Enter Schengen area with a one-way ticket

[WLGFlyer]

Hi there,


I am planning on travelling to Europe as part of a several month round-the world trip. I know that as an Australian I can spend 90 days (out of 180) in the Schengen area without a visa, no issue there. But do I need a return ticket when arriving at my first point of entry? A little research tells me that it doesn't seem to be an issue for most people but is there a definate source? Common sense tells it should not be a problem as there are plenty of ways to leave via a land/sea border but I'd rather book a fully flexible ticket out to avoid any problems on arrival if this is indeed a grey area. My plans aren't final but I will probably fly into Germany or the Netherlands if that makes a difference.


Thanks for any advice!

 

[medhead]

Can't answer your question directly. But a couple of weeks ago I flew to the schengen zone on a one way award without being asked for onward booking details.

 

[footy99]

Can't answer your question directly. But a couple of weeks ago I flew to the schengen zone on a one way award without being asked for onward booking details.

Ditto. My last 2 entries (into CDG and MAD) - I hadn't booked anything out when I arrived. No issues.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Where are you you flying from & to?

It's not so much whether or not customs will ask you for your onward ticket on arrival but whether the checkin agent will ask to see it when they check you in at your point of departure.

If Timatic states that as an Australian you must have an onward ticket for the country you're about to visit then the checkin agent is obliged to ask you for a copy of it. Without that, immigration at your destination country could send you back to where you came from and the accepting airine (or ground handler) could be fined $5,000.00 for accepting the customer as well as having to fly you back there.

On my last trip I wasn't asked any any point (in BNE flying to BKK then in BKK flying to BCN) for my onward tickets although I had a printed copy of them (don't just have it on your phone) just in case. Thai Customs in BKK didn't ask me for my ticket, actually they didn't even say a word to me. Spanish Customs spent more time going through my passport seeing where I'd been than anything else & didn't ask how long I was staying or to see the itinerary.

But as Confucious says "the law may sleep but never dies."

 

[anat0l]

Agree with ozbeachbabe; some countries will force a requirement in Timatic which will (in theory) make them verify if you have a return or onward journey ticket.

This is not necessarily every country in the Schengen region. I know one time I had a one way ticket to Germany and my onward travel out of Germany would have been on a train. Check-in made me show the onward train ticket out of Germany.

Seems you are just planning to kind of build the in-between journeys "as you go"?

 

[superpang]

Ive travelled a million times in France and never been asked, I was in Madrid a month ago and it was the same, a few times i've flown through Helsinki and every time its been like the interrogation squad asking a million questions and wanting to see everything. Once I flew from Seoul to Paris via HK and wasn't allowed to board until I booked a ticket out of Europe, which I did in the lounge (and then they gave me my boarding pass).

A trick is to book a one way Business Premier ticket on the Eurostar from Paris or Bruxelles to London, print the ticket and then cancel it, the Business Premier fare is 100% refundable. Then if you get asked for a ticket out you can show them that.

Ive heard Germany and the Netherlands can be a bit tight and tend to ask, where as in Paris you will never get questioned, provided you are travelling on a decent passport (OZ/NZ/US/Canada)

 

[WLGFlyer]

Thanks guys. I think I will definitely book something fully refundable just in case to avoid any problems.

 

[anat0l]

Thanks guys. I think I will definitely book something fully refundable just in case to avoid any problems.

Are you winging most of this trip you are taking? That would be the only reason why you wouldn't have something solidly booked anyway so you can show this as necessary.

Keep in mind it is not necessarily the Schengen zone which will mandate your showing you can leave it (with an ongoing or return journey), but rather the country which you enter in the first place.

Make sure you print a hard copy of proof of that thing which you book so you can show this to whoever needs it. Sometimes an electronic version may not cut it.

 

[medhead]

My reply was in relation to the airline asking me for onwards ticket details. I actually had 3 separate tickets. MH into the EU, TK out of the EU and EY/VA out of turkey. Neither MH or TK asked about onwards flights. Agreed it is better to be safe than sorry.

 

[dajop]

For those who've been asked for proof of onward travel did the airlines ever look up the reservation in the system? It's not too difficult to manage to provide a printed itinerary even without reservation. It always amuses me that electronic copies are not accepted (I guess because it is so easy to create a fake one) whilst paper copies are (because fake ones are so much harder to create. Not)

 

[Mattg]

I've never been asked to produce an onward booking when arriving in Europe. When arriving in Germany I have been asked how long I was planning to stay and what I planned to do, but my answers were always sufficient. Never had any problems and they haven't asked for proof.

Flying into Greece, France or Italy, the agents haven't even bothered checking the name on my passport so I don't think they would really care. I think that as long as you have a convincing story (no need to make one up - just tell them what you plan to do) then you'll be fine. That's if they even bother asking...

The only problem you might have is if the airline asks you to produce either a visa or onward flight booking, which they may well do if you don't have an onward booking on the same ticket.

 

[Himeno]

I've entered the Schengen area at FRA, MAD, CDG, BCN and FCO. The only time I've ever had anyone stop and ask me anything was my last entry at CDG when I was stopped right next to the customs exit for 3 questions.

 

[WLGFlyer]

Update from myself:

Ended up booking a return ticket (for other reasons..) and re-entered the Schengen area several times in different countries. I never had to produce the actual documentation and the immigration procedure varied between a 30 second passport inspection and several minutes of Q&A about our travel plans. It probably helped that I was traveling with the wife and her EU passport and that we are out of the typical backpacker age bracket. I would say as long as you can plausibly explain your plans and have sufficient funds I wouldn't worry too much about having an actual ticket.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Update from myself:

Ended up booking a return ticket (for other reasons..) and re-entered the Schengen area several times in different countries. I never had to produce the actual documentation and the immigration procedure varied between a 30 second passport inspection and several minutes of Q&A about our travel plans. It probably helped that I was traveling with the wife and her EU passport and that we are out of the typical backpacker age bracket. I would say as long as you can plausibly explain your plans and have sufficient funds I wouldn't worry too much about having an actual ticket.

I checked two Schengen countries - Germany and France. Neither directly require proof of onward travel. The only requirement is this:

Visitors are required to hold proof of sufficient funds to
cover their stay and documents required for their next
destination.

indirectly - I guess if you need documents for your next destination, you might be asked to prove what that destination is...

 

[Dani Peel]

Hello WLG

How was your experience regarding your trip to Germany?

I too am going to Germany and have only booked a one way ticket. Just curious as to what they asked you at customs?

Thanks

Dani

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hello WLG

How was your experience regarding your trip to Germany?

I too am going to Germany and have only booked a one way ticket. Just curious as to what they asked you at customs?

Thanks

Dani

Hi dani and welcome to AFF!

The entry requirements are clear... unless you hold an EU passport you are required to have documents for your next destination.

It might be that 1000 passengers are never asked, but you might be the one! it is also likely the airline will ask for proof of onward/return travel before checking you in. Without it, you will be denied boarding, and unfortunately you have little recourse in situations like that.

Always best to comply with entry requirements.

 

[kpc]

My +1 recently entered Hungary on a one way ticket; at no time was she asked by the airline or immigration about proof of a departure ticket (she had a separate one way ticket ex Hungary)....just another data point ...but to be safe I personally would buy a refundable ticket out...

 

[Mal]

I am planning on travelling to Europe as part of a several month round-the world trip. I know that as an Australian I can spend 90 days (out of 180) in the Schengen area without a visa, no issue there. But do I need a return ticket when arriving at my first point of entry? A little research tells me that it doesn't seem to be an issue for most people but is there a definate source? Common sense tells it should not be a problem as there are plenty of ways to leave via a land/sea border but I'd rather book a fully flexible ticket out to avoid any problems on arrival if this is indeed a grey area. My plans aren't final but I will probably fly into Germany or the Netherlands if that makes a difference.

Flying into the UK/Europe on some tickets, I am challenged for proof I'm either resident or leaving by airline staff. It's really random - can happen on flights ex Europe, can happen on flights ex Australia/Asia/ United States too.

If you want to keep things on the safe side, I'd keep a flexible fully refundable ticket out of there, just to satisfy both airline staff and immigration agents.

 

[Beej]

Maybe it's a bit simplistic but with regard being denied boarding by your carrier at point of departure, they sold you the one way ticket.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Maybe it's a bit simplistic but with regard being denied boarding by your carrier at point of departure, they sold you the one way ticket.

Hi and welcome to AFF!

Eligibility to enter a country is the ultimate responsibility of the passenger, with airlines having an added interest because they could get fined if the passenger is later refused entry.

Some airlines have a pop-up on the booking page reminding passengers a one-way ticket, or ticket involving a transfer in an intermediate country might require a visa, but it's still the passenger that needs to make sure they are compliant. This last point overrides the sale of the ticket (ie it's a valid reason for the airline to deny carriage).