China - Do I need to purchase a return ticket before departure?

I purchased a one way ticket DEN-PEK for next week. I do not know my exact return date yet or even which city I will fly home from. The UAL agent told me that I will need to purchase the return ticket before I depart next week. Does anyone know if this is true? Would I be denied boarding or not allowed to enter China? I would like to wait until I have all my meetings scheduled and confirmed before I purchase the return. That may not happen until I am already in China. Thanks,

Yes. It is true. When you go through customs they will not let you in the country without seeing your return flight. The original gate agent is also supposed to make sure you have a return flight and even a visa. (if a visa is needed ahead of time).
Their way of making sure you are not staying there permanently.

There's plenty of discussion, such as this following thread, over China Forum (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/china-613/):

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/china/894437-faq-prc-visa-free-transit.html

buy a fully refundable return ticket....then you can move it or buy a cheaper one & get it refunded....should work....

I ahve always just bought a fully-refundable ticket as noted. Then once I knew return date, cancelled ticket and booked a more affordable one.

Refundable ticket is a great idea. Thanks.

Would I be denied boarding or not allowed to enter China? ,

Most Likely, you would not get to China, they won't let you board.

How would this work for a non-rev? There is no return ticket to show to immigration in China, however your airline will know you are listed for a flight back. Would some kind of printout showing being listed standy suffice? I'm not a non-rev anymore, but I would certainly like to get out of this office and back to airline work.

How would this work for a non-rev? There is no return ticket to show to immigration in China, however your airline will know you are listed for a flight back. Would some kind of printout showing being listed standy suffice? I'm not a non-rev anymore, but I would certainly like to get out of this office and back to airline work.
I presume that carriers have appropriate paperwork for their employees which they have worked out with local authorities. Keeping up with employee immigration issues worldwide is a big deal.

I presume that carriers have appropriate paperwork for their employees which they have worked out with local authorities. Keeping up with employee immigration issues worldwide is a big deal.

Fair point. That sounds simple enough. I worked for US who obviously doesn't do TPAC, so I never thought about that.

I've traveled to both PEK and PVG many times on one-way awards and never have been asked to show proof either at check-in or when going through immigration.

Spotty enforcement of the rules. I've always been prepared to book a return on my phone using miles if need be.

There is no return ticket to show to immigration in China, however your airline will know you are listed for a flight back.http://www.demama.info/g.php

For further discussion, I'll move this to the Travel->China forum. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.

In dozens of entries into China, no one has ever asked to see proof of a return ticket. Indeed, for many common entry scenarios, it would be impossible to show one. Crossing the land border with HK is perhaps the best example of this - what, should I show them my Octopus card to prove I can take the MTR back? :rolleyes:

Based on my experience, I wouldn't worry about any problems from Chinese immigration. If the airline gives you trouble at departure, as others have suggested, offer to buy a refundable ticket on the spot and simply cancel it as soon as you land. I wouldn't worry about preparing this in advance, though, as I've never been asked by an airline either (this assumes a valid visa, of course).

If you have a China visa no need for proof of return ticket. You could make a land crossing to exit China.

If making a transit without visa, need a ticket exiting China to a third country within
the time limit Shanghai 48 hrs.. Beijing and others 24 hours.

Most Likely, you would not get to China, they won't let you board.

I have flown into China on 100+ one way tickets without a residence permit. Guess how many times I have been questioned by either the carrier that brought me in or PRC border control (hint: it's a "round" number).

I was using a variety of visas "L" or "F". Never has I needed to have a return ticket to enter into China.

However my very first trip to China, Air Canada made a fuss about me not having a return ticket. Had to raise it a superior before they let me on the plane.

I was using a variety of visas "L" or "F". Never has I needed to have a return ticket to enter into China.

However my very first trip to China, Air Canada made a fuss about me not having a return ticket. Had to raise it a superior before they let me on the plane.

You should have busted out an Octopus Card. :D

Could be an advisory not a requirement.
Have seen comments about trips to China.
What was the best part of your trip...the plane ride home.

Yes, that's right. China is not Thailand. China does NOT require a return or onward ticket. This is the Chinese regulation and last I saw, was appearing correctly in TIMATIC. All China wants for a visit (assuming not an international transit which is a different situation) is a valid visa. No airline should be denying boarding if you have that valid visa and a one-way ticket. The Air Canada agent mentioned above was flatly in the wrong. The United agent mentioned by the OP is similarly doling out incorrect advice/warning.

It seems counterintuitive that a "rigid Communist government" is actually fairly easy-going on border controls, but it's absolutely true. And shocks the heck out of airline personnel the world over when they finally stop making assumptions and start learning the facts. This also goes for FT members who make very confident posts that are....wrong and misleading.

Note that actual airline boarding or immigration/entry situation is different from the visa application. There are many locations now where the Chinese Embassy/Consulate is requiring proof of an onward or return ticket as a condition of getting the visa (the USA missions are not among these locations at present). For those who cannot nail down their onward plans or who are leaving overland, there are workarounds to deal with this--one of which is the refundable ticket strategy. Another is the onward Air Asia cheapie throwaway.

That's one function of China Ambassadors, correct wrong or misleading information.
China rules change frequently and with little or no notice. Visa policy can differ from stated rules depending on events..ie olympics, congress, sars, etc

That's one function of China Ambassadors, correct wrong or misleading information.
China rules change frequently and with little or no notice. Visa policy can differ from stated rules depending on events..ie olympics, congress, sars, etc

While I won't disagree with the portion (I) bolded in your statement, the rules haven't changed all that much over the years that I've been doing the China thing (nearly half of my life, now). Sure, we've seen the Shanghai (48 hour TWOV) exception disappear a few times, Tibet has always been a wild card, and the Olympics were a severe PITA (I resorted to ebay in order to find a guy to issue me an invitation letter -- via his local government boys -- at a cost of $120 just to get a crappy visa), but the Chinese honestly like hosting foreigners. In fact, one of the tenants of the current 5-year plan is to make China the most visited country in the world.

China's regulations permitting inbound travel by any means (air, sea, land) on a one-way basis and into any entry point, assuming a visa in hand, has been around for many many years without change of policy. As long as you enter with a valid visa, and exit by any means at any border, before it expires (or get an official extension) is all Chinese officialdom cares about.

The Transit Without Visa regulation has been around awhile but only really became functional within the past 3-4 years--part of the Chinese gov't + airline cooperative strategy to try to expand and capture some of the lucrative long-haul connecting flights from NRT, ICN, HKG, TPE for CA (PEK), MU (PVG), and CZ (CAN). Couldn't very easily sell foreigners the concept of transiting through China on a Chinese airline, and then require them to undergo hassle and extra cost of a visa for just a quick pass through!

In fact, one of the tenants of the current 5-year plan is to make China the most visited country in the world.

Probably would have hit that already ... but seem to be off when it
comes to big events like olympics and world expo.

As far as return ticket requirement that would be prior to issueing a visa.
As the long as the US/China get along... should not be required, unlike France and Germany as of late.

I was flying CX on a one-way into China within the past two years, and when responding that I didn't have a ticket out, was told to sign a waiver absolving CX of blame should I not be allowed in. As usual, Chinese immigration didn't give a hoot about it.

Actually, moondog joked that another FTer should show the Octopus card as proof of past (or frequent) travel to the 'hood. Well, though it is for Hong Kong, for another one-way only,I did show JL officials at YVR my "HKIA frequent visitor card," and sure enough, it did the trick (it at least says Hong Kong on it). Well, to the OP, I've crossed through many a different entry point into China, and have never been asked how I was exiting. 'Course, depending on one's passport, MMV.

How does one become a tenant of the 5 year plan? What's the rent like?

:D;)

I was on a one ticket to China with NZ and they told me they need a method of exit from China before I can check in. I was getting ready to get out my Octopus card while I said I'd be crossing by land and the agent checked me in.

Flying with them again soon. Going to hand them my Octopus card before they ask and see how the agent reacts. :D