# Airline ticket



## BlueJeepney (Mar 3, 2016)

From what I remember from previous trips to the Phils, a non-Filipino citizen must purchase a round trip ticket from the U.S. I was wondering when we fly over for retirement can my wife who has dual citizenship purchase a one-way? Seems like a waste to purchase a full price ticket since it's expensive to get an open ticket now days.


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## Phil_expat (Jan 3, 2011)

A non-Filipino citizen must have an exit ticket when entering the Philippines not necessarily a round trip ticket. Both the airlines and Philippine immigration are supposed to check if you have it. Instead of a round trip ticket one can show a cheap ticket to a nearby place. If your wife has a Philippine passport she does not need an exit ticket. If you and your Philippine wife enter the country together with Prof of marriage and her Philippine passport you can get a BB stamp in your passport good for one year with no extensions required. IF GET A BB STAMP NO EXIT TICKET IS NEEDED. You then can apply for a 13a visa which is a permeate residence never need visa extension only pay a very small yearly fee. The requirement is a Philippine NBI clearance and a print out of your police records in the USA. The Police records from the USA is not necessary if you been in the Philippines for 6 months.


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## JRB__NW (Apr 8, 2015)

I have flown a couple of times in the past 18 months from the US into Manila on a one way ticket with no return or other destination, other than my next day hop to my island. Round trip tickets are difficult for me as I rarely know when I will next be leaving the country or going back to the States. It has never been a problem and I don't believe they have ever asked to see my ticket. They just look at the passport and entry form. I wouldn't buy a round trip ticket if you're not going to use it, even though they're not that much more expensive than one way in my experience (+30%).


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## Phil_expat (Jan 3, 2011)

JRB__NW said:


> I have flown a couple of times in the past 18 months from the US into Manila on a one way ticket with no return or other destination, other than my next day hop to my island. Round trip tickets are difficult for me as I rarely know when I will next be leaving the country or going back to the States. It has never been a problem and I don't believe they have ever asked to see my ticket. They just look at the passport and entry form. I wouldn't buy a round trip ticket if you're not going to use it, even though they're not that much more expensive than one way in my experience (+30%).



I have been flying from USA to the Philippines for 15 years 2 or 3 times a year and now live in the Philippines. I wrote that the airlines and the Philippines immigration is SUPPOSE to ask for an onward ticket (sometimes called exit ticket or throw away ticket). Not all airlines check and not all immigration check since the rules are not universally enforce. I fly between San Francisco and Manila on Philippine airlines. Philippines airlines at San Francisco have always asked me for an exit ticket, I never show until asked. I do agree, I have never been ask for a ticket in Manila but I know of a guy that was asked who did not have and was refused entry. Clark airport immigration is a lot stricter. One guy I know of flew into Clark airport without a ticket leaving the Philippines the airlines he flew did not check and was denied entry by immigration and was not allowed to buy an exit ticket. He had to fly from Clark to Hong Kong where he purchases a round trip ticket to Clark. A one way ticket to Hong Kong is cheap so not worth taken this chance. The Ticket can be 6 months out or even more so can be used more than once. There are many posts on this subject in this forum so do a search. 
Tony


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Phil_expat said:


> A non-Filipino citizen must have an exit ticket when entering the Philippines not necessarily a round trip ticket. Both the airlines and Philippine immigration are supposed to check if you have it. Instead of a round trip ticket one can show a cheap ticket to a nearby place. If your wife has a Philippine passport she does not need an exit ticket. If you and your Philippine wife enter the country together with Prof of marriage and her Philippine passport you can get a BB stamp in your passport good for one year with no extensions required. IF GET A BB STAMP NO EXIT TICKET IS NEEDED. You then can apply for a 13a visa which is a permeate residence never need visa extension only pay a very small yearly fee. The requirement is a Philippine NBI clearance and a print out of your police records in the USA. The Police records from the USA is not necessary if you been in the Philippines for 6 months.


In theory yes you can fly in one-way on a BB but not all overseas airports are fully up to speed on such matters and may still turn you away.


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## hogrider (May 25, 2010)

Gary D said:


> In theory yes you can fly in one-way on a BB but not all overseas airports are fully up to speed on such matters and may still turn you away.


Most times I fly into Cebu or Davao via Singapore. When boarding at Singapore I am always asked to show an exit ticket.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

hogrider said:


> Most times I fly into Cebu or Davao via Singapore. When boarding at Singapore I am always asked to show an exit ticket.


A friend of mine had trouble a Singapore because of a lack of understanding of the BB visa waiver. He had a return ticket but the return was beyond the free visa waiver so they were not going to let him board because he didn't have a valid visa, even though he was with his filipina wife.


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## DonAndAbby (Jan 7, 2013)

Gary D said:


> In theory yes you can fly in one-way on a BB but not all overseas airports are fully up to speed on such matters and may still turn you away.


Agree.

You have no proof that you will get a Balikbayan stamp. It is a privilege, not really a visa, and you might not get it if you don't have marriage documents with you. At the origin airport, you can't expect every agent to know details like BB.

When we returned from NZ, we had a Filipina agent at the Singapore Airlines counter, who my non-traveling bro and sis in law immediately started chatting up while my family and I checked in. They were all from Panganisian. She saw we were a family with 2 kids she asked if I would get BB, and we said yes. I didn't need to show my exit ticket but it was pure luck. I will always have a cheap exit ticket with me when applicable.

Some others have bought tickets on expedia and just taken advantage of their free 24 cancellation. Book it, show it, cancel it. I have not done it.


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## JM101 (Jan 6, 2015)

A few months ago, when I returned from Hong Kong with my wife, even though I had our marriage license with us, I still had to produce an exit flight out of PI for myself. 

I am glad I had it (a cheap prome flight to Thailand) because besides showing it to the boarding agent in Hong Kong for our return, I also had to show it to the Immigration Officer when asking for a Balikbayan stamp upon entering PI. 

You never know when you will be asked to show an exit flight as this was my first time being aske to show my return (exit).

JM101


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## BlueJeepney (Mar 3, 2016)

I think I'll just get a cheap exit ticket for myself to be safe. We plan to fly PAL from San Fran because we have two cats and it's a direct flight.


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## Phil_expat (Jan 3, 2011)

BlueJeepney said:


> I think I'll just get a cheap exit ticket for myself to be safe. We plan to fly PAL from San Fran because we have two cats and it's a direct flight.


sent you a private message.


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## Phil_expat (Jan 3, 2011)

I have to agree with being cautious with a BB visa request. Yes, IF you enter the Philippines with your legal Philippine spouse and the legal proof of marriage you should be able to get a BB stamp and usually not asked for exit ticket. But the rules are not universally enforces so for safety sake get an exit ticket anyway. Another problem is the airlines that you take to the Philippines may ask to see an exit ticket. There is an airline that flies from Clark to Hong Kong that is very cheap.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

BlueJeepney said:


> I think I'll just get a cheap exit ticket for myself to be safe. We plan to fly PAL from San Fran because we have two cats and it's a direct flight.


Do the cats also need onward tickets


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

BlueJeepney said:


> I think I'll just get a cheap exit ticket for myself to be safe. We plan to fly PAL from San Fran because we have two cats and it's a direct flight.


Taking PAL from either SFO or LAX is the smartest thing possible with animals. When I use to have to go back to the states, for safety concerns, comfort, food service etc PAL is the only carrier I would ever use.
departure is usually about 30 minutes late but will arrive about 10 to 15 minutes early. Just have your travel agent there sell you a low cost (one way) ticket on Cebu Pacific from Manila or Clark to Hong Kong. That will satisfy the law and lower your stress level. That extra ticket is usually not worth cashing and just goes in the trash..


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## siamjeff (Dec 14, 2014)

BlueJeepney said:


> From what I remember from previous trips to the Phils, a non-Filipino citizen must purchase a round trip ticket from the U.S. I was wondering when we fly over for retirement can my wife who has dual citizenship purchase a one-way? Seems like a waste to purchase a full price ticket since it's expensive to get an open ticket now days.


Your wife as a Filipino citizen does not need an outward ticket, she can just enter and stay.

You must get an onward ticket anywhere out of the Philippines.
I have left the country on 4 occasions over the last 6 years to Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Singapore and Bangkok and have been asked every time for my onward ticket before being able to board the plane back to Philippines.

Just vist the Cebu Pacific website and book the cheapest flight you can find, they always have specials to destinations closeby that'll only cost you a few thousand pesos. And the ticket can be for any date in the future, they don't seem to care if it's within the 30 day visa free window.


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## Jim151 (Jan 4, 2015)

Jet Lag said:


> Taking PAL from either SFO or LAX is the smartest thing possible with animals. When I use to have to go back to the states, for safety concerns, comfort, food service etc PAL is the only carrier I would ever use.
> departure is usually about 30 minutes late but will arrive about 10 to 15 minutes early. Just have your travel agent there sell you a low cost (one way) ticket on Cebu Pacific from Manila or Clark to Hong Kong. That will satisfy the law and lower your stress level. That extra ticket is usually not worth cashing and just goes in the trash..


I am curious why you stated "Taking PAL from either SFO or LAX is the smartest thing possible with animals." My guess is because it is a non-connecting flight? Or do they give special attention to animals?


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

Jim151 said:


> I am curious why you stated "Taking PAL from either SFO or LAX is the smartest thing possible with animals." My guess is because it is a non-connecting flight? Or do they give special attention to animals?


Thats correct. Because it is a direct or non-stop flight. The animal spends less time alone and or exposed to outside weather and stress.


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