All information about the onward ticket

When you travel for a long time you don’t always plan everything ahead. You have no idea how long you will stay in a country and what your next destination will be, sounds wonderful right? The only downside to this is that many countries want to know on arrival when you will leave the country again in connection with the visa, called an exit ticket. If you don’t want to commit anything yet, an exit ticket, also called an onward ticket , is the perfect solution to still be able to travel to the country. Below we explain to you exactly what an exit ticket is, how to use it and what the cost is.

What is an onward ticket?

An onward ticket, also often called an exit ticket or proof of transit, is a ticket that shows that you will leave the visited country again within a certain period of time.

This can be done in three ways: a return ticket home, a bus, boat, train or plane ticket to the next country or the onward ticket for when you don’t yet know how long you will stay in a particular country. This is an online service that reserves a real airline ticket for you and cancels it again within 48 hours or is canceled after 14 days in exchange for a small fee.

This onward ticket is a real airline ticket, from a real flight with seat number. It will only be cancelled after you arrive at your destination and after you go through customs. This way you have shown the ticket first and have a valid exit ticket.

An onward ticket cannot be proof of domestic travel; you really need to be able to prove that you are leaving the particular country you are going to. In fact, the onward ticket is a document that shows immigration or airline authorities that you do not intend to stay in the country longer than allowed.

You can choose where the flight should depart from and where to. Everything else is up to you. So it is also a legit airline ticket with an actual existing flight number.

What is an onward ticket used for?

Many countries want to know immediately upon entry how long you will be in the country. Countries apply a maximum length of stay for tourists, such as 30 or 90 days. To check this extra, customs immediately wants to see the date you leave the country again in the form of an exit ticket. Although a bus ticket showing that you are going to leave the country again should be sufficient, in practice it is often found to be rejected. They really want to see a plane ticket that you are leaving the country. Therefore, the onward ticket is ideal for the traveler without established travel plans.

How do you get an onward ticket?

Go to onwardticket.com to purchase your exit ticket. After you fill out the information in 2 minutes you will receive the airline ticket in a PDF in your mail. If you are asked for your onward ticket, proof of onward travel or return travel ticket at check-in or at customs at your destination, you can show it. There is nothing to show that it is an onward ticket because it is a legit airline ticket.

After 48 hours or after 14 days, the ticket is automatically canceled. You’re in the country now and you don’t need these anymore either. You can now fully enjoy the country and you’ll see when you travel again, wonderful right? Do note the validity and duration of your visa. Some countries require you to leave the country after only 30 days or to extend your visa in the interim.

What is the cost of an onward ticket?

You can purchase the onward ticket from as little as €14 on this official website. For this amount, the ticket will be automatically canceled after 48 hours. If you prefer a ticket that is valid for 14 days there is an additional €17. For us, it is the ideal, low-cost solution that allows us to travel stress-free and certainly not get into trouble.

What are common situations when and where to show the onward ticket?

Although not even always asked, there is a chance they will ask you about the onward ticket. This can occur at various times within your trip. Below we list the most common times. So it is important that you arrange the onward ticket before your trip to the next country starts. Therefore, if you use an online onward ticket service, you should take into account the time when you book the ticket.

At these times, they may ask you to show proof of exit:

• When checking in for a flight. Airlines often check before departure whether you have an exit ticket. This is because they risk a fine and have to fly you back at their own expense if you are denied entry upon arrival. So without an onward ticket, you can already be denied boarding the plane.
  
• At passport control. Immigration officials may ask for proof of transit upon arrival, especially if you are traveling on a tourist visa or visa-free. If you cannot show a ticket, you risk being denied entry into the country.
  
• For visa applications. Travel plans are also often required when applying for visas. Consulates usually require a return or onward travel ticket as part of the visa application. With a temporarily booked exit ticket, you can meet this requirement without having to buy an expensive ticket right away. Immigration officers do not always require a paid return ticket. A booking confirmation as proof of onward travel will then suffice.
  
• When extending your visa. In some cases, an onward ticket is also required when extending a visa or tourist permit. An example is when applying for visa extension, an exit ticket must be presented before the extension is granted.

It is not by default always asked at these times, but the chances are there. This also varies by country.

What are the benefits of an onward ticket?

Having an onward ticket provides a number of benefits to your state of mind:

• You meet immigration rules with an onward ticket. The main advantage is that you meet the entry requirements of countries. With an onward ticket, you avoid problems with customs or airlines and reduce the chances of being denied entry or boarding.
  
• It gives you flexibility. Especially for backpackers and digital nomads, an onward ticket is useful for flexible travel. You can enter a country without establishing a complete itinerary, as it is only valid temporarily as proof of departure.
  
• It saves costs. Instead of having to buy an expensive return ticket that you may not use, you can arrange an onward ticket at a relatively low cost. This is much cheaper than buying a full ticket and still provides the needed confirmation.

You buy it quickly and easily online. Through this specialized service, you can receive a valid onward ticket within minutes. This comes in handy if you do turn out to need proof last minute when checking in. Already is nice to already have the ticket and figure this out before your trip. That is probably also the reason you are reading this article.

What not to do with an onward ticket?

Absolutely avoid forging an exit ticket, for example, editing a PDF. This is illegal and if you get caught, you could be in serious trouble with immigration. Rather, use one of the legal methods mentioned above.

Buy your fully legal onward ticket here.

Which countries require an onward ticket?

More and more countries are requiring an onward ticket for travelers entering visa-free or on tourist visas. Below is a list of known countries and regions with this requirement:

• Philippines: A return or transit ticket is required for tourists entering the Philippines without a visa. You as a traveler must possess a valid ticket for the return trip to the country of origin or to a subsequent destination within the authorized period of stay. From our own experience, we know that the Philippines inspects the onward ticket very strictly.
  
• Indonesia: When entering on a visa on arrival or visa-free for certain nationalities, they require a confirmed return or transit ticket. One of the conditions is: show a return or transit ticket as proof of intended departure. They are also strict in Indonesia on checking a proof of exit.
  
• Thailand: Thailand has a rule that visitors must have proof of exit within the free visa period. In the past, this was hardly checked, but in recent years they have become stricter. Airlines in particular are asking for onward tickets more often. Our personal experience is that sometimes it was and sometimes it was not checked when entering Thailand. So we always took care of it just to be sure.

In addition, many other countries have similar regulations. For example, New Zealand, the United States, Panama, Costa Rica, Peru, Chile, Mexico and Brazil, among others, require proof of onward travel when visiting tourists in their policies.
Do proper research on the country you are traveling to whether an exit ticket is required there. Again, this varies by the country you are from. For example, EU residents can travel freely within the EU, but Americans, British or Japanese cannot. Therefore, always do your own research on the destination country in your situation. On the ground, this is not strictly checked for every traveler at every border, but it is advisable to always have an onward ticket ready.

Additional tips for arranging your onward ticket

• Check carefully beforehand if you need an exit ticket for the country you want to visit. When you search this on Google you will quickly find this.
• Pay close attention to the time when the onward ticket is cancelled. In fact, if you choose the cheapest option, it will be canceled just 48 hours after you buy it. In these 48 hours, you must have checked in as well as passed through customs at your destination country (as they sometimes ask to see your exit ticket here as well).
• Make sure your return flight on your onward ticket falls within the legal exit date. For example, if you are only allowed to stay in a country for 30 days, you need to make sure you book your “return flight” within those 30 days. Otherwise, you will still be denied on the flight.
• Exit proof is not always checked. Experience has shown that airports are more likely to check for an exit ticket than when you arrive by land. This also has to do with the strictness of customs. Still, it’s handy to have it to be on the safe side so you’re not in limbo when you arrive at your destination.
• Don’t go tinkering with a fake ticket yourself. If the flight number and your seat number are not in the system, you can get into big trouble at check-in and customs. Save yourself this trouble, stress and effort and buy your onward ticket here from as little as €14.

Besides the onward ticket tip, we experienced travelers have many other helpful travel tips on our website. Take a look at all our travel tips to make your trip easier.