Arriving On A One-way Ticket

[Maestro]

...I flew from the States to Thailand 3 weeks ago on United. For the first time, I ckecked in on-line and got my boarding pass. I had to type in my passport and reservation data, of course -- but no where was there anything asked about visa information. But the boarding pass came back with "documents checked" on it. So, United's check-in software only cared that "valid passport" and "going to Thailand" closed the loop...

Did you travel without a visa and with a one-way ticket without confirmed onward flight out of Thailand?

--

Maestro

[beckyboop552]

Hi, Me and a friend have a round the world sector ticket. We are flying into Bangkok and then making our own way to Singapore to fly to Australia.

Do you think everything will be fine if we just pay for a Tourist visa?

If so, is it silly to book it 3 months in advance? Should we wait til a little bit sooner?

Thanks

[JimGant]

Did you travel without a visa and with a one-way ticket without confirmed onward flight out of Thailand?

Strictly a one-way ticket. And no other onward tickets.

I had a valid visa, but the point is, they had no way of knowing this, as they didn't ask for any visa info when I checked in on-line; nor did they ever inspect my passport. As they told me, if they needed to see a visa -- or an onward ticket -- I would have been flagged to see an agent before receiving my boarding pass.

Kinda doubtful United's procedure is only for electronic check-ins...and something different would materialize with a face-to-face check-in. But, who knows. They *did* ask to see a visa a few years back -- in the days before electronic check-in (you can check-in at the airport too, using one of their kiosks vice an agent).

[JimGant]

Do you think everything will be fine if we just pay for a Tourist visa? If so, is it silly to book it 3 months in advance? Should we wait til a little bit sooner?

As discussed, the problem can be trying to enter Thailand on a 30-day visa waiver without an onward ticket. This is not your situation, as you're getting a Tourist Visa.

The only booking implication related to Thai bureaucracy is the requirement by some consulates to see your travel ticket(s) before issuing a Tourist Visa. And, a single entry Tourist Visa has to be used within 3-months of issue date (which you can't request to be post-dated). So, plan accordingly.

[lounger]

Hey there

I will come to Thailand as normal Tourist (Tourist Visa) with a one way ticket and have bought a ticket over Airasia to leave to Singapore after a month. Will this be valid to get in to Thailand? I booked everything online with electronic tickets.

Thanks

Chris

If you have a Tourist Visa which you say you have , you will have no problem.

If you do not have a Visa , your flight on Air Asia must be within 30 days of your arrival. Or you may not be allowed on the flight to Bangkok.

===================

depends which side of the bed everyone got of... I had the following exp with a non Im -o retirement extension ( valid about 12months):

I had a single with KLM. In Newcastle UK they wouldnt let me on the flight. I offered to buy onward flight KLM to S/pore they said NO, I had to hold 'return to UK'. I eventually had to buy ANOTHER ticket this time 'return'. They then said the flight (Amsterdam to BKK) was full. I argued it couldnt be as my seat was empty.....I was so angry I was making matters worse...but I had to claim I was leaving on the single seat and ....and I got my own seat back.

At Suvarnabhumi I checked with the senior officer on call and he said Mai ben rai ( dont care, never mind) as far as he was concerned a single was ok

[JimGant]

I had the following exp with a non Im -o retirement extension

I'm actually surprised more folks here on extensions haven't been denied boarding, as the agent looking for a visa only finds one that has expired -- and is probably underwhelmed by your explanation of why that is, and what your latest extension and re-entry stamps mean.

[Jingthing]

I was recently challenged on a reentry stamp coming from the US to Thailand. It was a mild challenge. The agent assumed I was going to Thailand on holiday, not returning there. When it became clear I was going back there (this was the second leg of a RT), she then said so you have a RESIDENT PERMIT? I just said I LIVE IN THAILAND and here is my reentry permit and the date it covers. She reacted like she hadn't seen such a thing before but let me go. I wouldn't be surprised if not everyone is always so lucky. After all some of us are here with visas with expiry dates several years old.

Edited March 17, 2009 by Jingthing

[Maestro]

Strictly a one-way ticket. And no other onward tickets.

In this case, their online check-in procedure obviously did not verify visa requirements, something that should have been easy to program.

Interesting information from you, first case report of this kind. Thank you for posting it.

--

Maestro

[Ted]

OMG, this isn't rocket science.

One way tickets:

-- Thai immigration in general does not check for onward travel so that is not the problem

-- Arrive at check in with a one way ticket and a visa and a ticket out somewhere, you will be boarded

-- Arrive at check in with a one way ticket and a visa with no ticket out, you will most probably be boarded

-- Arrive at check in with a one way ticket and a ticket out within the time period of your 30 day stamp and no visa, and you will probably be boarded but not always

-- Arrive at check in with a one way ticket with no visa and no ticket out, you will most probably face a serious challenge and face a very good chance of being denied boarding

Mileage may vary with city and country you are leaving, airline you are using, and competency of the check in agent. If denied, always stay calm and ask to speak to a supervisor, and have a good story. There are reports here of people being allowed to sign away the airline's financial responsibility if denied entry into Thailand and then allowed to board.

Given what I had read previously to reading the above I was intending to buy a one-way ticket to BK and the next leg of my journey (a budget internal flight within SE Asia) and I will be getting a Visa on arrival. Reading your post though you suggest that might be a problem boarding as I don't have an actual visa? Why if I come from a country that meets the 30 day visa on arrival criteria should not having the visa in my passport have any bearing on this (if I have an onward ticket)?

[Maestro]

With an onward ticket out of Thailand within 30 days from arrival you should have no problem getting a boarding pass without a visa in your passport.

--

Maestro

[Jingthing]

Given what I had read previously to reading the above I was intending to buy a one-way ticket to BK and the next leg of my journey (a budget internal flight within SE Asia) and I will be getting a Visa on arrival. Reading your post though you suggest that might be a problem boarding as I don't have an actual visa? Why if I come from a country that meets the 30 day visa on arrival criteria should not having the visa in my passport have any bearing on this (if I have an onward ticket)?

OK, before I wrote:

-- Arrive at check in with a one way ticket and a ticket out within the time period of your 30 day stamp and no visa, and you will probably be boarded but not always

I am pretty much saying the same thing as Maestro with some fudge room. It really isn't knowable whether ever single person doing this is going to boarded. I suspect not every single person, simply because they don't like to see one way tickets, it is not what they consider normal. Logically, you should always be boarded but with cases out of the normal, you add human factors such as stressed out/inexperienced check in agents. Presumably they would get in trouble if they boarded someone they shouldn't have so some may be motivated to be overly cautious.

Edited March 17, 2009 by Jingthing

[wpcoe]

1. If you arrive on a visa at the airport...tourist visa or other visa in your passport you will not need a return ticket.

2. If you recieve a stamp in your passport on entry...as some countries are allowed...you are required to have a ticket to leave Thailand in your possesion. Again, if you get a visa in your passport before you depart from your country, you will not need this ticket.

3. If you do not have a visa, the problem may be that the airline will not allow you to leave your country without a return ticket, or at least a ticket out of Thailand.

4. The reason is that if you arrive in Thailand, and do not have a visa, and are not admitted to Thailand, the airline that brought you will be responsible for either returning you to your original point of boarding or at least to remove you from Thailand. That is why the airline will want to see either a visa or a onward ticket from Thailand.

5. If the airline lets you board, and you are not allowed to enter Thailand for some reason, the airline is liable for your transportation.

6. This situation has happened to me once...departing without a visa on SAS from Copenhagen....and i was required to purchase a ticket out of Thailand before SAS allowed me to board.

7. For all practical purposes, Thai immigration usually does not ask for a onward ticket. However, I have had them ask me once (in about 30 entries). The law, however, states that a person arriving without a visa, and wanting a entry stamp on arrival, requires an onward ticket.

One additional bit if trivia: If you do not have a visa, and do not have an onward/return ticket within 30 days, and Immigrations catches it, the airline also faces a fine from Immigrations.

Several people have said/inferred that Immigrations won't check to see if you have onward/return tickets, but they most definitely *can,* and sometimes *do,* as IMA_FARANG says above in #7. That's why the airlines are so fussy about not letting you go to Thailand if you don't meet the rules.

[Jingthing]

Several people have said/inferred that Immigrations won't check to see if you have onward/return tickets, but they most definitely *can,* and sometimes *do,* as IMA_FARANG says above in #7. That's why the airlines are so fussy about not letting you go to Thailand if you don't meet the rules.

That is very true. It is still unlikely. Perhaps more likely for a serial visa runner and/or presenting an appearance the officials deem undesirable.

[pattaya1com]

In denmark, you need to show the Thai embasy the you have a ticket out of Thailand, if not they will not give you a visa.

I always just buy a cheap ticket to Cambodia but i never take the flight i just cross the border, it is cheaper and faster, and then i dont have any problems with my 2 times 60 days turist visa. because if i come back by plain, then i need to show them that i have another plai ticket to go out again.

After the first 60 days i goo to immigrations to get extension for 30 days and pay 1900 bath, so i get all 60+30+60+30 days. And now the turist visa are free in laos.

Just got a two month extension, March 13th, in Laos at Thi consulate cost 2,000 THB plus Lao Visa 1,600 THB. Plus expenses over 10,000 THB. Sure wish computer extensions were available :-)

[Lite Beer]

Just got a two month extension, March 13th, in Laos at Thi consulate cost 2,000 THB plus Lao Visa 1,600 THB. Plus expenses over 10,000 THB. Sure wish computer extensions were available :-)

Sorry I do not understand what you mean. Can you explain please. 2 Month extension of what?

If you are talking about applying for a Tourist Visa they are free at the moment.

[lopburi3]

Believe you are saying you obtained a new tourist visa as Consulates do not provide extensions of stay.

[Lite Beer]

Believe you are saying you obtained a new tourist visa as Consulates do not provide extensions of stay.

So do I but Tourist Visa are normally 1,000 Baht for a single but are free at the moment.

He is saying he paid 2,000 Baht. We await his update.

[Spee]

Strictly a one-way ticket. And no other onward tickets.

In this case, their online check-in procedure obviously did not verify visa requirements, something that should have been easy to program.

Interesting information from you, first case report of this kind. Thank you for posting it.

Make me number two. I flew into LoS from a middle east origin on a one-way ticket with Ethihad, no outbound ticket and no visa other than my complimentary tourist entry as a US citizen. I purchased my outbound ticket after about a week in country. No one at any point during my inbound trip questioned me about only having a one-way ticket. Possibly my case was unique in that my visa at the point of origin was expiring on my date of departure, and they really couldn't detain me or prevent me from leaving without having to explain why they intentionally caused a visa overstay.