Return or Onward Tickets

[Foreigner]

When arriving in HKG will immigration ask to sight bookings before allowing entry?

 

[RooFlyer]

I don't think I've ever been asked to show my required onwards flight bookings anywhere (incl HKG), but I've always assumed that they can see them on their screen, linked to my passport #.

 

[kelvedon]

I've never been asked for onward ticket either.

 

[legroom]

AFAIK, the US tends to ask that questions: where will you be staying, what's the purpose of your trip, when are you leaving ...?

Have not come across that in HKG... so far

When arriving in HKG will immigration ask to sight bookings before allowing entry?

 

[RooFlyer]

AFAIK, only the US tends to ask that questions: where will you be staying, what's the purpose of your trip, when are you leaving ...?

<snip>

Oh, Canada does it too, believe me.

 

[legroom]

Now that you jogged my memory, yes, I was asked that on entering Canada too [from the USA !].

I should have removed the word "only".

Oh, Canada does it too, believe me.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

When arriving in HKG will immigration ask to sight bookings before allowing entry?

It would be unusual for immigration to ask for it, but it is a requirement that you have them.

TIMATIC says this:

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

This means you must be able to show a return or onward ticket at check-in or boarding before your flight to Hong Kong, and you will be refused entry in the event you cannot produce that at immigration. (Qantas regularly asks for proof of a return ticket if travelling one way from Australia to Asia.)

I don't think I've ever been asked to show my required onwards flight bookings anywhere (incl HKG), but I've always assumed that they can see them on their screen, linked to my passport #.

I don't believe there is any link between passport and onward ticket in terms of what comes up on screen at immigration. Passengers may be on nested tickets for example, or one ways, or using a different passport to the one scanned at check-in (common for dual nationals for example).

 

[moa999]

More likely to be checked at check-in

Took some time one day when flying SYD-HKG,CAN-SYD with a rail transfer HK-China

 

[Foreigner]

Thanks all. I've booked holiday for parents but return is not booked so far. I'll now book before their departure tomorrow

 

[dajop]

More likely to be checked at check-in

Took some time one day when flying SYD-HKG,CAN-SYD with a rail transfer HK-China

Sometimes it's worthwhile just to have a "dummy" oneway booking handy just to make life easier in these instances.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks all. I've booked holiday for parents but return is not booked so far. I'll now book before their departure tomorrow

Yes. They should be asked for proof of return at check-in.

 

[RooFlyer]

<snip>

I don't believe there is any link between passport and onward ticket in terms of what comes up on screen at immigration. Passengers may be on nested tickets for example, or one ways, or using a different passport to the one scanned at check-in (common for dual nationals for example).

They may be, but I still wouldn't be surprised at airport entry points where the authorities tend to be on the 'authoritative' side (I'd include China, the US, Australia, Canada, UK etc), the immigration officers had direct links to the airline's booking systems and when they scan my passport #, up pops everything that's linked to it. If you have bookings on different passports etc, and an exit booking isn't apparent, maybe that's what triggers an actual question "How do you intend to leave?"

Might just be my fevered imagination, but its based on my experiences entering Canada where I've been asked to have a 'chat with the folks at the back' more times than is comfortable (I enter for business a lot). In the course of a couple of those chats, I found that person on the other side obviously knew a whole lot about me, and my past and future travel (eg "So you are booked on Cathay in 3 weeks time, yet you wrote that your stay would be for 4 weeks .." Explanation: booking was made some time ago and I now intend to stay longer and the flight out will be changed when the exact date is apparent.") One time the person casually asked me about the Uni I went to in Canada over 20 years beforehand (I was on a Student Visa). I was impressed that they had taken the trouble to match that visa to me today through about 4 different passports, different state of home address etc.

I am oh-so-straight with the border authorities when I go anywhere, these days!

 

[wandering_fred]

eChannel only asks for the passport sticker.

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[MEL_Traveller]

They may be, but I still wouldn't be surprised at airport entry points where the authorities tend to be on the 'authoritative' side (I'd include China, the US, Australia, Canada, UK etc), the immigration officers had direct links to the airline's booking systems and when they scan my passport #, up pops everything that's linked to it. If you have bookings on different passports etc, and an exit booking isn't apparent, maybe that's what triggers an actual question "How do you intend to leave?"

Might just be my fevered imagination, but its based on my experiences entering Canada where I've been asked to have a 'chat with the folks at the back' more times than is comfortable (I enter for business a lot). In the course of a couple of those chats, I found that person on the other side obviously knew a whole lot about me, and my past and future travel (eg "So you are booked on Cathay in 3 weeks time, yet you wrote that your stay would be for 4 weeks .." Explanation: booking was made some time ago and I now intend to stay longer and the flight out will be changed when the exact date is apparent.") One time the person casually asked me about the Uni I went to in Canada over 20 years beforehand (I was on a Student Visa). I was impressed that they had taken the trouble to match that visa to me today through about 4 different passports, different state of home address etc.

I am oh-so-straight with the border authorities when I go anywhere, these days!

I'm wrong!

Looks like for the US at least, they have a system that collects a whole range of passenger information... including the PNR - although that is limited to the PNR for that individual trip: https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/documents/pnr_privacy.pdf

That link however is just one element of the Automatied targeting system (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automated_Targeting_System) which can include lots of other information such as a person's social security number,

Not sure whether that's been implemented to other countries. When I go to China I'm often on a ticket with a return date exceeding my visa limitations. If China had access to my PNR they'd be able to see that and ask for onward travel meeting the visa... but they don't.