# Onward Tickets Out of Manila?



## Bizo (Jun 15, 2016)

All,

Any suggestions on Asian airlines that allow easy/fully refundable ticket cancellations? All the airlines I've checked out have charged cancellation fees or hold the amount as a credit towards a future flight.

I'm coming for work and have a sponsored visa, I just can't start the application process until I arrive. 

Thanks!


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## Phil_expat (Jan 3, 2011)

You need an exit ticket leaving the Philippines NOT Manila. I found tiger airways to be very cheap out of Clark airport. Try flights to Hong Kong and no more than 6 months from your arrival date.


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## Bizo (Jun 15, 2016)

Phil_expat said:


> You need an exit ticket leaving the Philippines NOT Manila. I found tiger airways to be very cheap out of Clark airport.


Apparently Tiger doesn't do refunds, seems to be common in this part of the world. 

Great point that it doesn't have to be from Manila, just need to find an airline that will give me my money back! I know it's not much but rather not lay the cash if I don't have to.


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## Tukaram (Dec 18, 2014)

I have never bought a refundable 'exit' ticket. I shop around and find one cheap enough to throw away. Usually to some city in China I never heard of. One time I bought a flight 1 year out and was able to use the exit ticket for 2 trips.

There is a ticket rental company I have seen people talk about. I have not used it. $10 to rent a ticket in your name - apparently they get the refund later.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

Tukaram said:


> One time I bought a flight 1 year out and was able to use the exit ticket for 2 trips.


A bit of a caution on this. The other day when I had to buy a outbound ticket, she demanded that it be for less than 30 days as that is the initial visa period and she said there is no way to guarantee you will extend or such. I do spose it will depend on the person/airline you are dealing with. 

Fred


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

fmartin_gila said:


> A bit of a caution on this. The other day when I had to buy a outbound ticket, she demanded that it be for less than 30 days as that is the initial visa period and she said there is no way to guarantee you will extend or such. I do spose it will depend on the person/airline you are dealing with.
> 
> Fred


Quite so. I did this many years ago and when I did, I bought a ticket from Manila to Hong Kong with an "open" flight date - meaning there was no reservation for a flight to that destination. That was departing Los Angeles on a flight to Manila. It satisfied the law so there were no problems.

Jet Lag


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## Bizo (Jun 15, 2016)

I ended up buying the cheapest flight I could find knowing I wouldn't take the flight nor see that cash again. It ended up being a $35 one-way flight to Hong Kong on Air Asia. When departing the States they made sure I had an onward ticket but upon arrival in Manila they didn't even ask for it.


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## bidrod (Mar 31, 2015)

Bizo said:


> I ended up buying the cheapest flight I could find knowing I wouldn't take the flight nor see that cash again. It ended up being a $35 one-way flight to Hong Kong on Air Asia. When departing the States they made sure I had an onward ticket but upon arrival in Manila they didn't even ask for it.


It is the airline that normally looks for it. If for some reason you were denied entry the airline would have to foot the bill for you to leave.

Chuck


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## Bizo (Jun 15, 2016)

bidrod said:


> It is the airline that normally looks for it. If for some reason you were denied entry the airline would have to foot the bill for you to leave.
> 
> Chuck


This makes way more sense now. Thanks!


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## siamjeff (Dec 14, 2014)

Bizo said:


> I ended up buying the cheapest flight I could find knowing I wouldn't take the flight nor see that cash again. It ended up being a $35 one-way flight to Hong Kong on Air Asia. When departing the States they made sure I had an onward ticket but upon arrival in Manila they didn't even ask for it.


Cebu Pacific is another airline with cheap International flights and they quite often have specials, I've flown to Singapore, Bangkok, Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur with them and always got a really good deal.

Philippines immigration will rarely ask the for the onward ticket as it is not their job to do so. It is the responsibility of the airlines to make sure you have the onward ticket before boarding your flight to Phils and I've have been asked to show a printed out version of the ticket on all trips to the Philippines.

On a recent trip back to the Phils a lady in line with me didn't have the printed version of her ticket and had to open up her laptop and show the airline check in personnel the ticket. I guess it worked because I saw the lady in the departure lounge for her flight. Make sure to have a print out (hard copy) of your flight to show them because for sure they will ask to see it!


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## Phil_expat (Jan 3, 2011)

Bizo said:


> All,
> 
> Any suggestions on Asian airlines that allow easy/fully refundable ticket cancellations? All the airlines I've checked out have charged cancellation fees or hold the amount as a credit towards a future flight.
> 
> ...


The rules are not universally enforced by the airlines and immigration. I fly from Manila to San Francisco at least once a year. Philippine airlines in San Francisco always ask me for an onward ticket. I buy a cheap ticket from any airport in the Philippine to any location out of the Philippines. My exit ticket is usually 6 months from my arrival.
Some airlines do not check for an exit ticket and some immigration do not check. I do know many that flown into Manila that was asked by immigration for an exit ticket. I have never been asked by Manila immigration. A friend flew into Clark airport and was denied entry because he had no onward ticket. He had to leave the country! I have been told by many that the exit ticket should not be more than 6 months from arriving. I do not know if this is true but so far it has worked for me. I even use the same exit ticket more than once.
Tony


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## Tiz (Jan 23, 2016)

siamjeff said:


> . Make sure to have a print out (hard copy) of your flight to show them because for sure they will ask to see it!


I never bother printing any flight bookings.
Just put a screen shot on my phone.


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## sintai (Feb 24, 2011)

I arrived NAIA on 3rd September with Emirates ticket showing return to UK early May 2017, 8 months stay. Immigration gave me 30 day visa on arrival. I am well used to going to Bureau of Immigration at Intramuros to extend my stay every 2 months. After 6 months it is necessary to Emigration Clearance Cert to show you are not on the police "wanted" list. Alternatively I'll probably take a holiday with my lady to Thailand or Bali. Have recently seen something about extended tourist visas becoming available, 3 years for 11,500 pesos, looks a good deal.


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## bidrod (Mar 31, 2015)

sintai said:


> I arrived NAIA on 3rd September with Emirates ticket showing return to UK early May 2017, 8 months stay. Immigration gave me 30 day visa on arrival. I am well used to going to Bureau of Immigration at Intramuros to extend my stay every 2 months. After 6 months it is necessary to Emigration Clearance Cert to show you are not on the police "wanted" list. Alternatively I'll probably take a holiday with my lady to Thailand or Bali. Have recently seen something about extended tourist visas becoming available, 3 years for 11,500 pesos, looks a good deal.


You are talking about the long stay visitors visa extension(LSVVE), which is for 6 months not 3 years. 

Long-Stay Visitor Visa Extension (LSVVE)

Chuck


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## Guest (Sep 14, 2016)

*booking outbound ticket*



fmartin_gila said:


> A bit of a caution on this. The other day when I had to buy a outbound ticket, she demanded that it be for less than 30 days as that is the initial visa period and she said there is no way to guarantee you will extend or such. I do spose it will depend on the person/airline you are dealing with.
> 
> Fred


I realize that comment from Fred "that an outbound ticket be booked for less than 30 days" is from 2011, and more recent comments on this thread suggest a longer time period or even an open date . But yesterday a Canadian travel agent, who might not be in the know, told me I do need to have a date booked. I was just making some initial inquiries so didn't clarify if it needed to be within the initial 30 day visa period. I intend to apply at the Manila airport for the 29 day extension, and after that the 2 or 6 month extensions. But as that quote from Fred says, there's no guarantee any of those extensions will be granted. 

So, would it be wise to have my outbound ticket booked within the initial 30 day visa, since I intend to just throw away that ticket anyway if I get the extensions?


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

Actually the post was just last month and the incident happened August 11, 2016. With that said, I do believe the enforcement of this requirement depends upon the Airline and even down to the person behind the counter. I am not so sure that the demand for a 30 day outbound ticket was just that lady's requirement as she did seem to be agravated and very tense, possibly having a bad day or just dealt with a difficult customer. At different times on other visits here in the past and using different Airlines, I sometimes have been asked for an outbound ticket and at other times not. That particular Airline was AirAsia.

Fred


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## Guest (Sep 15, 2016)

fmartin_gila said:


> Actually the post was just last month and the incident happened August 11, 2016. With that said, I do believe the enforcement of this requirement depends upon the Airline and even down to the person behind the counter. At different times on other visits here in the past and using different Airlines, I sometimes have been asked for an outbound ticket and at other times not. That particular Airline was AirAsia.
> 
> Fred


I'm constantly getting confused with dates on this forum. Still getting used to it, and working with a headache everyday doesn't help. I'll read the comments in this thread again more carefully. I'm not planning to go until may February next year.


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