An onward ticket (PDF) is proof of your intent to leave their country. A booked airline ticket is most commonly required. Some countries “might” let you pass with a boat, bus, or train ticket.
🢜 How to Show Proof of Onward Travel (VIDEO).
🢜 Strict onward travel (OT) policies: SE Asia, and airline companies flying into Mexico.
🢜 Reduce chances of being asked for OT by not dressing like someone with no money.
🢜 You’re more likely to be asked at an airport rather than a land border.
🢜 Business casual always works best at airports if you want to avoid questions.
🢜 Check-in early/online/kiosk | Allows time to produce (rent/buy) OT if needed.
🢜 Allow enough time for auto-cancellations: Reservations get auto-canceled by the airline due to different reasons (overbooking, flight cancellation, date of departure too close, etc.). If your ticket purchase/rental gets canceled, you’ll want plenty of time to resubmit it.
🢜 Book a refundable ticket: Booking websites are known to make refunds difficult/impossible.
🢜 Buy a throw-away ticket. A cheap ticket into one of the closest visa-free or visa-on-arrival countries. Because immigration has been known to ask for your ticket AND your visa (if required). Though the ticket won’t be used, make sure the departure date is near the time you’re allowed to stay expires. If your throw-away ticket is randomly booked for 2 weeks from now, you’ll receive a 2-week stamp from immigration.
🢜 Ticket rental services: Onward Ticket | Best Onward Ticket | No affiliation
🢜 A Complete Guide to Airline Ticket Hold Policies (ARTICLE)
🢜 Proof of accommodation rental (visa requirement): One Way Fly | No affiliation
🢜 Airline onward travel requirements can be different than immigration’s. The best way to avoid any problems is to check the requirements of both the airline and the immigration authorities for the country you are entering. You can usually find this information on the websites of the airline and the embassy or consulate of the country you are visiting.
NOTICE: Onward travel/ticket services only make reservations, they don’t purchase tickets. Therefore, they can only provide a PNR (Personal Name Record), not a ticket number. Immigration might, at times, require a ticket number. Step out of line and buy a cheap throw-away ticket or a flex flight ticket to the country you plan on visiting next, then change that date to whenever you want later.