One Way Ticket to India...Think I will have a problem?

Madhu10 · May 26th, 2008, 02:35

So folks

I land in Mumbai with a one way ticket. I will book the next leg of my ticket in India as I have no fixed plans yet.

Will there be an issue with just a one way ticket.

The 10 times that I have been to India I was never really asked for my return ticket, but wondering if others have been asked this question when you enter the country.

Cheers,

the opoponax · May 26th, 2008, 02:38

Do you have a visa yet? Because I think when you apply for that you'll have to at least give a length of stay and return dates, if not provide confirmation of an onward ticket.

I also don't see the point of flying there one way, because you can only stay 6 months from visa issue date. Might as well give at least a little thought to how you'll get home...

Madhu10 · May 26th, 2008, 02:43

I have my visa and they did not ask return dates and did not even ask for my tickets.

Reason for flying one way is that I will leave for my next destination from India depending on where I get the cheapest tickets to. (BKK, KL, Jakarta or Vietnam). Or might travel the new train to Bangladesh. Traveling around in Asia will not be returning to the US for a while. Should have mentioned this in my first post.

the opoponax · May 26th, 2008, 03:17

I just got back from India a couple months ago, and just got an India visa via the US in December. I definitely remember questions on the form about length of stay, destination(s), purpose of trip, return dates, etc. Of course I guess you could just lie, or more politely, "plan to change plans". But, yes, there should have been questions in all that paperwork about how long you were planning to stay and at least the when of your return, if not the how.

I'm pretty sure, btw, that once your papers are in order, you should be fine. I don't recall ever being asked to see a return ticket at any time that I was in India. However I would guess that, aside from countries like Nepal where you can get a visa at the border, you will probably have to firm up your plans at some point and have somewhat of a paper trail. And, of course, seeing as you already have a visa and have not yet arrived in India (otherwise you'd already know the answer to your question), you'll obviously be staying in India less than 6 months. Ticket prices are not going to go down significantly. Why not just make some g-d* plans?

Not to be hostile to you, personally, I've just never understood that approach to travel. You are going to have to move on at some point, why not just make a decision already? It's the Right Brainer in me, I suppose.

Nick-H · May 26th, 2008, 03:43

I have not seen anyone yet say that they have been asked to show their ticket at immigration.

The only time I wanted a one-way ticket I found it cost three times as much as a return --- so I bought the return but didn't.

Madhu10 · May 26th, 2008, 04:09

[quote=the opoponax;494323
I'm pretty sure, btw, that once your papers are in order, you should be fine. I don't recall ever being asked to see a return ticket at any time that I was in India. However I would guess that, aside from countries like Nepal where you can get a visa at the border, you will probably have to firm up your plans at some point and have somewhat of a paper trail. And, of course, seeing as you already have a visa and have not yet arrived in India (otherwise you'd already know the answer to your question), you'll obviously be staying in India less than 6 months. Ticket prices are not going to go down significantly. Why not just make some g-d* plans?

Not to be hostile to you, personally, I've just never understood that approach to travel. You are going to have to move on at some point, why not just make a decision already? It's the Right Brainer in me, I suppose.[/QUOTE]

No hostility taken. The beauty of open ended travel is that...not really knowing when/where one is going but to have a fair idea on some of the next destinations. I usually never make "solid" plans but kinda know where am going.

I know I have to leave India at some point as my visa will expire. Making plans for Oct/November now is way too planned for me. With natural disasters, manmade ones as well one never knows what might happen. I don't like to plan that far ahead.

I don't mind paying a little extra for flexibility. If a round trip ticket is cheaper I will buy that out of India and if not once again it will be a one way ticket out.

ashakasha · May 26th, 2008, 05:13

Madhu-

We also intend to go with one-way tickets. We plan to be there for some time, with a totally indefinite exit date, so it also makes no sense to us to buy RT...I don't think our visas (employment and educational) will require a "visa run" so, it makes even less sense to get RT.

Last my hubby checked, RT to Mumbai was $1700- yet he found one-ways for $600 directly from the airline. This is unusual, as normally it is cheaper to do RT, but...oh well.

Good luck. If they dont require to see your exit ticket upon arrival, I don't see why it is necessary.

I, myself, am a little nervous about this, though. Part of me would rather be safe than sorry. When I went to s. america, I had an exit ticket, but just modified it (once there) to be open-ended and it only cost $550 (to change it).

Madhu10 · May 26th, 2008, 05:29

I have my ticket already. SFO - Zurich (stay there for 6 weeks) and then continue to Mumbai. This leg cost me $940 with taxes , direct flights on Swiss air. Round trip on this leg would be $1800 something so I think I got a fair deal. Also bought my Jet airways ticket for $70 from Mumbai-Hyderabad.

I think sometimes ones lucks with one way tickets and sometimes one does not.

If some thing happens will deal with as it comes. If last minute I panic I will buy a ticket in Zurich online to show my exit dates from India.

Madhu10 · May 26th, 2008, 05:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashakasha

I, myself, am a little nervous about this, though. Part of me would rather be safe than sorry. When I went to s. america, I had an exit ticket, but just modified it (once there) to be open-ended and it only cost $550 (to change it).

I hope you meant $50 not $550 ;-)

ashakasha · May 26th, 2008, 05:45

Haha...no, I meant $550 US. I was flying from Alaska to Lima and back to Alaska. I decided to extend my trip and then chose to fly out of Bolivia instead of returning to Lima.

Anyhow, I found it to be quite a deal, 'specially since I was flying back home 2 days before Christmas.

Yeah- I say, no worries. Especially if you can afford to snag last minute tickets, if need be.

Fantabulous wishes for you!

camelgirl · May 26th, 2008, 07:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by the opoponax

Not to be hostile to you, personally, I've just never understood that approach to travel. You are going to have to move on at some point, why not just make a decision already? It's the Right Brainer in me, I suppose.

Never say never!! One day you may be lucky enough to be able to not know when you will return

. We did a one-way ticket many years ago because we really didn't know when we would come home. When we decided to leave India, we went & got a cheap ticket in New Delhi.

SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC STORY...about that one-way ticket!

It was an interesting end to an unforgetable trip since we flew on Aeroflot (Russian Airline) from Delhi to London! It was horrible (this was before the end of the cold war)! The flight attendants did nothing much, people were flying without seatbelts fastened, seats reclined, they served almost no food, and worst of all, they made 2 stops--Tashkent for an hour where everyone was herded into a hall and had to do some bureaucratic form crap, then the 2 hour stop in Moscow turned into an overnight. But no one would tell you anything and our plane appeared to be the ONLY one in a huge, gigantic new airport. It had a sci-fi feeling--like we would all disappear

We had to turn in our passports! Something you never, ever did & as the only Americans, we were still the enemy; it was very scary! The travelers with us (mostly from UK) were freaking out because they all had people meeting them in London & there was no way to let anyone know they wouldn't be showing up. Then there was a fistfight the next morning when we couldn't get any breakfast & some young guys went into the kitchen demanding it. The "babushka ladies" pushed them out--it was a real brawl. That was pretty funny. A bit of food followed

Everyone was very, very hungry as we'd had very little food in about 36 hrs. What a scene!!!

It's wonderful to head off with no end in sight! I'd love to do it again.

Back on topic....I don't recall every having to show a return ticket in India. The big deal with them is the Visas.

wonderwomanusa · May 27th, 2008, 06:02

Madhu, you should have no problems arriving without an on-going ticket; don't worry about it and have a great time!

wonderwomanusa · May 27th, 2008, 06:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by the opoponax

I'm pretty sure, btw, that once your papers are in order, you should be fine. I don't recall ever being asked to see a return ticket at any time that I was in India. However I would guess that, aside from countries like Nepal where you can get a visa at the border, you will probably have to firm up your plans at some point and have somewhat of a paper trail. And, of course, seeing as you already have a visa and have not yet arrived in India (otherwise you'd already know the answer to your question), you'll obviously be staying in India less than 6 months. Ticket prices are not going to go down significantly. Why not just make some g-d* plans?

Not to be hostile to you, personally, I've just never understood that approach to travel. You are going to have to move on at some point, why not just make a decision already? It's the Right Brainer in me, I suppose.

You make a lot of assumptions in your first paragraph -- but I believe there's a lot about Madhu that you don't know, and perhaps you should re-think that.

But your last paragraph says it all -- you just don't understand that loosely-planned approach to travel.

In the days we were able to go overland to India from Europe, it was an open-ended trip. We knew how long we could stay in India, and somewhere along the road decided what we would do when we got to that day. On one trip, I got a one-way ticket in Kolkata and flew back to Europe. On another, I went to Nepal, got a two-week transit visa for India, and went to Pakistan and then Afghanistan.

If you have no time limit, it's very easy to travel on one-way tickets; if you have career plans, though, it's destructive.

Shivani Skydancer · May 27th, 2008, 06:38

Traveling on a one-way ticket gives you a sense of freedom! It's much more enjoyable than having that count-down to a dreaded departure date.... plus, it allows for unexpected emergencies.

Last time I flew to India in December 2006 with a one- way ticket. No problems, except a scare at departure at the Australian airport when the Australian official, on checking my travel documents, firmly declared:'Where is your return ticket? You won't be allowed into India without it!!They will send you straight back!!" A moment of panic, until after she checked on the computer and said:'Oh, how strange, apparently you can fly without an onward ticket with an Indian tourist visa!."

(Travel agents (FlightCentre) had been trying to convince me that you won't get a visa without return or onward ticket too)

I will be going again soon, so a few weeks ago, I sent an email to the Indian Consulate in Sydney to check if it is still alright to go on a one-way ticket, as it was allowed last time. This is their reply:

If a person is obliged once, it does not mean that the same facility shall be available time and again. It was always and it is a reqiremnt to have a retun ticket while applying for Tourist visa for India.
Please produce your return ticket from India while applying for the visa.

So, I've bought my return ticket, even though it would have been more convenient to have the flexibility of one-way.

nycank · May 27th, 2008, 08:17

Consulates make a return ticket with funds a requirement for visas in many countries. I have yet to see anyone demand proof of Return Ticket at the airport.

May 26th, 2008, 02:35	#1
Madhu10 Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: On the road (at home in San Francisco, Hyderabad and Goa ) Posts: 92	One Way Ticket to India...Think I will have a problem? So folks I land in Mumbai with a one way ticket. I will book the next leg of my ticket in India as I have no fixed plans yet. Will there be an issue with just a one way ticket. The 10 times that I have been to India I was never really asked for my return ticket, but wondering if others have been asked this question when you enter the country. Cheers, __________________ Flickring away.... http://www.flickr.com/photos/80145936@N00/

May 26th, 2008, 03:43	#5
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,749	I have not seen anyone yet say that they have been asked to show their ticket at immigration. The only time I wanted a one-way ticket I found it cost three times as much as a return --- so I bought the return but didn't. __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

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May 26th, 2008, 02:38	#2
the opoponax Maha Guru Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Brooklyn, via New Orleans Posts: 1,054	Do you have a visa yet? Because I think when you apply for that you'll have to at least give a length of stay and return dates, if not provide confirmation of an onward ticket. I also don't see the point of flying there one way, because you can only stay 6 months from visa issue date. Might as well give at least a little thought to how you'll get home...

May 26th, 2008, 02:43	#3
Madhu10 Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: On the road (at home in San Francisco, Hyderabad and Goa ) Posts: 92	I have my visa and they did not ask return dates and did not even ask for my tickets. Reason for flying one way is that I will leave for my next destination from India depending on where I get the cheapest tickets to. (BKK, KL, Jakarta or Vietnam). Or might travel the new train to Bangladesh. Traveling around in Asia will not be returning to the US for a while. Should have mentioned this in my first post.

May 26th, 2008, 03:17	#4
the opoponax Maha Guru Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Brooklyn, via New Orleans Posts: 1,054	I just got back from India a couple months ago, and just got an India visa via the US in December. I definitely remember questions on the form about length of stay, destination(s), purpose of trip, return dates, etc. Of course I guess you could just lie, or more politely, "plan to change plans". But, yes, there should have been questions in all that paperwork about how long you were planning to stay and at least the when of your return, if not the how. I'm pretty sure, btw, that once your papers are in order, you should be fine. I don't recall ever being asked to see a return ticket at any time that I was in India. However I would guess that, aside from countries like Nepal where you can get a visa at the border, you will probably have to firm up your plans at some point and have somewhat of a paper trail. And, of course, seeing as you already have a visa and have not yet arrived in India (otherwise you'd already know the answer to your question), you'll obviously be staying in India less than 6 months. Ticket prices are not going to go down significantly. Why not just make some g-d* plans? Not to be hostile to you, personally, I've just never understood that approach to travel. You are going to have to move on at some point, why not just make a decision already? It's the Right Brainer in me, I suppose.

May 26th, 2008, 04:09	#6
Madhu10 Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: On the road (at home in San Francisco, Hyderabad and Goa ) Posts: 92	[quote=the opoponax;494323 I'm pretty sure, btw, that once your papers are in order, you should be fine. I don't recall ever being asked to see a return ticket at any time that I was in India. However I would guess that, aside from countries like Nepal where you can get a visa at the border, you will probably have to firm up your plans at some point and have somewhat of a paper trail. And, of course, seeing as you already have a visa and have not yet arrived in India (otherwise you'd already know the answer to your question), you'll obviously be staying in India less than 6 months. Ticket prices are not going to go down significantly. Why not just make some g-d* plans? Not to be hostile to you, personally, I've just never understood that approach to travel. You are going to have to move on at some point, why not just make a decision already? It's the Right Brainer in me, I suppose.[/QUOTE] No hostility taken. The beauty of open ended travel is that...not really knowing when/where one is going but to have a fair idea on some of the next destinations. I usually never make "solid" plans but kinda know where am going. I know I have to leave India at some point as my visa will expire. Making plans for Oct/November now is way too planned for me. With natural disasters, manmade ones as well one never knows what might happen. I don't like to plan that far ahead. I don't mind paying a little extra for flexibility. If a round trip ticket is cheaper I will buy that out of India and if not once again it will be a one way ticket out.

May 26th, 2008, 05:13	#7
ashakasha Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Asheville, North Carolina (USA) Posts: 54	Madhu- We also intend to go with one-way tickets. We plan to be there for some time, with a totally indefinite exit date, so it also makes no sense to us to buy RT...I don't think our visas (employment and educational) will require a "visa run" so, it makes even less sense to get RT. Last my hubby checked, RT to Mumbai was $1700- yet he found one-ways for $600 directly from the airline. This is unusual, as normally it is cheaper to do RT, but...oh well. Good luck. If they dont require to see your exit ticket upon arrival, I don't see why it is necessary. I, myself, am a little nervous about this, though. Part of me would rather be safe than sorry. When I went to s. america, I had an exit ticket, but just modified it (once there) to be open-ended and it only cost $550 (to change it).

May 26th, 2008, 05:29	#8
Madhu10 Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: On the road (at home in San Francisco, Hyderabad and Goa ) Posts: 92	I have my ticket already. SFO - Zurich (stay there for 6 weeks) and then continue to Mumbai. This leg cost me $940 with taxes , direct flights on Swiss air. Round trip on this leg would be $1800 something so I think I got a fair deal. Also bought my Jet airways ticket for $70 from Mumbai-Hyderabad. I think sometimes ones lucks with one way tickets and sometimes one does not. If some thing happens will deal with as it comes. If last minute I panic I will buy a ticket in Zurich online to show my exit dates from India.

May 26th, 2008, 05:45	#10
ashakasha Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Asheville, North Carolina (USA) Posts: 54	Haha...no, I meant $550 US. I was flying from Alaska to Lima and back to Alaska. I decided to extend my trip and then chose to fly out of Bolivia instead of returning to Lima. Anyhow, I found it to be quite a deal, 'specially since I was flying back home 2 days before Christmas. Yeah- I say, no worries. Especially if you can afford to snag last minute tickets, if need be. Fantabulous wishes for you!

May 27th, 2008, 06:02	#12
wonderwomanusa Maha Guru Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 3,465	Madhu, you should have no problems arriving without an on-going ticket; don't worry about it and have a great time!

May 27th, 2008, 06:38	#14
Shivani Skydancer Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 17	Traveling on a one-way ticket gives you a sense of freedom! It's much more enjoyable than having that count-down to a dreaded departure date.... plus, it allows for unexpected emergencies. Last time I flew to India in December 2006 with a one- way ticket. No problems, except a scare at departure at the Australian airport when the Australian official, on checking my travel documents, firmly declared:'Where is your return ticket? You won't be allowed into India without it!!They will send you straight back!!" A moment of panic, until after she checked on the computer and said:'Oh, how strange, apparently you can fly without an onward ticket with an Indian tourist visa!." (Travel agents (FlightCentre) had been trying to convince me that you won't get a visa without return or onward ticket too) I will be going again soon, so a few weeks ago, I sent an email to the Indian Consulate in Sydney to check if it is still alright to go on a one-way ticket, as it was allowed last time. This is their reply: If a person is obliged once, it does not mean that the same facility shall be available time and again. It was always and it is a reqiremnt to have a retun ticket while applying for Tourist visa for India. Please produce your return ticket from India while applying for the visa. So, I've bought my return ticket, even though it would have been more convenient to have the flexibility of one-way.

May 27th, 2008, 08:17	#15
nycank Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: NYC Posts: 275	Consulates make a return ticket with funds a requirement for visas in many countries. I have yet to see anyone demand proof of Return Ticket at the airport.

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