Greenpen

I am flying F from FRA to GRU next week, connecting from LHR. I intend to use the FCT so will pass through German immigration. British passport. I am planning to spend abut two weeks in Brazil before going on to Chile, probably with a brief visit to Bolivia. The timing is flexible and I have no return ticket booked.

I have become aware of the possible entry requirement for Brazil of a return ticket. This does not appear to be mandatory as their system seems to be one to ensure you have enough money to keep you in Brazil and eventually leave so it it one of a number of measures they could potentially look at. That part does not worry me. However, I have also read that the carrier will insist on me having a return ticket to prevent Brazilian immigration not allowing me in and them having to return me!

The various advice on the internet is both ambiguous, conflicting and incomplete; lots of people ask the same question but I have not seen an actual report of what might happen. Does anyone have any advice? Will LH check for a return either at LHR or FRA and deny me boarding? If I do have to buy a return it would seem to be a full price refundable ticket is the only option but are there any other ways I could circumvent the need for the return?

oliver2002

Buy the ticket to Chile and show that...

airoli

As oliver2002 said, you need to be able to show documentation on how you intend to leave Brazil. It doesn't need to be a "return" ticket, but any booking out of Brazil - by air, by bus etc. If your plans are not yet set in stone, buy something refundable to show when you arrive in Brazil.
Note that the next countries on your itinerary may have similar requirements, so you may have to repeat the process.

SK AAR

I entered Brazil 2 weeks ago, and I wasn't asked to show anything (I had a return ticket but was not required to inform/show it at immigration).

If you are asked just ask for time to book a flexibible/refundable ticket and do that on the spot so you can show it to immigration - or even better, book a cheap bus ticket out of Brazil in advance (without the intention of using it ofc).

chris63

I have never been asked for details of when or how I was leaving Brazil at immigration there.

The issue for the OP would be where he checks in & the agent would see it’s a one way ticket only & could deny boarding without proof of compliance with Brazilian immigration law.

fassy

I have never been asked to proof or return/onward trip in any country. Not even in China back in the days where they said you have to show a valid ticket at immigration at a big sign next to the immigration officer. It was always delegated to the airline's check-in agent/system. In general, we can all agree it is a pretty BS requirement anyway, as no one can force you on that return/onward trip. I think the basic idea some point in the past was to correlate the passenger manifests with the immigration records to flag people who do not leave the country as they indicated at the time they entered it, but this as also dropped due to the whole impracticalities around it. And it is much easer to just flag the passport number after they overstayed their visa. And even that s not done in most countries but they only find out in a routine police or border patrol check.

Anyway, for OP... I would assume to get denied check-in if I cannot prove return/onward travel. Easy solution, have the next flight already (refundable/flexible) booked.

kai.lileboo

I would suggest to get either o/w ticket for your next destination before your trip to Brasil takes place, or a fully refundable o/w for any destination outside Brasil. The airline can deny you boarding if they decide to check those requirements and immigration in Brasil will for sure ask you to show your return trip. If not, once you are in Brasil, you can always refund the ticket

chris63

I have in a number, including USA & Australia.

Most recently at FRA whist entering DE to go to FCT, consequence of Brexit

fassy

Really? Never happened to me. Not in the US, not in Australia. I always supposed that they also rely on the airlines to take care or even get the information as part of the API data anyway.

Brexit messed up a lot of things....

mb752

Not at immigration, but when flying to EU destinations check-in agents in the US have definitely asked me if I have a return / onward ticket booked.

fassy

well, yes. That is my experience as well and what I said before.

Greenpen

Thank you for the replies. I decided to book a flight back from Brazil using Aegean miles on Avianca. So, I should not have a problem with getting into Brazil and I hope I don't have anything but a good experience with Avianca, but that's another future tale!

Brazil does not require a return segment or onward out of the country, only that you can show you have no intention of remaining there and have sufficient money for your stay. I am sure I do not fit the profile of some one escaping penniless to Brazil so that did not worry me. What did worry me was being rejected by the checkin agent. In 2013 flying LAX - NRT in JAL F they did query the single ticket and I needed to find the email for my return to UK before they let me on.

Thanks again.

chris63

Indeed but it’s the check in agents perception of the rules, especially on a one way ticket

Greenpen

Just to follow this up, no one cared! Initial check-in in London was fine. I entered Germany at Frankfurt so checked-in again at the FCT, similarly no problem with return ticket being asked for. At Brazilian immigration I was asked when I would be leaving the country but nothing more.

So I have my Avianca experience to look forward to!