Throwaway Ticket

[Jollygoodfellow]

I sent immigration a PM to see if we have gone back to outbound dated anytime. Will let you know when I get an answer. 

[Colsie]

23 minutes ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

You do also understand that the 30 day rule only came in when they started to again allow tourist. It used to be that an outbound ticket can be dated anytime but when the IATF got involved they changed it. Now as I pointed out the written rule is now missing 30 days in reading the latest resolution. 

This is a question I put to immigration years ago and as Colsie said, in the past it could be dated anytime and looks like it may have returned to that.

From immigration years ago

Be good to get current clarification JGF. 

Edited June 4, 2022 by Colsie

[Possum]

55 minutes ago, Colsie said:

Be good to get current clarification JGF. 

It certainly will. I talked to friends of mine employed by air carriers as well as embassy staff and they all said nothing has changed in the last few years. Any visitor must show that they will leave the country within Philippine immigration guidelines for visitors. If the visitor wishes to extend, fine. But the air carrier will NOT allow any visitor to board a plane bound for the Philippines [or most any country] without proof they will not leave when the visa expires. Makes sense. I cannot visit Australia if I don't have a ticket to leave.

[Dave Hounddriver]

43 minutes ago, Greglm said:

But the air carrier will NOT allow any visitor to board a plane bound for the Philippines [or most any country] without proof they will not leave when the visa expires.

That has not been my experience travelling to the Philippines for many years.  Talk is fine, but until the recent change, I have USED exit tickets up to 6 months out with no problem.  And that is arriving for the 30 day visa free period (21 days years ago).  JGF showed the report from BI that confirms what I have been doing, so it seems your air carriers have been wrong.

[Colsie]

9 hours ago, Greglm said:

It certainly will. I talked to friends of mine employed by air carriers as well as embassy staff and they all said nothing has changed in the last few years. Any visitor must show that they will leave the country within Philippine immigration guidelines for visitors. If the visitor wishes to extend, fine. But the air carrier will NOT allow any visitor to board a plane bound for the Philippines [or most any country] without proof they will not leave when the visa expires. Makes sense. I cannot visit Australia if I don't have a ticket to leave.

My original somewhat clumsy question to JGF was, why the outward ticket has to be within 30 days of arrival (has there been a rule change because of Covid) 

The existing rule required by carriers was that the passenger only needed an onward ticket out of the Philippines, irrelevant of date. You can except what I'm and other expats are telling you or not. 

As for most other countries require onward ticket, this is not the case for most South East Asia. For example, in 2013, I flew into Thailand and road my Thai motorbike into Cambodia, left it at a hotel in Phnom Pehn and got a bus over the border to Vietnam and on to Ho Chi Minh. Upon my return to Phnom Pehn I road my bike north across the border into Laos, then exited Laos through the border at Vientiane and back into Thailand. Obviously, I  didn't require an onward ticket for any of those four countries. 

The problem you're making is that you're trying to make sense of the rules and forgetting this is the Philippines 😁

Edited June 5, 2022 by Colsie

[ThaiWolf]

I flew into Manila from Bangkok on P.A.L. 

At no point was I asked to show an onward ticket out of Philippines! 
(Yes, I did have one)

Many years ago China had the same stipulation for tourists regarding an outbound ticket.
The same, was never asked to show it.  

[Colsie]

4 hours ago, ThaiWolf said:

I flew into Manila from Bangkok on P.A.L. 

At no point was I asked to show an onward ticket out of Philippines! 
(Yes, I did have one)

Many years ago China had the same stipulation for tourists regarding an outbound ticket.
The same, was never asked to show it.  

ThaiWolf, I don't usually get asked to show the onward ticket as I usually hand over a copy of it at check-in. However, I was once asked for on onward ticket back in 2012, in Suvarnabhumi Airport but I was traveling on a Philippine retirement visa and onward ticket isn't required (about the only good thing about that visa, but that's another story). 

I've also seen other passengers at check-in having to try and buy an onward ticket online when they had been refused boarding...

 

[Dave Hounddriver]

6 hours ago, Colsie said:

I was once asked for on onward ticket back in 2012,

You are right on target with your story.  We all have anecdotes.  Most of us have at least one anecdote that helps us realize how important a legit exit ticket is.  Those who may have come 9 times without ever being asked for an exit ticket are just lucky and odds are they will get in big trouble the tenth time.  That happened to "Lou" in (EDIT it was March of 2010 as I checked back on his Facebook post LOL)?, (R.I.P. Lou I will tell your story for you).

Lou went back to the US for medical reasons.  He had been back and forth so many times I am comfortable saying 9 times so this was the 10th time he was coming from US to the Philippines.  He was old school, pauper expat.  Living like a king on $1,000 a month almost exactly.  So when he got to the airline check in for his return flight, he was astounded that they would not let him on the flight without an exit ticket.  He had no cell phone, insufficient money, and no time, so they denied boarding.  He missed his very expensive flight, which they would not rebook, due to a lack of a P500 exit ticket (which was roughly what you could buy one for at that time).

The point is, most do not listen to the anecdotes of others.  The truth is, 90% of the time everything will work out fine.

Edited June 5, 2022 by Dave Hounddriver

[Gator]

12 hours ago, ThaiWolf said:

I flew into Manila from Bangkok on P.A.L. 

At no point was I asked to show an onward ticket out of Philippines! 
(Yes, I did have one)

Many years ago China had the same stipulation for tourists regarding an outbound ticket.
The same, was never asked to show it.  

If your outbound / return ticket was with PAL it was already in their system and showed up when you checked in. Therefore they did not need to ask. 

[GeoffH]

I've travelled to the Philippines 8 times during the last five years, I've been asked for an exit ticket twice (and both times were when I didn't have a return ticket with the same airline).