120 NZD. going on the 30th this month. I took that option, I had no problems with entry, my onward ticket was never asked for etc, I now have a ticket to Cambodia which will end up up in file 13 (the rubbish bin) unless I can give it away

I'm amazed by Quantas staff. They they got it wrong. The onward flight is for the airline. If you have a visa or extension of stay with reentry permit that satisfies airline. The reason why airlines do not ask for onward flight if for example you have a setv, is probably because part of application for the setv at consulate requires an onward flight.

[JackThompson]

2 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

I'm amazed by Quantas staff. They they got it wrong. The onward flight is for the airline. If you have a visa or extension of stay with reentry permit that satisfies airline. The reason why airlines do not ask for onward flight if for example you have a setv, is probably because part of application for the setv at consulate requires an onward flight.

While denied-entry on retirement extensions is not being reported, the airlines may be getting hit with many others being denied entry with SETVs and METVs.  They cannot trust Thailand immigration to follow the law/rules, so are covering their ass-ets. 

 

We get reports on illegal denials of entry to those with Visas all the time now - and those who post on this forum are a drop in the bucket of all those Thai-Immigration is locking in detention, and dumping back on the airlines.

 

3 hours ago, Ulic said:

If you have a tourist visa you won't need an onward ticket.

According the rules, yes.  But if he is flying into a Bangkok Airport, and has a history of stays here (given the fiance?), then better to have that, plus the cash, plus a hotel-booking.  Even that might not be enough, depending on how long away, and how long previous stays were. 

 

Some IOs have insisted on those entering with valid Tourist Visas purchase an air-ticket out in 30 days, since they (or the supervisor) disagree with the 60-day permitted stay given for Tourist Visas, and think executing their agenda is more important than the rules.

[DrJack54]

36 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

While denied-entry on retirement extensions is not being reported, the airlines may be getting hit with many others being denied entry with SETVs and METVs.  They cannot trust Thailand immigration to follow the law/rules, so are covering their ass-ets. 

 

We get reports on illegal denials of entry to those with Visas all the time now - and those who post on this forum are a drop in the bucket of all those Thai-Immigration is locking in detention, and dumping back on the airlines.

 

According the rules, yes.  But if he is flying into a Bangkok Airport, and has a history of stays here (given the fiance?), then better to have that, plus the cash, plus a hotel-booking.  Even that might not be enough, depending on how long away, and how long previous stays were. 

 

Some IOs have insisted on those entering with valid Tourist Visas purchase an air-ticket out in 30 days, since they (or the supervisor) disagree with the 60-day permitted stay given for Tourist Visas, and think executing their agenda is more important than the rules.

An onward flight is irrelevant if refused entry with or without onward flight. Imm officer would perhaps disregard. Most likely you will be flown back to where you embarked. If no visa there and refused entry next would be likely your passport country. I agree absolutely ridiculous. Not that its relevant but a warning with some notation on pp should be applied. For a very regular tourist coming from somewhere like USA and being refused entry would be crazy. How can people fly to bkk. I don't like to criticize Thailand but hells bells, its becoming a joke. 

[JackThompson]

15 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

An onward flight is irrelevant if refused entry with or without onward flight. Imm officer would perhaps disregard.

That "if" and "perhaps" are key.  Having the flight-ticket makes denial of entry less likely - which is the point.  Of course, the IO can choose to ignore it all and just screw the guy - which is why I never use airports - even with a Non-O Visa.  Those IOs have no credibility as honest-brokers.

 

15 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

I don't like to criticize Thailand but hells bells, its becoming a joke. 

Immigration at those bad entry points in no way represent the attitudes or behavior of the majority of Thais, who are decent people.  Criticizing immigration should not be construed as pointing one's finger at Thais or the Kingdom of Thailand.

[Jingjock]

On ‎3‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 5:44 AM, DrJack54 said:

An onward flight is irrelevant if refused entry with or without onward flight. Imm officer would perhaps disregard. Most likely you will be flown back to where you embarked. If no visa there and refused entry next would be likely your passport country. I agree absolutely ridiculous. Not that its relevant but a warning with some notation on pp should be applied. For a very regular tourist coming from somewhere like USA and being refused entry would be crazy. How can people fly to bkk. I don't like to criticize Thailand but hells bells, its becoming a joke. 

Before I went to New Zealand, I lived here 9 years and not left the country, however 8 years ago, I was questioned at Auckland airport over the same issue. My good friend has just returned back from Dunedin NZ. and he has had the same problem. I asked Flight Centre why they have this problem, and the reply was that Quantas staff at NZ airports are contractors only and are not fully aware of the visa rules. I have been back 5 times now, using Thai airways as well, never had a problem. Flight Center was talking to Quantas while I was present in their office, they refused to talk to me.  I also had thousands of kiwi dollars on me, so i met all the criteria needed.