My Brazilian friend is coming next month and is planning on spending 11 months traveling around SE Asia. Brazilians are given 90 days visa to Thailand but need to show onward travel proof. His return ticket isn't for 11 months, but he'll only be in Thailand for 30 days or so, crossing out on land and coming back in on land to eventually fly home later in the year.

Question: Is a ticket of 11 months later proof to show onward travel, or does he have to show onward travel within that 90 days that he is granted?

If the latter, any ideas on the best, cheapest way to do this? Buying a throw away plane ticket seems to be a waste. Or is a hotel booking in Cambodia 30 days later enough proof to show he is moving on?

on a sidenote: you dont have to buy the cheap plane ticket for throw away. Buy a fully refundable ticket. Costs more in the beginning but you don't waste any money when cancelling.

Proof of onward travel is not an immigration requirement (AFAIK) its an airline requirement, not all enforce it, but they can refuse you to board the aircraft.

Edited January 8, 201412 yr by CharlieH

Proof of onward travel is not an immigration requirement (AFAIK) its an airline requirement, not all enforce it, but they can refuse you to board the aircraft.

It s an immigration requirement but not enforced by immigration. Airlines are responsible, and some will enforce the rule. This is not a visa but a visa exempt entry BTW.

Getting a tourist visa would solve the problem, or he can buy a plane ticket out from Thailand to a neighbouring country, with a flight date within 90 days of arrival.

As he has a return ticket he shouldn't have any problems despite the fact it's for 11 months later. All the airlines want to see when they want to see proof of outbound travel from Thailand is any onward or return ticket. I've never heard the dates being checked. In any case, you could always say you'll change your ticket to a date within 90 days but on the other hand, plenty of other excuses like going to Cambodia overland then coming back should work.

I've entered Thailand without a visa many times in the past and all I had was a 12-month return ticket which was never questioned. Of course now things are different given I work here on a work visa, but even in the recent past before I got my work visa I was never questioned given a return or onward ticket meets the requirements for entry to Thailand on a visa waiver. I understand the OP's concerns, but by having a return ticket, for any date, he can rest easy as I've never heard check-in agents scrutinizing dates.

As he has a return ticket he shouldn't have any problems despite the fact it's for 11 months later. All the airlines want to see when they want to see proof of outbound travel from Thailand is any onward or return ticket. I've never heard the dates being checked. In any case, you could always say you'll change your ticket to a date within 90 days but on the other hand, plenty of other excuses like going to Cambodia overland then coming back should work.

I've entered Thailand without a visa many times in the past and all I had was a 12-month return ticket which was never questioned. Of course now things are different given I work here on a work visa, but even in the recent past before I got my work visa I was never questioned given a return or onward ticket meets the requirements for entry to Thailand on a visa waiver. I understand the OP's concerns, but by having a return ticket, for any date, he can rest easy as I've never heard check-in agents scrutinizing dates.

Your experiences are valuable to you, but don't confirm the rule or the exception: ticket out of Thailand within validity is required. And yes, some airlines do check.

Anyone know if Thailand takes into consideration land crossings, and if so, what can be bought in advance to prove this? A one way bus ticket perhaps?

Getting such a mixed response on this both online and offline. No one seems to know if his return ticket 11 months later will be good enough for the airline, because his visa is only 90 days.

whatever you do, if the airline decides it wants to scam you there is absolutely nothing you can do about it,

Anyone know if Thailand takes into consideration land crossings, and if so, what can be bought in advance to prove this? A one way bus ticket perhaps?

Getting such a mixed response on this both online and offline. No one seems to know if his return ticket 11 months later will be good enough for the airline, because his visa is only 90 days.

No, not good enough according to the rules. How the airline interprets the rules could be different, no-one can tell but the airline.

No, land crossings are not good enough, a flight ticket is required.

whatever you do, if the airline decides it wants to scam you there is absolutely nothing you can do about it,

The airline enforcing the visa rules, as it is required to do, can hardly be called a scam.

whatever you do, if the airline decides it wants to scam you there is absolutely nothing you can do about it,

The airline enforcing the visa rules, as it is required to do, can hardly be called a scam.

this as other places is a democracy where you pay to slant the rules in your favour for your beneficial interpretation and to recoup your payment with exaggerated interest . but if you like living under a rock with a blind fold and ear muffs just ignore this post. this in no way implies that any other systems are any more or less consumer friendly. if you believe the IATA monopoly and the whole airline industry isnt shafting you all the way bank and beyond you are just dreaming on cloud 9.

Edited January 14, 201412 yr by Big Pinkie

whatever you do, if the airline decides it wants to scam you there is absolutely nothing you can do about it,

The airline enforcing the visa rules, as it is required to do, can hardly be called a scam.

this as other places is a democracy where you pay to slant the rules in your favour for your beneficial interpretation and to recoup your payment with exaggerated interest . but if you like living under a rock with a blind fold and ear muffs just ignore this post. this in no way implies that any other systems are any more or less consumer friendly. if you believe the IATA monopoly and the whole airline industry isnt shafting you all the way bank and beyond you are just dreaming on cloud 9.

If you don't want to react to the content of a post you'd better not react to it.