Can I enter Colombia on a one way ticket?
I am starting my one year trip through South America in a month, and the country I fly into is Colombia. Since I do not need a visa for Colombia and the surrounding countries, I assumed it should be no problem entering on a one way ticket. But a research on the Internet got me worried. It seems that Colombian immigration officers normally do not ask for return/onward tickets, but they might. And the airlines are even more prone to cause me troubles. Is it still the case in 2019?
I am an EU citizen. I will be flying from Madrid to Bogota with Avianca airlines. I intend to stay in Colombia for 1-2 months, and then travel overland to Equador with the local busses.
Best Answer
Yes, it is still the case. They would complain about you not having a return ticket out of the Colombia.
Workaround: Book "fake" ticket
VivaAir airlines offers a possibility to Lock the fare for the price of 10 Euro.
Just start booking as you normally book the flight from Colombia to any other country. During the process of choosing the add-ons, select Lock the fare option. Locking fare basically means that you pay 10E and price of this flight would never change for you. However, locked fare booking gives you reservation number which is required during boarding/check-in.
Once you lock the fare, get the reservation number of the flight back, present it upon asking and forget about whole thing. Viva automatically would cancel your flight, obviously 10E would never be returned.
Cheers
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Do you have to have a return ticket to enter Colombia?
Yes. Like most if not all countries, Colombia will require you to have a Return ticket or a ticket to a 3rd country.Can you travel to a country with one way ticket?
They want to see proof of onward travel back to your home or at least to another destination. So while you can technically travel on a one-way ticket, they also need some kind of official return ticket confirmation showing that you are leaving the country eventually.Can I use one way of a round trip ticket?
Technically, you can buy a roundtrip ticket and only use it to go one-way, but airlines frown upon this. And, you can only skip the return flight. If you miss a segment of your trip, the airline may cancel the rest of your ticket without giving you a refund.What countries require proof of onward travel?
A few countries that absolutely require documented proof of onward travel are Peru, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States, Philippines, Indonesia, and Brazil. It's possible to avoid some hassles by dressing presentably (think business casual, neat and tidy) when flying and being polite to passport control.eruption - one way ticket
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Answer 2
The "Proof of Onward Travel" is very common and enforcement is largely left to the Immigration Officer at the Border. Yes, your Passport and even departure airport have an impact on whether or not the ask you.
Traveling on a US Passport, I've never been asked about my onward plans entering various places on a one-way ticket. This is for cruises, train trips and other non-GDS integrated travels.
Depending on your cash/credit position, one way around this is to book a refundable return or onward ticket. It costs more, possibly a lot more, but is eventually refundable once you don't need it anymore.
It's quite possible that while the Border Office would eventually let you in, the airline may not board you unless you can prove onward travel because if you are denied entry, they are responsible for taking you back. To facilitate this, you can book the refundable one-way return or cheaper onward ticket, such as BOG-UIO with Avianca as well.
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