Rosseau

I am an Australian citizen living in the Caribbean. I'd like to do a trip where I fly to the US then on to Canada then back home (in a circle). However, if I try to book my itinerary on Expedia on US Airways and Air Canada (the only ones with nonstop flights to my destinations) it gives me a price of $1700+. Booking a one-way ticket to the US on the US Airways website then a one-way ticket home via Canada on the Air Canada website costs $750 total. I don't understand why there is a discrepancy but obviously two one-way tickets are preferable to one round-trip ticket.

My question is, if I'm flying into the US on a one-way ticket will I get stopped at immigration? Even if I can show a later ongoing flight and a work permit for my resident country? Would I even be permitted to buy a one-way ticket to the US without having a US passport or green card? I don't think Canadian immigration would be a problem because my itinerary would be US-Canada-home on that leg.

trooper

I regularly arrive in the USA on one one-way ticket.. with a separate one way ticket to get home to Australia on...

Never been questioned about it... and I can't see how your residence can affect that.... but anything is possible I suppose!!!

davistev

I do this all the time. US Immigration has never asked me for an onward ticket but I have been asked by the airlines to show proof of an onward ticket out of the USA. I trust you will purchase your onward ticket from the USA / Canada to Australia before you leave your Island of residence. You then show this onward ticket before you board for the USA.

But just in case you were not aware - you now need to get an "electronic Visa Waiver Authorization" from DHS before you can even check in and travel to the USA. Australian citizens now must apply online beforehand (much like Americans have to do before they fly to Australia). You get this online.

B747-437B

If you are seeking to enter the USA under the VWP, you must be traveling on a roundtrip ticket, or else on a ticket that terminates in "contiguous territory" (which includes the Carribean) if you are a resident of that territory. Your return ticket would meet this requirement, but your outbound ticket *possibly* would not (there has been no clear interpretation of this point by US CBPA).

If you are not traveling under the VWP, this is a moot point however and you have no requirement to hold any return or onward ticket.

davistev

Really, but many Australians fly via the USA to London or to the Americas using the VW program. I did not realise there was a "roundtrip" ticket rule. An onward ticket out if the USA, I can understand - but roundtrip?

But considering his outbound ticket is to his country of citizenship and his inbound ticket is to his country of residence - would he not satisfy all these requirments.

Just make sure you have all your ducks in a straight line (your tickets) and I would think you would have no problems.

trooper

I always use the VWP.....and I've never been asked about my onward travel... just "how long" I am staying.... Can't recall ever having to show evidence of a "return" itin...

Kiwi Flyer

I visit USA on VWP and every time I've had a one-way ticket I have been asked to show evidence of an onward ticket by US immigration. Once I show that I'm quickly let on my way. Personally I would not risk turning up without an onward ticket unless I was arriving on a longer term basis (eg certain other visa types).

FWIW the immigration officers can tell if you are arriving on a ticket that includes a flight out of USA or not.

thegeneral

Just have the documentation showing how you plan to leave the US. They won't want to let you in if it seems likely that you won't be leaving at the appropriate time. Showing an itinerary for the other flights should answer their questions. Should you not have booked your tickets outbound, you might want to show that you have the financial means to do so. Basically, your story will have to check out if you get asked. Should any of your answers be out of the ordinary, they'll ask more and more.

Basically, just have your Air Canada ticket itinerary and then when you say you'll be getting to Canada by (insert how you're getting to Canada) the customs agent will probably leave you be. The answer to why not just book your ticket that way is that it would cost $1000 more. I wouldn't worry about it.

B747-437B

Unfortunately, that is the wording of the legislation, although the enforcement is inconsistent to say the least.

The I-775 agreement between carriers that are signatories to the VWP and US CBPA states that :


The carrier will issue only tickets that are roundtrip, nontransferable, nonrefundable (except in the country of issuance or nationality or residence of the alien)... to aliens seeking transportation to and admission into the United States under the Visa Waiver Program.

There are some very narrowly defined exceptions to the above, one of which is that VWP citizen alien residents of contiguous territory may travel on one-way tickets terminating in contiguous territory.

The definition of "round trip ticket" is given by 8 CFR 217.2 and is :

Round trip ticket means any return trip transportation ticket in the name of an arriving Visa Waiver Program applicant on a participating carrier valid for at least 1 year, electronic ticket record, airline employee passes indicating return passage, individual vouchers for return passage, group vouchers for return passage for charter flights, and military travel orders which include military dependents for return to duty stations outside the United States on U.S. military flights. A period of validity of 1 year need not be reflected on the ticket itself, provided that the carrier agrees that it will honor the return portion of the ticket at any time, as provided in CBP Form I-775, Visa Waiver Program Agreement.


There has been no clarification issued by CBPA as to whether an onward ticket meets the definition of the roundtrip ticket, and there is inconsistent interpretation and enforcement of this regulation.

davistev

Wow! - learn something new everyday. A strict interpretation would deny entry to most Australians stopping in Honolulu en rote to Canada on Air Canada would it not?

alanR

It must get "interesting" on the Air NZ flight from UK to NZ via LA on which many people doing the "round trip" will return via the SE Asia Air NZ route.

Guess it's a case of "don't ask, don't tell".

Himeno

When the CBP agent scans your passport, it pulls up your flight information which the airline sent with the advance passenger data.
When the airline scans your passport, it pulls up the whole itinerary as that is linked to your passport number. The airline just sends the whole itinerary in the APD.

They'll only ask you for proof of leaving if the airline (for some reason) only sent the arriving flight data.

Rosseau

Thanks everyone, I think I'll just go ahead and book it and print out my Air Canada onwards itinerary to show them if asked. Although if it's linked to my passport anyway hopefully they won't need to ask any questions.

GUWonder

Your experience is the norm for such kind of situations as is being just asked how long you are staying.

Not only does DHS have the itinerary available for examination, they even have the IP address indicating from where the tickets were purchased.