Return flight more than 60 days after departure

[LisuLover]

Do I need to do anything before I go to Gatwick, London on 24/12, (apart from buying tinsel and a red felt hat) for a business class flight with Emirates to Bkk that has a return date of 10/03/25?  It’s over 60 days and I’m wondering if Emirates will allow me to depart? 

[Goethe]

To be perfectly safe, buy a cheap ticket to a neighbouring country. There is no point in taking a risk, since the "insurance" of an onward flight is so cheap. 

[DrJack54]

5 hours ago, LisuLover said:

It’s over 60 days and I’m wondering if Emirates will allow me to depart? 

The fact that you have a return ticket (assume same airline) you should be fine.

At worst they may ask you to sign a waiver.

All folk flying visa exempt if refused boarding pass by airline due to no onward flight within 60 days....

Step away from check in and google "onwardticket.com" the ticket issued instantly. ~$15usd.

[Upnotover]

You should be fine.  You can refer them to the current IATA advice which states;

"Visa Exemptions:

Passengers with a British passport traveling as tourists or on business for a maximum stay of 60 days.

Extension of stay possible for an additional 30 days."

[BrandonJT]

33 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

You should be fine.  You can refer them to the current IATA advice which states;

"Visa Exemptions:

Passengers with a British passport traveling as tourists or on business for a maximum stay of 60 days.

Extension of stay possible for an additional 30 days."

 

I'd wager the odds of convincing a low-level ticketing agent to go against company policy based on this would be quite low.  If the airline policy says within the amount of days on arrival or says 60 days, then that's what they'll be looking for to check the box on their list.

[Upnotover]

1 minute ago, BrandonJT said:

 

I'd wager the odds of convincing a low-level ticketing agent to go against company policy based on this would be quite low.  If the airline policy says within the amount of days on arrival or says 60 days, then that's what they'll be looking for to check the box on their list.

It has always been my understanding that the airlines follow the IATA advice rather than all making up their own rules independently.

[BrandonJT]

2 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

It has always been my understanding that the airlines follow the IATA advice rather than all making up their own rules independently.

 

The fact that some airlines check and some don't makes it seem like they have their own rules.

[GypsyT]

21 minutes ago, BrandonJT said:

The fact that some airlines check and some don't makes it seem like they have their own rules.

Exactly!

Also, Dr's advice to step aside and buy a ticket will not work in many cases because they check just at the plane's door when 100 are lined up. No way leave the line.

Or, if you can, they see and know what you're doing. Very risky.

[Phillip9]

30 minutes ago, GypsyT said:

Also, Dr's advice to step aside and buy a ticket will not work in many cases because they check just at the plane's door when 100 are lined up. No way leave the line.

 

Where are they checking onward flights at the planes door???  I am a frequent flier and almost always using one way tickets to many different countries.  I am frequently asked for an onward ticket, but that has always been done during check in, and never while boarding.

[GypsyT]

5 minutes ago, Phillip9 said:

 

Where are they checking onward flights at the planes door???

Thai 2x for me- One "Silk Class" dude got hopping mad - couldn't get in.

PS. Forgot: 2x in Phu Quoc too. ThaiVietJet

 

Edited Tuesday at 02:12 AM by GypsyT

[DrJack54]

38 minutes ago, GypsyT said:

Exactly!

Also, Dr's advice to step aside and buy a ticket will not work in many cases because they check just at the plane's door when 100 are lined up. No way leave the line.

Or, if you can, they see and know what you're doing. Very risky.

If that occured you would step aside and buy cheapest throw away ticket using debit/credit card. ~$50usd.

 

[persimmon]

Happened to me a few years ago - girl on the check-in counter asked why my return flight date was longer than my TR visa allowed . I had to argue with her for a while . She finally called a supervisor over who allowed me to check in . 

Neither of them seemed to know much about how the system worked in Thailand , yet they were trying to stop me boarding WTF !

[DrJack54]

22 minutes ago, persimmon said:

Neither of them seemed to know much about how the system worked in Thailand , yet they were trying to stop me boarding WTF !

Rightly so. 

You were lucky

[zxzoomy]

BKK to KL was cheapest last time I needed such 'insurance'. 

[Chwooly]

18 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

The fact that you have a return ticket (assume same airline) you should be fine.

At worst they may ask you to sign a waiver.

All folk flying visa exempt if refused boarding pass by airline due to no onward flight within 60 days....

Step away from check in and google "onwardticket.com" the ticket issued instantly. ~$15usd.

I had a problem where I didn't have a return ticket at all and did as you suggest but I found a refundable ticket online, bought it got my boarding pass and canceled it before I left the airport, No fee needed. This was precovid so I am not sure if you can even buy refundable tickets online any more but why pay if you don't have to. 

[Chwooly]

16 hours ago, GypsyT said:

Exactly!

Also, Dr's advice to step aside and buy a ticket will not work in many cases because they check just at the plane's door when 100 are lined up. No way leave the line.

Or, if you can, they see and know what you're doing. Very risky.

In over 30 years of flying in and out of Asia, Europe, Africa and the US, the only time I have ever had a ticket check at the door was for a flight from the Philippines (Manila) to the US and they were doing enhanced security, so they were rechecking carry on and passports.  And it was only 1 time. Never on any flight to any other destination have I ever had a ticket check at the plane door. 

Edited Tuesday at 06:28 PM by Chwooly

[Phillip9]

51 minutes ago, Chwooly said:

I am not sure if you can even buy refundable tickets online any more but why pay if you don't have to. 

You certainly can buy refundable tickets.  That's my normal strategy to get an onward ticket.  I buy and refund 5 -10 tickets every year and never pay anything for it.

 

Most here don't like that stragey and prefer to pay for a fake ticket instead.  I still don't understand why.

Edited Tuesday at 07:11 PM by Phillip9

[BrandonJT]

1 hour ago, Phillip9 said:

You certainly can buy refundable tickets.  That's my normal strategy to get an onward ticket.  I buy and refund 5 -10 tickets every year and never pay anything for it.

 

Most here don't like that stragey and prefer to pay for a fake ticket instead.  I still don't understand why.

 

It's not a fake ticket.  The company you buy the ticket from is the one that does the purchase and refund.  Paying for the convenience of not having to tie up your own money and do it yourself.

[Phillip9]

9 minutes ago, BrandonJT said:

It's not a fake ticket.  The company you buy the ticket from is the one that does the purchase and refund. 

You are paying for a booking reference, not a ticket.  There is never any ticket. 

 

The company never pays for anything.  They are just creating a booking reference with an airline for free and charging you for that booking reference.

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, Phillip9 said:

The company never pays for anything.  They are just creating a booking reference with an airline for free and charging you for that booking reference.

Correct and to add this option works without any worries.

 

[Peabody]

Last year, my Filipina GF was questioned about her ticket validity. She was using an OnwardTravel booking. IO wanted to see the receipt for payment for the ticket, which of course would have shown $16 instead of the expected ~6000 THB. A bit of back-and-forth boyfriend bought ticket/blah blah blah, they let her through. Female IO.

[xtrnuno41]

Emirates, IATA says , as you can fly, same ruling as IATA

Extension of stay is possible.
Passengers are allowed to enter if their stay will exceed the actual visa-free period as long as they hold a return/onward ticket.

Warning:

Visitors who are visa exempt but do not hold return/onward tickets could be refused entry.

 

E visa site, they give you approval as you can extend ! Only as a SUGGESTION they come up with a visa to order.

And that is a very official site.

 

With a Tourist visa, you can stay in Thailand for no longer than 60 days. If you wish to stay in Thailand for more than 60 days, you can extend your stay with the Immigration Bureau. Suggestion : You may apply for visa at the following mission(s)

Royal Thai Embassy, London

 

See video from George (deeper dive) page 11 and scroll down:

 

It all should be without problem , entering Thailand and extending, according Nurachai Ninnad, Deputy director general of ministry of foreign affairs. Every time it is said.

However there are air flight companies , blocking you. Like KLM and EVA air.

KLM demands a visum and EVA let you sign a contract, they are not responsible if you get refused.

With all reading, I also decided to fly Emirates on exempt with having a return ticket on april .

It should be enough is my conclusion and sure hope the IO also approves.

 

Just red BilliBobsteeth experiences about doing borderruns, he pays 2000 Baht to have a new 60days exempt but not staying in Malaysia. https://aseannow.com/topic/1339320-border-run-to-wang-prachan-malaysia/#comment-19267306

As is said, you should stay out of Thailand for 1-2 days when going for a new exempt.

 

So by paying 2000 baht, he avoids that rule and get in right away.

Also red a story about another border runner (Laos or Cambodia) and also could get in after paying 2000 baht !

It is not according to rules, but for a farang very handy to know.

[DrJack54]

23 minutes ago, xtrnuno41 said:

Also red a story about another border runner (Laos or Cambodia) and also could get in after paying 2000 baht !

Just picking out one sentence from nonsense rambling post.

From the OP.....

"It’s over 60 days and I’m wondering if Emirates will allow me to depart? "

 

The OP is asking about issue from airline at departure flying visa exempt. 

He has correct advice already posted. 

[xtrnuno41]

20 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Just picking out one sentence from nonsense rambling post.

From the OP.....

"It’s over 60 days and I’m wondering if Emirates will allow me to depart? "

 

The OP is asking about issue from airline at departure flying visa exempt. 

He has correct advice already posted. 

If all is nonsense, please enlighten me.

I picked, copied the Emirates gestures in flying with them. It is on their site.

You let me know now, it is not like that?

So I called Emirates and asked about it and they stated, there is no holding back/blocking you in your flight.

I can fly Emirates to Thailand. That is the answer on OP question.

I fly in december and have return ticket in new year, longer then 60 days

Specific mentioned dates.

 

Then the second part is Thai immigration, E visa site, in which is stated you can stay 60 days and extend then at immigration office. Copied that one from site in blue.

I filled it in on the tourist visa check with a 150 days to go.

Nothing in red with warnings, only a SUGGESTION of doing a visum at Thai embassy.

And that one is for getting in Thailand.

Theoretical also not a problem, but then if there was, you then should book on onward ticket, though you already have a return ticket, never mind the date. But that is getting in Thailand and not on plane. 

 

The other part, is maybe helpful for him to know when he is in Thailand.

Just put it in extra, as pre answer on his next question when he is there.

OK, off topic then.

[DrJack54]

24 minutes ago, xtrnuno41 said:

If all is nonsense, please enlighten me

The OP asked a very simple question.

imo (assuming) his return ticket is also with Emirates then should have zero issue explaining that he intends to apply for 30 day extension.

 

If still an issue he then asks for supervisor and happy to sige waiver (commonly done by airlines) 

 

Last option is to either

a) book a "rent a ticket" or

b) purchase throw away flight.

Both done in couple of minutes.

Simple. 

[pierrenoel]

i have a round trip ticket from 6 nov to 30 april 2025,they did not ask me anything at boarding

[DrJack54]

11 minutes ago, pierrenoel said:

i have a round trip ticket from 6 nov to 30 april 2025,they did not ask me anything at boarding

How did you enter Thailand? Visa exempt.

Out of interest how do you plan to stay in Thailand for almost 6 months