Onward ticket needed for Europeans?

[pablosailor]

I am a "permatourist"(I prefer to think I am a Permavacationer) and have been spending a lot of time in Buenos Aires over the past few years. I just registered with BAEXPATS so I could post this question:

A travel friend of mine, a retired school teacher who lives in Austria, is flying to Buenos Aires on September 22nd. She plans to travel around South America for about one year. She will be flying to Buenos Aires on a one-way ticket.

She thinks she needs an onward ticket in order to enter Argentina. I told her I didn't think Argentina would require that(I am a U.S. citizen and they have never questioned me about an onward ticket) but she said the following in an email she sent me this morning:

i called the embassy in vienna and was told i need an onward ticket to get the 90 days tourist visa (which can be extended by 90 days). and the german airline says it is my responsibility to check rules and regulations of the visiting country.

Do any of you know if Europeans(from Austria) might, indeed, need an onward ticket to enter Argentina?

Thank you for your help.
Paul

 

[PhilipDT]

I doubt it but I'm speaking from the same experience you have.

 

[anjuna11]

Not sure as I am a US citizen and have had similar experience to yours.

I suspect the answer will end up being the letter of the law says so, but only a 1% chance they will actually ask for it.

If it comes down to it and your friend is still nervous, don't forget the option of buying a fully refundable ticket (check carefully!) or even just saving an itinerary on Expedia and printing out the itin page as insurance. Ferry tickets to Colonia can also be had for <$50 with advance booking. Seacat has the cheapest prices.

 

[glasgowjohn]

I have flown from Spain and from the UK several times over the last few years and have never been asked for an onward ticket on arrival - a few times I have been on one ways and nothing has happened.

I have a UK passport.

 

[db887]

Never been asked for onward ticket by immigration but always am asked for one by airline check-in agents. Major US airlines flag one way tickets and require manual verification of onward travel proof or visas.

 

[jontyjago]

I've flown to Argentina three times on a one-way ticket and on 2 occasions have only been allowed to check-in by giving proof of an onward ticket. Without that proof the check-in lady made it very clear that she would not check me in. Simple as that. I have a UK passport if that makes any difference, and was able to provide proof of onward travel

My advice would be to mock up a confirmation email from a different airline, or book a one-way ticket on Buquebus (adapt one you already have), print it out and have it with you just in case. This can be a real thing.

 

[John.St]

She thinks she needs an onward ticket in order to enter Argentina.

During umpteen trips from Europe (Germany, Spain, England and Italy) I have never been asked for a return ticket in Argentina.

If asked, she can simply tell she is on a round trip and will be leaving Argentina by bus to Chile and from there possibly to Peru, she is not sure yet where she'll end up and will buy a ticket back to Europe at the end of her trip.

 

[AndrewWoodward]

I was going to say - the problem tends to be checking into the flight. I doubt there would be an issue in Argentina, and I've never in my life been asked at any land border crossing. But it's fairly standard, at least in the US, for an airline to want proof of onward travel; I guess for liability reasons.

 

[Ceviche]

Two weeks I flew in on a one way ticket from Mexico to BA on Aero Mexico. No one asked me anything.

One week ago, I flew in from Houston to BA on a one way ticket on TAM..the lady stopped me and asked me onwards plan. So I showed her my DNI. No further argument.

For worst case, scenario, keep a dummy return ticket print out. They just have to sight it. No one has time to double check it. The problem is only with the airlines checking you in. Immigration, etc are not bothered.

Hope this helps.

 

[AndrewWoodward]

Two weeks I flew in on a one way ticket from Mexico to BA on Aero Mexico. No one asked me anything.

One week ago, I flew in from Houston to BA on a one way ticket on TAM..the lady stopped me and asked me onwards plan. So I showed her my DNI. No further argument.

For worst case, scenario, keep a dummy return ticket print out. They just have to sight it. No one has time to double check it. The problem is only with the airlines checking you in. Immigration, etc are not bothered.

Hope this helps.

To be fair, if you have some type of a long-term visa, I don't think even US airlines will care much, beyond asking questions. It'd be a bit silly if an airline refused to fly you to a country you have a right to live in. It's mostly a liability issue - I don't know the laws, and I won't pretend to. But some countries have reporting requirements for one way tickets, and others have requirements for proof of onward travel. The airlines can be liable in these situations, so they're often the ones that bitch before you've ever left.

I've heard some people print out fake online tickets/itineraries to show. That would scare me, and I'd recommend against it, but others do it I guess. I've only been stopped once, in London, after flying in on a tourist visa after flying in and out, and taking trains in and out, and they asked me what my plans were and when I was going home. I showed a ticket out, and that was that.

Also, it seems the states is far more strict on this than others. Jontyjago seems to be the only other under a non-USA passport reporting problems. So maybe he can fill more in on where he came from and how it went.

[edit] And your friend should call the airline, along with the airline. Try to get some type of answer from them. Like everyone said, the problems are more to come on the front end than the back end.