Onward Ticket

[HarryLL76]

I plan to buy a one way ticket and fly from LAX to Bangkok on a tourist or non-immigrant O visa. I am over 50 and meet the monthly income requirement so upon my arrival, I will request a one year retirement extension. Do I have to purchase an onward ticket? If so, what country would be the closes or cheapest?

Thank you in advance

Harry

[Jingthing]

I plan to buy a one way ticket and fly from LAX to Bangkok on a tourist or non-immigrant O visa. I am over 50 and meet the monthly income requirement so upon my arrival, I will request a one year retirement extension. Do I have to purchase an onward ticket? If so, what country would be the closes or cheapest?

Thank you in advance

Harry

This may not exactly be what you are looking for, but I can start this --

1. Technically you should be boarded in LA on a one way ticket with ANY kind of visa. However, that doesn't mean there isn't a chance the agent at the airport might not understand that.

2. If going for a visa at the LA consulate, no problem getting a tourist visa. However, they may require you show an air ticket out of Thailand. (Ask them.)

3. For a non-immigrant visa, LA generally will reject your application for a single entry O if you tell them your reason is retirement. They will demand you apply for an O-A (retirement visa) instead. I doubt you want that, so if you want a single entry O, find a friendlier consulate such as Portland and ask them if they will serve you.

4. Conversion of tourist visa to single O in Thailand. Not done at all immigration offices in Thailand. I think only Pattaya, Bangkok, Phuket, and Chiang Mai. However if your Thai home office doesn't offer this, you can do it at Bangkok as the first step, and the extension at your local for the second step.

5. For an application for retirement extension in Thailand, you most likely will need a real Thai address. Such as a condo you own or a rental lease. A hotel address probably won't be accepted.

(I assume you know already about other requirements for extension.)

6. The cheapest country for a throwaway one way ticket is probably Malaysia.

[Nisa]

If you have any kind of Visa, you don't need an onward ticket. If the ticket agent at the airport doesn't agree, simply ask him/her to speak to their supervisor.

What you "plan' to do in Thailand has nothing to do with anything. What matters in terms of requirements is if you have a Visa or not when you are boarding the plane at LAX. They will be the only one who checks regarding an onward ticket requirement .... assuming you are not "entering" any other country between LA and Thailand.

[littleboylost]

I am on a retirement visa and travel HKT-LA-HKT at least 4 times a year. Even though I have the standard one year visa on my return the check in staff at LAX almost always think that I need an outbound ticket from Thailand. Speaking to a supervisor normally clears it up but it is a hassle.

If you are going to retire in Thailand why not get the correct visa from the Thai Consulate in LA before leaving? That way you need only apply for a re-entry permit, if you plan on traveling outside of Thailand, when you arrive.

The Consulate in LA will accept proof of funds in a US bank account and if you are planning on using income from a pension or social security as part of the funds it is very easy to just bring along a letter confirming this. It takes no more than 48 hours to get your visa once you have submitted your application.

[Upnotover]

In 5 years I've flown BKK>>LAX>>BKK 6 times. Always on a return ticket issued in Bangkok. On an "O" visa. Although not a single ticket there was no onward travel out of Thailand. Never had any issue at LAX, maybe because I'm non-US and they were just glad to see me go.

[Nisa]

Consider too with the price of 1-way tickets sold in the US being about the same (sometimes more) than round trip ... you might consider buying a round trip ticket in case you do with to return within a year. Most airlines will allow you to cancel the return ticket and then have it reissued within a year for a nominal fee or free depending on your frequent flyer status.

[Jingthing]

Consider too with the price of 1-way tickets sold in the US being about the same (sometimes more) than round trip ... you might consider buying a round trip ticket in case you do with to return within a year. Most airlines will allow you to cancel the return ticket and then have it reissued within a year for a nominal fee or free depending on your frequent flyer status.

Not necessarily. The last time I flew one way from the US, it was way cheaper with one way. Depends on the airline and also you may be able to get a good deal on one way from consolidators. Shop around.

My experience with retirement visas with reentry permit going from the US. First time, agent seemed concerned, I pointed to the reentry permit, she didn't seem so clear, but let me go. Second time, agent flipped the pages in the passport for two seconds. I think long enough to see all the retirement extensions, I think she had seen them before, no way she had bothered to look for a permit. No questions then.

[matador007]

I plan to buy a one way ticket and fly from LAX to Bangkok on a tourist or non-immigrant O visa. I am over 50 and meet the monthly income requirement so upon my arrival, I will request a one year retirement extension. Do I have to purchase an onward ticket? If so, what country would be the closes or cheapest?

Thank you in advance

Harry

<snip>

6. The cheapest country for a throwaway one way ticket is probably Malaysia.

I would agree with this, and also add Singapore, and other bordering countries.

You can check on Kayak.com and also AirAsia & JetStar for Singapore.

Additonally I bought a 1-way to Kuala Lumpur with Royal Jordanian for US$375 or so (Business something, top tier), as that ticket is 100% refundable.

I can confirm that after sending them an email, and them responding with an offer to put the ticket on hold for up to 1 year, and upon an additional reply saying, no thanks I'll just rebook later, that the refund was process and refunded to my CC.

If you don't want the hassle, RJ like ones above, also have fairly cheap 'throwaways' for under $100.

[Nisa]

Consider too with the price of 1-way tickets sold in the US being about the same (sometimes more) than round trip ... you might consider buying a round trip ticket in case you do with to return within a year. Most airlines will allow you to cancel the return ticket and then have it reissued within a year for a nominal fee or free depending on your frequent flyer status.

Not necessarily. The last time I flew one way from the US, it was way cheaper with one way. Depends on the airline and also you may be able to get a good deal on one way from consolidators. Shop around.

I stand corrected ... you are right especially considering it is an LAX international flight with a number of non-US carriers offering flights. Generally US airlines for some reason are not allowed (not sure why) to publicly discount one-way tickets . In addition, one way tickets tend to have less restrictions than the heavily discounted round trip tickets.