Onward Ticket: Get Verified Proof Of Onward Travel To Enter A Country

What is an onward ticket?

An onward ticket is a document that proves that you have a scheduled departure out of the country within a specified period. Travelers often require proof of onward travel for visa applications or when crossing borders. This ticket is also referred to as a return ticket, departure ticket, or onward flight ticket.

Not every country asks for proof of onward travel, but the COVID situation has led many countries to mandate onward ticket checks with the latest lockdowns and pandemic border restrictions. 

While an onward ticket is not necessary when traveling to every country, an immigration officer can request you provide documented proof that you are not planning to stay in the country illegally. 

It's good to be prepared just in case. You can buy an onward ticket for $16 from a reputable website; there are even some free options I cover in the article below. Having an onward flight ticket will ensure there are no problems when dealing with bureaucratic border control upon arrival at immigration.

This article serves as a guide on purchasing and using onward ticketing to minimize your costs while maintaining maximum flexibility.

Why is it important to have an onward ticket?

It is all about illegal immigration. Many countries are cracking down on foreigners overstaying their valid visa days. Proof of onward travel shows authorities that you have the means and intention to leave the country and do not intend to stay in the country illegally.

63% more illegal immigrants overstay their visas than illegally cross the borders.

Showing an onward ticket for short-term tourists on vacation is not typically an issue, as tourists usually have a pre-booked itinerary with a fixed departure date and a prepaid return ticket. 

However, proof of onward travel doesn't work for digital nomads or nomadic retirees like me who choose to stay relaxed about our plans. Picking a departure date usually means paying for an airline ticket we don't plan to use (throwaway ticket), paying exorbitant change fees to choose a different departure date, or risk immigration not letting us into the country for not providing an onward ticket.  

Travel flexibility is where using an onward ticket provider comes in handy.  Onward ticket providers allow you to "rent" proof of onward travel confirming you have a flight out of the country. You can confidently present your proof of onward travel to the airline check-in agent or immigration when you arrive in the country. A rented or disposable onward flight ticket is a 100% legitimate, verifiable flight reservation made in your name.

A disposable onward ticket is a smarter, more flexible, and cheaper way to deal with proof of onward travel.

I have partnered with the most trusted online ticket provider on the web with a 4.7 rating on Trust Pilot and loads of happy customer reviews. You can book an onward ticket for just $16. 

Other Guides On Expat Life In The Philippines

How much does an onward travel ticket cost?

You can buy a disposable onward ticket reservation that meets airline and immigration requirements for onward travel proof for $16 USD. There are optional add-ons if you want additional features added to your reservation. 

Optional add-ons include

1. Make your ticket a return ticket $7- a full round-trip ticket is helpful for a visa application
2. Delay your ticket delivery date $1- if you don't want to activate your ticket until a later date
3. Increase the validity period to 14 days $17- makes the ticket valid for 14 days (if you think the visa application process might take longer than 48 hours)
4. Only use direct flights $2- to only use non-stop flights on your airline itinerary (avoids potential visa complications with stopovers in other countries)

How do I use a temporary onward ticket?

10 Ways to show proof of onward travel

There are a few ways to buy an onward ticket. The safest options cost money, as they create legitimate, verifiable airline reservations with your name and travel information that can be confirmed by any airlines agent, immigration authority, or border control officers.

1. Rent a temporary onward ticket $
2. Buy a Flexible Date Ticket $$$
   
3. Purchase an expensive refundable ticket $$$
4. Make a 24-hour Hold on an airline ticket $
5. Book directly with airlines that offer free cancelations $
6. Buy a cheap return ticket $$
7. Risk it [NOT RECOMMENDED]
8. Sign an airline liability waiver [NOT RECOMMENDED]
9. Use a bus or train ticket [NOT RECOMMENDED]
10. Photoshop a Fake Ticket [NOT RECOMMENDED]

Buy a flexible travel ticket ($$$)

The most straightforward way to show proof of onward travel is to purchase a ticket where you can change your departure date. This type of ticket gives you some flexibility if your travel plans change. The problem is airline companies make a killing off of flexible tickets. Changing an airline ticket is always expensive, as airlines can tack on change fees and charge you the difference in the fare price.

Purchase an expensive refundable ticket ($$$)

Another option is buying fully returnable tickets. Just make sure to read the fine print. Some airlines only refund tickets using flight vouchers instead of cash. A refundable ticket is not always available for every flight and often comes with a refund or change fee. A refundable ticket is almost always more expensive, and refunds are not always immediate. Qatar airlines, for example, held my money for one 1-month after requesting a refund on a legitimate ticket I purchased.

Reserve a flight ticket using online travel websites with FREE 24-hour cancellation ($)

The cheapest way to get an onward travel ticket is Expedia.com. Expedia has a 24-hour refund policy for most of its flights. I say cheapest, but if you keep a watchful eye, this method is actually FREE, as in 100% of your money back. In fact, Expedia has never charged my credit card when I cancel a flight within the 24-hour refund window. Expedia simply withdraws the reservation, and I never even see the charge hit my credit card statement.

While I mention Expedia, I'm sure other websites offer a similar policy. However, since I haven't had any reason to use a different company, I can't vouch for how they work. Expedia, to me, is tried and true.

Make airline reservations that have a 24-hour Risk-Free Cancellation Policy ($)

Another cheap option. The premise is the same as option 1 above, except you book directly with airline websites instead of Expedia. The key is finding an airline that offers FREE 24-hour cancelations AND has flights on the dates and arrival airport you need.

Here are some larger airlines that allow FREE refunds for reservations canceled within 24 hours of booking. Since airlines can change their policy, confirm with the airline if they still offer refunds with no change or cancelation fees. Additionally, verify your payment is refunded back to your credit card and not issued as flight credit or flight vouchers.

Alaska Airlines: 24-hour free cancellation.  

American Airlines: Keeps reservations on hold for free for 24-hours.

Delta Airlines: provides a full refund for cancellation on flight tickets made by midnight the day after the purchase

JetBlue: 24-hour free cancellation.  

United Airlines: 24-hour free cancellation.

Buy the cheapest one-way ticket

An extreme budget airline like Ryanair, Asia Asia, or Wizz Air can drive down the cost of a one-way flight laughably low. In these situations, you can throw away or consider the ticket disposable. It may seem like a waste of money to burn a ticket, but some low-cost airlines have international flights for $10-$20. My girlfriend once paid less than $10 for a one-way ticket from Vienna, Austria, to Limassol, Cyprus. An Uber in Vienna to the airport costs twice as much as the cost to fly to another country.

Use an Onward Ticket Providers

The Onward Ticket Provider is my travel partner. They provide onward travel solutions by allowing customers to purchase a pre-booked itinerary as proof of onward travel on their website.

You can buy tickets using the site for $16, valid for 48 hours. 

Four Ways To Travel Without A Ticket With A Scheduled Return

To be 100% clear, I do not recommend the following options. These options carry a high risk of being denied boarding your flight by airline agents or getting deported by Immigration authorities at your destination. Don't risk it. When you can get peace of mind by renting an onward ticket for $16, why take a chance?

What countries require proof of onward travel?

Surprisingly, there is no comprehensive resource online showing all the countries that require proof of onward travel. However, here is a list of countries I am familiar with that need onward travel tickets.

• Brazil
• Colombia- You may be denied entry to Colombia if you do not have a return ticket. 
• Costa Rica
• Greece - You must arrive in-country with proof of sufficient funds and a return airline ticket or other evidence that you will depart Greece. 
• Indonesia
• New Zealand
• Peru
• Philippines- requires valid return ticket
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• United Kingdom
• United States
• Vietnam

It's important to note that every country has different requirements for proof of onward travel. Some countries, like Taiwan, do not require an onward ticket for Europeans but do for Vietnamese nationals. Other countries, like Thailand, will ban you from entry if you don't have proof of onward travel.

So, what should you do if you're planning on traveling abroad and don't have a valid onward ticket? The best thing to do is check with the embassy or consulate of the country you're visiting. They will be able to tell you exactly what documents they require for entry.