Onward Ticket Question

[leosmith]

I'm a US citizen, going to enter Thailand 2 days from now, by commercial aircraft, planning to stay 58 days, for tourism. I don't have a tourist visa; I plan to extend. I have a real ongoing ticket, but I read a post somewhere of someone in my position recently being turned away by the airline before departure because he did not have an ongoing ticket leaving within 30 days.

Am I ok as is - tell them I plan on staying 58 days, and show the ongoing ticket if asked? Or should I claim less than 30 days and get a "best onward ticket" that leaves at that time?

Edited December 1, 2023 by leosmith

[Chelseafan]

You don't need a visa as you are under the visa exemption scheme, i.e. you'll get 30 days on arrival but I think you knew that anyhow :)

 

I think you'll be fine unless you have a history of overstay. if that's the case then they may ask you more questions but with the onward ticket within the scope of 30+30 days it would be a churlish IO to refuse you entry. Don't volunteer information unless they ask!!

 

Maybe I have been lucky but In 25 years of going to Thailand on over 60 trips, I have never been asked for a return ticket or proof of funds.

 

 

 

[treetops]

[Keeps]

I would just keep quiet and let the check-in staff ask the questions. I have checked in at London Heathrow numerous times without a Tourist Visa but with a plan to stay in Thailand for longer than 30 days. If they ask, I reply that I will obtain a 30 day extension to my 30 day visa exempt whilst in Thailand. This has always been accepted. It may have helped that in each instance, my return leg of the journey was within 60 days of the original departure and on the same ticket.

 

Other times, I have had a SETV but not been asked to show this. I have pointed this out to the check-in staff and they have then entered details of the Visa onto their computer system. It can be a bit hit and miss but I've never been denied boarding.

[timendres]

Just flew to Phnom Phen in October, spent the night, flew back into Suvarnabhumi.

No request to see an onward ticket, no request to see 20K baht.

Just stamped in "visa exempt" in under a minute.

Prior to that, I had extended for 9 straight years based on my work permit.

The IO's only question was "Why no re-entry stamp?"

 

As @Chelseafan mentioned, unless you have been border hopping in an obvious

attempt to stay long term without a long term visa or extension, they are unlikely

to even ask about the onward flight. If they do, as @Keeps suggested, they are

likely to accept an explanation for the onward flight being farther out than 30 days.

You could even suggest you plan to take a train to another country and back, then

"fly home" with the onward ticket. These IOs are typically trying to process 100's

of people as fast as possible. Unless the passport "tells some story", they just want

to get you through as fast as possible.

[kwilco]

2 hours ago, Chelseafan said:

You don't need a visa as you are under the visa exemption scheme, i.e. you'll get 30 days on arrival but I think you knew that anyhow :)

 

I think you'll be fine unless you have a history of overstay. if that's the case then they may ask you more questions but with the onward ticket within the scope of 30+30 days it would be a churlish IO to refuse you entry. Don't volunteer information unless they ask!!

 

Maybe I have been lucky but In 25 years of going to Thailand on over 60 trips, I have never been asked for a return ticket or proof of funds.

 

 

 

is that because you had an onward ticket?  or a visa?

 

[kwilco]

I was asked one time by either EVA or Thai Airways at HR - can't remember which.

I was  on a one way ticket - well actually the return leg of a trip from Thailand.

The checkin said I didn't have a return ticket - what they hadn't seen was my B visa further on in my passport. Once they saw they they apologised.

BUT

I does mean that WITHOUT A RETURN and no visa, they would have refused me boarding

[impulse]

The only definitive answer is that the airline can deny you boarding without an ongoing ticket.  Whether they will or not depends on which airline, which country you're flying from, and the mood of the agent at the gate. 

 

In 7 or 8 flights to Thailand this year (US citizen, visa exempt, from Singapore and China) I've been asked to show an onward ticket just about every time.  I've also been asked to flash cash 3 or 4 times, as the gate agents simply ran down the checklist on their screen prompts.  May happen the same way for the OP, or he may breeze through.  But why risk it as cheap as rental (and short range) tickets are? 

 

At the very least, have the rental ticket website bookmarked so you can step out of the queue and buy one on the spot with no muss, fuss or payment issues.  Frazzled, time crunched, in the airport queue isn't the time to figure out which credit cards they take...

 

[GypsyT]

Not worth to take a change.

I book forward flight on airline points and cancel and get points back. Even ticketing fees.

On recent flights to Vietnam and back they've checked every time. Same from EU by Thai Airways.

 

 

[leosmith]

4 hours ago, impulse said:

why risk it as cheap as rental (and short range) tickets are? 

Agreed; I bought one already for $12 usd. This return flight is in 25 days. I'm probably overthinking it, but if they ask me how long I'm going to stay, do I say 25 days per that ticket, or 58 days per my condo booking receipt? 

[DFPhuket]

I'd say there is less chance of an issue at check in because you're on a round trip ticket. But as technology related to visa and immigration gets more sophisticated, the check in screen could notify the check in agent to ask for proof of an onward ticket within the 30 days. For peace of mind and for a small amount of money, I'd get an onward ticket at https://onwardticket.com/

[pest]

I was asked a few years ago but i have been in and out on tourist visa's since and never been asked to show onward ticket

I fly in from Brazil or Aus 

[DrJack54]

10 minutes ago, pest said:

I was asked a few years ago but i have been in and out on tourist visa's since and never been asked to show onward ticket

I fly in from Brazil or Aus 

With a visa onward flight not required.

The question is concerning visa exempt entry and the check some airlines require. 

[The Fugitive]

4 hours ago, GypsyT said:

Same from EU by Thai Airways.

Can confirm. Check-in at Munich on Thai Airways in September asked for sight of my Retirement Extension.

[kwilco]

I'm getting the feeling that those who think they haven't been asked actually have POOT ... or a visa that doesn't require POOT. 

The airlines see this and wouldn't ask.

It is the responsibility of the airline to fly passengers back who are rejected by Thai immigration so they are unlikely to let anyone board who they may be forced to fly home.

[khunPer]

14 hours ago, leosmith said:

I'm a US citizen, going to enter Thailand 2 days from now, by commercial aircraft, planning to stay 58 days, for tourism. I don't have a tourist visa; I plan to extend. I have a real ongoing ticket, but I read a post somewhere of someone in my position recently being turned away by the airline before departure because he did not have an ongoing ticket leaving within 30 days.

Am I ok as is - tell them I plan on staying 58 days, and show the ongoing ticket if asked? Or should I claim less than 30 days and get a "best onward ticket" that leaves at that time?

You are entering visa exempt and granted 30 days of stay. The immigration normally won't check your ticket, but the airline might do it when checking in at departure. Your need an outgoing ticket from Thailand within the 30-days period to be safe. It can be a budget airline ticket to a neighboring country, like a ticket from Hat Yai to Kuala Lumpur – short distance, different prices depending on week day – the price range might be in the area of$30 to $50.

Edited December 2, 2023 by khunPer
typo

[Lemsta69]

20 minutes ago, khunPer said:

You are entering visa exempt and granted 30 days of stay. The immigration normally won't check your ticket, but the airline might do it when checking in at departure. Your need an outgoing ticket from Thailand within the 30-days period to be safe. It can be a budget airline ticket to a neighboring country, like a ticket from Hat Yai to Kuala Lumpur – short distance, different prices depending on week day – the price range might be in the area of$30 to $50.

 

He already bought a $12 fake ticket LOL

[Jimjim1]

If you are determined to fly out after 58 days why did’nt you just buy a return ticket and visit immigration for an extra 30 day extension before the 30 day visa exempt is up? Unless I am missing something in your post.

[Lemsta69]

24 minutes ago, Jimjim1 said:

If you are determined to fly out after 58 days why did’nt you just buy a return ticket and visit immigration for an extra 30 day extension before the 30 day visa exempt is up? Unless I am missing something in your post.

 

You're missing the bit about the airline check-in staff potentially asking for proof of onward travel within 30 days because he doesn't have a visa.

[gargamon]

16 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

 

You're missing the bit about the airline check-in staff potentially asking for proof of onward travel within 30 days because he doesn't have a visa.

If they ask, just log into expedia and buy a fully refundable if cancelled within 24 hour ticket to show them. Then when you've cleared security and are at the gate, cancel the ticket. Easy, free. What more could you ask for. Note: this doesn't work with the cheap-o airlines, only the major ones. Expedia will tell you before you input your credit card info if it's a refundable ticket. 

[Lemsta69]

4 minutes ago, gargamon said:

If they ask, just log into expedia and buy a fully refundable if cancelled within 24 hour ticket to show them. Then when you've cleared security and are at the gate, cancel the ticket. Easy, free. What more could you ask for. Note: this doesn't work with the cheap-o airlines, only the major ones. Expedia will tell you before you input your credit card info if it's a refundable ticket. 

 

I'm not the OP! The only place I'm travelling to in the next few days is the pub.

 

Edited December 2, 2023 by Lemsta69

[Chelseafan]

13 hours ago, kwilco said:

is that because you had an onward ticket?  or a visa?

 

 

Not always.

[Lemsta69]

15 hours ago, Chelseafan said:

You don't need a visa as you are under the visa exemption scheme, i.e. you'll get 30 days on arrival but I think you knew that anyhow :)

 

I think you'll be fine unless you have a history of overstay. if that's the case then they may ask you more questions but with the onward ticket within the scope of 30+30 days it would be a churlish IO to refuse you entry. Don't volunteer information unless they ask!!

 

Maybe I have been lucky but In 25 years of going to Thailand on over 60 trips, I have never been asked for a return ticket or proof of funds.

 

 

 

 

Dude's asking about airline check-in, not BKK Immi.

[Pattaya57]

4 hours ago, leosmith said:

Agreed; I bought one already for $12 usd. This return flight is in 25 days. I'm probably overthinking it, but if they ask me how long I'm going to stay, do I say 25 days per that ticket, or 58 days per my condo booking receipt? 

If you say 58 days to the airline then what was the point of buying the fake onward ticket 😆 

 

I personally think you wouldn't have had an issue as you have a return flight on same airline so no risk/cost to them to fly you back. Plus a 30 day extension is a valid tourist approach as it's stated on every Thai embassy site that a visa exempt can get a 30 day extension in country

[Chelseafan]

14 hours ago, Keeps said:

I would just keep quiet and let the check-in staff ask the questions. I have checked in at London Heathrow numerous times without a Tourist Visa but with a plan to stay in Thailand for longer than 30 days. If they ask, I reply that I will obtain a 30 day extension to my 30 day visa exempt whilst in Thailand. This has always been accepted. It may have helped that in each instance, my return leg of the journey was within 60 days of the original departure and on the same ticket.

 

Other times, I have had a SETV but not been asked to show this. I have pointed this out to the check-in staff and they have then entered details of the Visa onto their computer system. It can be a bit hit and miss but I've never been denied boarding.

 

Just curious, if you have a British passport, why would check-in at Heathrow ask you ? They already know that there is 30 day visa exemption for Thailand.

 

 

[Lemsta69]

12 minutes ago, Chelseafan said:

Just curious, if you have a British passport, why would check-in at Heathrow ask you ?

 

Because it's airline check-in procedure 😹

[kwilco]

1 hour ago, Chelseafan said:

 

Not always.

you need to be far more explicit than that.

[kwilco]

52 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

 

Because it's airline check-in procedure 😹

I expalined earlier, that it is the airlines responsibility if you land in THailand and are rejected at immigration so they can refuse to carry you.

[kwilco]

Thai Embassy London

 

Foreigners who enter Thailand under this Tourist Visa Exemption category may only do so for 30 days at one time with a maximum of 3 times in a 6 month period by flight and 2 times a year for overland crossing.

 

 

Foreigners entering Thailand under the Tourist Visa Exemption category must show the documents below at the port of entry: 

o   Proof of adequate finances for the duration of stay in Thailand i.e. traveller’s cheque or cash equivalent to 20,000 Baht per person and 40,000 Baht per family.

o   Proof of onward travel (confirmed air, train, bus or boat tickets) to leave Thailand within 30 days of the arrival date (**otherwise a tourist visa must be obtained).

 

 

https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/84256-tourist-visa?page=5d6636cd15e39c3bd00072dd&menu=5f4b6eb3f6ae4b236972c562

 

[Jimjim1]

1 hour ago, Lemsta69 said:

You're missing the bit about the airline check-in staff potentially asking for proof of onward travel within 30 days because he doesn't have a visa.

Methinks you may have misread my question to the poster.

 

I asked him why he did not simply buy a return ticket when he bought the one way ticket if he was definitely leaving after 58 days, thereby notifying the points he was enquiring about namely the airline staff asking questions