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Return ticket

Discussion in 'Migrating to the Philippines' started by Rob H, Jul 2, 2018.

  1. Rob H
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    Rob H New Member

    Hi All, hope to be moving permanently to Phil in August. Will I need a return ticket, My Fillipina wife will be with me.
    Thanks Rob
  2. Jim
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    Jim Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    You will need a throwaway ticket or a return ticket. I came here with a return ticket 18 months ago. Still got it lol.
    BTW Rob, you can get a BalikBayan stamp on your passport good for 12 months and is free.
  3. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    Rob you will most likely find that a single is close to or as expensive as a return ticket, also long dated tickets can be more expensive i.e. where the return date is say 12 months from the departure date, sometimes it is best to look for the cheapest return within a month and throw away the return leg, or adjust the return leg after arrival if you might come back for a short time.

    The alternative as Jim says is to try an get a single but to buy a cheap local onwards ticket on a carrier like Cebu Pacific to go to Hong Kong or the likes, but you need to do the arithmetic on the costs of a single plus a second single throwaway vs a return with a throwaway leg.

    By the way the airlines don't like you doing a throwaway leg, I think some charge for that occasionally.
  4. Rob H
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    Rob H New Member

    Many Thanks for the info.
    • Like Like x 1
  5. DavidAlma
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    DavidAlma Well-Known Member

    If you intend to enter on a Balikbayan, you do not need a return or onward ticket. Before I flew here in January this year, I emailed the Philippines Immigration and they send me an email confirming no need for the return ticket. I had that email printed out and with me when we checked in, but it was not required, the check in staff were well aware of the Balikbayan and had no problem checking in.


    xinfo@immigration.gov.ph

    Sun 24/12/2017, 00:38

    Dear Sir,

    Good day! You will not be required to present an outbound ticket, you will be admitted as Balikbayan only if you will be arriving together with your Spouse.

    Thank you
    • Like Like x 1
  6. Drunken Max
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    Drunken Max Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    My advice also is to cancel the return ticket otherwise you get listed as a "no show". I understand that when these mount up it causes suspicion in some "circles". I've never heard fo the data being used yet but a friend of mine in the airline industry says they do keep the records and are sometimes asked for data. I have nothing to back up the info I was given but might be worth noting.
  7. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    You're right Max, this is what I was alluding to at the end of my post, you can find lots of discussion of this sort of thing on Flyertalk

    https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/tra...ut-throwaway-ticketing-costing-thousands.html

    and elsewhere, like this article

    https://onemileatatime.boardingarea...irlines-cracking-down-on-throwaway-ticketing/
    • Informative Informative x 1
  8. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    On the Balikbayan (BB) route it is important to note that you should have your marriage certificate with you just in case they want to see it, they can refuse BB privilege otherwise.

    I'm not married but once was accidently given BB privilege when I arrived in the Philippines with Ana when we both returned from the UK.
  9. DavidAlma
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    DavidAlma Well-Known Member

    That's quite right OSS, in fact we didn't need it as my wifes passport has her family name same as mine, we were through in 5 min flat.
  10. OTT
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    OTT Active Member

  11. Rob H
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    Rob H New Member

    Thanks for the info. We will go for a single ticket..
  12. Jim
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    Jim Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    I did that once and in Hong Kong, I had to buy a forward ticket out of the Philippines. they would not let me through told me I had to buy a return or forward ticket. cost me dearly. Even I told them I was getting a BB.
  13. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    Yeah that's the other problem, check-in desks don't all know the rules and given the fines that get imposed on the airlines if a passenger is refused entry, they won't take the slightest chance and will default to saying you must have that forward exit ticket.
    • Like Like x 1

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