One way tickets

[ajlaw9]

Hey guys. I don't post much but am trying to find our the answer to a question.

I'm buring one way tickets to New York (for 2 weeks), then onto Rome (6 weeks at a summer camp) and finally Tiblisi in Georgia. I plan on spending a fair bit of time in Georgia working as an English teacher. I've checked with the Georgian officials and they say that I am fine to go there on a one way ticket (they also allow a stay for up to 360 days without a visa).

My problem is that some people tell me that the Australian officials might not let me go in the first place if I don't have a ticket that returns home or that shows I have official work there (I won't have official conformation of my position in Georgia until I'm already overseas).

Can anyone she some light on this? Am I worrying over nothing?

Who can I check with here to find out? Travel agencies seem unsure.

Hope someone can help!

 

[Bombers_Forever]

All about immigration - for any country, one way says you are not leaving. If it is part of a round the world thing, it is different because you have tickets to return home.

Just found an outgoing passenger card in my passport wallet - this will be your issue.You have three options:
1. Visitor or temporary enterant departing - that isn't you
2. Australian resident departing temporarily - Bingo.
3. Australian resident departing permanently - that isnt you.


Under '2. Australian resident departing temporarily, you have to say what state you live in, the intended length of stay overseas, country spent most time abroad and main reason for travel - business, employement etc.

I am sure if you selected employment, you would be asked to show your visa.

Best place to go is the Department of Immigration - they will have the official answer.

 

[SirJimi05]

My problem is that some people tell me that the Australian officials might not let me go in the first place if I don't have a ticket that returns home or that shows I have official work there (I won't have official conformation of my position in Georgia until I'm already overseas).

Can anyone she some light on this? Am I worrying over nothing?

Who can I check with here to find out? Travel agencies seem unsure.

Hope someone can help!

I travel on one way tockets all the time and it is not the Australian officials you need to worry about. As long as you fill in the departure card correctly they couldn't care less. In fact, most of the time they won't even read it.

It is the airline check in where you may encounter a problem. SOmetimes they try and make you get a return ticket even when you don't need them. They forced me to buy one once, stating that they have to because it is a requirement of the country I was visiting but that was absolute bs. They said If I wasn't allowed entry they would be fined. More bs. I said that if it is a problem I will simply pay for a ticket there on my credit card but they wouldn't have a bar of it.

They made me purchase a return ticket which was way more than a normal ticket. I just cashed it in as soon as i reached my destination.

They have tried it on other occasions since then but I have a written document which I produce which proves I don't need one. It embarrasses the **** out of them.

 

[ajlaw9]

Thanks for the responses guys!

They made me purchase a return ticket which was way more than a normal ticket. I just cashed it in as soon as i reached my destination.

They have tried it on other occasions since then but I have a written document which I produce which proves I don't need one. It embarrasses the **** out of them.

What do you mean you cashed the ticket in? You cancelled it and got money back?

And when you say you produced a written document, is that just something from the consulate website that for example might state that someone needs a return OR onward ticket to visit the country?
And in the case of Georgia, I have it in writing from them that a one way ticket is ok.
If that's all you mean then yes, I can print all of those.

I'm a bit of a novice with this sort of stuff so I appreciate the replies

 

[Eagle87]

I travel on one way tockets all the time and it is not the Australian officials you need to worry about. As long as you fill in the departure card correctly they couldn't care less. In fact, most of the time they won't even read it.

It is the airline check in where you may encounter a problem. SOmetimes they try and make you get a return ticket even when you don't need them. They forced me to buy one once, stating that they have to because it is a requirement of the country I was visiting but that was absolute bs. They said If I wasn't allowed entry they would be fined. More bs. I said that if it is a problem I will simply pay for a ticket there on my credit card but they wouldn't have a bar of it.

They made me purchase a return ticket which was way more than a normal ticket. I just cashed it in as soon as i reached my destination.

They have tried it on other occasions since then but I have a written document which I produce which proves I don't need one. It embarrasses the **** out of them.

The bolded bit is correct.

I fly on return tickets starting in Asia. So when I leave Australia I am on a one way leg and the airline staff always trot out the bollocks about "the country you are arriving in may not let you stay without a departing ticket and we get stuck with having to immediately fly you home".

I have never had to buy a ticket, I just tell them I do this every month, show them my passport and away we go.

That said, it is true that some countries (including the US) may kick up a fuss if you arrive without a ticket for departure and they could refuse you entry. But in your case you have a ticket booked from the US to a Rome (so the US will be fine with that) and then when you arrive in Rome you have a ticket on to Georgia (so the Italian authorities will be fine with that).

The only issue is Georgia and you say you've cleared that.

The issue is not departing without a return ticket to Australia but rather departing with a single leg ticket that terminates in a country in which you have no right of stay. So theoretically, when I fly one way to Thailand, the Thai authorities could say you have no departing ticket and therefore you may overstay, so we wont let you in ... that never happens in places I travel to in Asia but it theoretically could. Hence the airlines concern.

The solution, if they wont bend, is not buying a return ticket to Australia but buying a ticket to another destination. So if I am flying to Bangkok one way, and the airline kicks up, just log on and buy a one way Air Asia ticket from Bangkok to Phnom Penh for $50 for travel in, say, 2 weeks. The Aussie check in person can now see you are departing Thailand, so the Thai authorities wont kick up and you paid $50 just to make the ****ers go away...

 

[ajlaw9]

The solution, if they wont bend, is not buying a return ticket to Australia but buying a ticket to another destination. So if I am flying to Bangkok one way, and the airline kicks up, just log on and buy a one way Air Asia ticket from Bangkok to Phnom Penh for $50 for travel in, say, 2 weeks. The Aussie check in person can now see you are departing Thailand, so the Thai authorities wont kick up and you paid $50 just to make the ****ers go away...

I see what you're saying and I considered that, but as I said it's not Georgia I'm really worried about, it's here. And if I did it that way then wouldn't people this end still see the ticket ending somewhere overseas and therefore it wouldn't make any difference?
I'm just paranoid of getting to the airport and having all the plans stuffed up because of some idiot who doesn't understand the situation.

 

[TheStinger]

I see what you're saying and I considered that, but as I said it's not Georgia I'm really worried about, it's here. And if I did it that way then wouldn't people this end still see the ticket ending somewhere overseas and therefore it wouldn't make any difference?
I'm just paranoid of getting to the airport and having all the plans stuffed up because of some idiot who doesn't understand the situation.

Now you've got me worried. I'm travelling to Germany on a one-way ticket in June, but I might be ok because I have an EU passport. I have right to abode in any EU country so I shouldn't be held up to buying a return ticket.

But I am going with Malaysia Airlines and the theme in this thread is Asian airlines doing this mostly. How would I talk my way out of it if they won't budge?

 

[clivewaterhousen]

hey mate

i had a one way ticket to cambodia in december that consisted of a stopover in bali

no return ticket to aus

jetstar asked for my return ticket and when i didnt have one they explained to enter bali i needed one, fortunately i had a ticket that left bali going to cambodia so it was all good.

dont think the issue will be at this end tbh if you are an australian citizen

 

[SirJimi05]

Thanks for the responses guys!



What do you mean you cashed the ticket in? You cancelled it and got money back?

And when you say you produced a written document, is that just something from the consulate website that for example might state that someone needs a return OR onward ticket to visit the country?
And in the case of Georgia, I have it in writing from them that a one way ticket is ok.
If that's all you mean then yes, I can print all of those.

I'm a bit of a novice with this sort of stuff so I appreciate the replies

Yes and yes. I was made to purchase a ticket and then simply cashed it in when I arrived (minus the $20 odd cancellation fee).

Document was taken straight from the consulate website.

If you have that you are fine. I wouldn't stress at all.

The issue is not departing without a return ticket to Australia but rather departing with a single leg ticket that terminates in a country in which you have no right of stay. So theoretically, when I fly one way to Thailand, the Thai authorities could say you have no departing ticket and therefore you may overstay, so we wont let you in ... that never happens in places I travel to in Asia but it theoretically could. Hence the airlines concern.

Depends. On a tourist visa to Thailand you are not required to have an onward ticket. If you are travelling on the standard 30 day you technically should have an onward/return ticket.

Having said this, I have never been asked to show my ticket at Thai immigration, regardless of visa status. I'm up to about 20+ visits.

 

[Eagle87]

Depends. On a tourist visa to Thailand you are not required to have an onward ticket. If you are travelling on the standard 30 day you technically should have an onward/return ticket.

Having said this, I have never been asked to show my ticket at Thai immigration, regardless of visa status. I'm up to about 20+ visits.

Same in Malaysia and Singapore.

I arrive in Thailand a few times each month and likely did that up to 100 times in 4 years (before I had Visa), not once did anyone ask. That doesn't stop some Aussie check-in counters suggesting its an issue...