One Way Ticket to US, Leaving by Boat

[mkjhartmann]

Is it possible to purchase a one way ticket to the US, if you either post a surety bond, or provide some proof that you will be departing within a month on a boat?

Anybody have any experience?

Thanks.

Mike

[DeepFrz]

The last time I tried that, about 20 yrs. ago, the one way ticket was more costly than return.

[daddle]

It is far simpler to buy a full fare onward ticket out of the country. Maybe Canada ... or Texas. Buy it on a credit card. After arrival simply cancel it.

[jackdale]

It depends on airlines. WestJet's return is the same as two one-ways.

I flew into Maui last summer on a one way. They were a little taken aback when I told that I was leaving in three days, but no problems.

[fjwiley1]

DeepFrz and Daddle are both correct, in addition Homeland Security/TSA are very suspicious when it involves 1 way tickets into or out of the US regardless of ones intent. Good luck.

[mkjhartmann]

Thanks all. A round trip ticket it will be. It truly is fun to deal with the "home of the free".

[boatman61]

The owner of a boat I was delivering made that mistake with me... Homeland Security stopped me before I got on the plane in London... took an e-mail giving contact details of the local sheriff and another from the marina verifying the boat existed and that my crew and I were expacted... arrived 48hrs after we were supposed to.. this was last year.. Feb.

[mkjhartmann]

Originally Posted by boatman61

The owner of a boat I was delivering made that mistake with me... Homeland Security stopped me before I got on the plane in London... took an e-mail giving contact details of the local sheriff and another from the marina verifying the boat existed and that my crew and I were expacted... arrived 48hrs after we were supposed to.. this was last year.. Feb.

Did you want to make you do more business in the US? We are killing ourselves and our economy with this total 9/11 over reaction. I am still living in the US, but moving to Costa Rica in July to get away from this police state. I grew up in Germany, and the Nazi's big excuse for all their crimes was, you guessed it, "state security".

Go figure.

Mike

[hellosailor]

Mike, life was different before AlQueda won the war. But this business about one-way tickets is actually THE NORM all over the world. Just try flying into Tahiti without proving that you can and will leave on time. Ain't gonna happen.

And that's how much or most of the world does it. Depending especially on your nationality and visa, everyone wants to know you have your exit arrangments made and paid, before you come in.

And everywhere you go, the airlines pretty much want to charge more for the one-way than the round trip. Their excuse? They don't need one, they're just nice folks.

[ElGatoGordo]

Originally Posted by mkjhartmann

Did you want to make you do more business in the US? We are killing ourselves and our economy with this total 9/11 over reaction. I am still living in the US, but moving to Costa Rica in July to get away from this police state. I grew up in Germany, and the Nazi's big excuse for all their crimes was, you guessed it, "state security".

Go figure.

Mike

We'll miss you :-)

[Zanshin]

I've done this before. It is not the authorities that have problems with one-way tickets, but the airlines. Since they have to post a bond and are required to 'repatriate' any passengers denied entry into the USA at their own cost (which they then recoup from the passenger) they are the ones to demand round-trip or continuing tickets.

In my case I had spoken with the airline beforehand and had the boat paperwork at hand. I've had crew fly in on one-way tickets and they, too, were armed with a letter from the boat owner stating the planned itinerary and other contact information and this was always a simple matter.

That having been said, round-trip tickets or open-jaw tickets are usually much cheaper than one-way and one just lets the return or continuing portion expire unused. I just flew across across the pond using FF miles and those flights are now offerred one-way rather than return as well with my airline and I chose to use that for flying to the USA and that, too, was no problem with DHS/Immigration.

[boatman61]

I've flown one way to Pakistan, Caribbean, Turkey, and a few other places.. never had a problem buying the ticket.. or staying on after arrival..
The US has a special deal going on with air travel... don't do as we do.. do as we say.. and to be honest not only us furrinners are getting bored.. most of the complainants I heard had US accents.
Now if you sail in... its wide open... everyones at the airports...
Or the Mex - Canada borders...

[Zanshin]

I've flown into Singapore and Indonesia with one-way tickets and had issues both times upon arrival. In both cases I was supposed to pick up the ongoing tickets at the airline counter - on the other side of immigration. But it got sorted out both times.

I just heard on the radio here that budget cuts have hit air travel - wait times for immmigration are now in the hours and even security waits are 30 minutes in the off hours, no promises for busy times! Air travel to/from the USA really sucks and a lot of people I know now avoid the USA for this reason (and they don't like to feel like criminals being fingerprinted and eye-scanned upon arrival).

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by mkjhartmann

Is it possible to purchase a one way ticket to the US, if you either post a surety bond, or provide some proof that you will be departing within a month on a boat?

Anybody have any experience?

Thanks.

Mike

Yes. You need a B1 B2 visa to book a one way flight. You will ned a B1 B2 to sail into the USA anyway, so its a good one to have in your passport... And it's well respected in third world countries... And Second World too!

It's much better to be able to go on one way tickets. There are good deals to be had and a return ticket or onward will always end up costing you more.


As you know you will be leaving the USA by boat you, again, would not be eligible to a Visa Waiver, but how are they going to know? Unless, of course, you tell the guy at the airport. S keep your lip buttoned.

If joining a boat anywhere you should have a letter from the boat saying so, or the broker if you are looking or buying etc.

Doing stuff legally and above board when it comes to Immigration is quite important because if through your own laziness, stupidity or cutting the corners, get put on some countries computer with a black spot then you will feel the reprocess ions in all countries you visit.
The USA is not the one to stuff around with. If you lie to them and get caught out they will share the information with every other country in the world... Except Cuba and North Korea... Sort of restricts your cruising itinerary.

Getting a B1 B2 visa is easy and lasts 5 or 10 years, multiple entry. It costs about $200. You save that money in the long run by being able to travel there on one way tickets.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Brogan007

Flame on!

The USA is really quite easy to get into and out of. Many countries are much worse.
If you are a normal person flying in, using boats, or whatever you are treated well.
The only problems I found was with the Florida water police who need a kick up their butts. But every Federal official was GREAT, TERRIFIC and really made my stay good.

The only people who really decry the USA are its own citizens.


As the Yanks like to say "go figure".