Round Trip Tickets Always Required?

Buy a return ticket to "somewhere"  and make it changeable and refundable.  You don't have to go home, you just have to show you are leaving.

It is a gov't requirement and the airlines are on the hook if they do not enforce.

Yes planner is right you just purchase a refundable return ticket and then cancel your trip.

We have our residency and we still on occasion will have to argue with the gate agent and educate them.

Bob K

It must have changed in the last year or so.  Each time I returned after moving back to Florida,  I bought a one way ticket.  Never had a problem or question about it.  Things must have tightened up recently.  Anyone know?

Hasn't changed, some airlines don't enforce the rule.

And some enforce it much like the laws here.  On Monday it is ticket day and here Helmet day, on Tuesday no return ticket needed and here on allowed to drive in the correct direction on the roads and so on.                                       

It very may depend on the day you fly.  But do be prepared to buy a return ticket at the airport.  In that case just buy a refundable one.

Bob K

Hahahahaha  Well said......   and true... any given day here the laws are enforced, or,  not.

I just wish they would publish a schedule and then stick to it so I knew what to do each day

Bob K

Thanks for all the replies-I now have a plan!

Glad we could help

Bob K

i never pay for a round trip to DR... i always buy one way with my American Passport

and you take a chance on  being forced to buy a return ticket. Simple, we have covered this a dozen times.   IF you do not have residencia or citizenship you MAY be forced to buy a return ticket. BUYER BEWARE

Excellent points Planner. Just because you get away with it this time does not mean it will work the next time.

LadyMateo so sorry but BAD advice.

Bob K

Having a return ticket is supposedly the rule coming from the USA lets say. But, when you arrive here the passport guys at the airport could care less about anything. They stamp you in and that's it. I bought a return ticket before I arrived and never used it and didn't even have to show or talk about it when I arrived. Just a waste of money because I thought it might be a problem and didn't want to take any chances. Next time I won't bother with it because I don't think anyone who works at the airport cares about it. Enforcement of rules that occurs in other countries is virtually non-existent here One of the reasons to live here!

It is actually an airline rule and not a DR one.  So Yes no one here checks if  you have return ticket. HOWEVER in order to get on the plane in the US the Airlines require you to have a return ticket unless  you are a resident or citizen of the DR.  Having the return ticket has nothing to do with the customs folks here when you arrive.

Many folks to get around this buy a refundable return ticket and then cancel it after they get here.

Bob K

It is a DR LAW that is REQUIRED   by the airlines. Should something happen the AIRLINES are on the hook. That is THE LAW.  Customs here doesn't care. NO ONE cares until something happens BUT at any moment the airlines can and will require this. 

Now if the airlines do not enforce it from ANY LOCATION then ok. BUT you MAY be required to buy a last minute return ticket.

Don't buy a ticket - who cares.  Buy a ticket -  who cares. BUT get caught and need to buy an EXPENSIVE last minute ticket DO NOT COME HERE AND WHINE.   Everyone has been warned,  this has been discussed to a ridiculous level. I don't care who has gotten away with it. Good for you.  But, don't come back here and complain later.

Ok that was to the point.  I was too tired to be so strong. Good job Planner

Bob K

Thanks Bob,  sometimes I just get tired of the same arguments on here.

It's the law here too.  When we show our residency papers to the ticket folks in the US prior to boarding they look at us cross eyed, as they are in Dutch!  LOL

Have friends who have been required to purchase, one turned away because they could not.  And I expect it's the law in the US if you are not resident there.

I expect you are right!

I've flown to Dominican Republic five times and I never buy a round trip ticket.   I work from home and always prefer to play things by ear when I am there. I have never been given a hard time until the last time I went and it wasn't the customs in the Dominican Republic it was the airline agent in the United States checking me in at the airline. She tried arguing with me saying you are required to have a return flight and I had to let her know in fact you do not. She said that the customs agent in the Dominican Republic may make you buy a return ticket and return home and I replied I could do that if necessary. Some countries do require you have a return ticket, however I have never had a problem with customs in the Dominican Republic buying a one way ticket.

Classy gringo (and I have my doubts...sorry) ok so you got away with it. Usually it is the agent in the US that does not allow you to board "her" flight.

Just because you get away with it a time will come when you won't.  Like we say in the operating room about a less than skilled surgeon..."better lucky than good"

Bob K

I know many countries want you to have a return flight  but in the Dominican Republic I have never had a problem. I would not take the same chance with other countries. A friend of mine works for the same company and he has never had a problem either. It may come back and bite me one day, but until then. Cheers and beers.

Well just try entering the USA without a return (or at the minimum outbound ticket) and see just how necessary it is. Just because the CBP Agent does not physically look at your ticket or ask for it, does not necessarily mean he/she is not aware that you have or haven't got one. In fact, once they enter your name into their computer not only does your ENTIRE entry/exit history show up on their screen, but also your present ticketing information does too.

As has been mentioned numerous times on this topic thread and others, an outbound ticket IS REQUIRED BY LAW, and that is why the airlines may insist upon it. The reason for the insistance is simple, if you are denied entry to the country and either refuse to pay or are unable to, the airline is obligated to transport you out anyway.

The fact that you may or may not get hassled either at the boarding gate by the airline staff; or at your point of entry by immigrations authorities is irrelevant. YOU CAN BE!!! One day it will happen when you least expect it, and if you're forced to purchase a return ticket right on the spot the cost is prohibitive. Just because one has not been checked in the past in no way indicates that they won't be in the future.

There are laws that require drivers and all their passengers to wear seatbelts too. Many people choose to ignore that law too. They think accidents only happen to the other guy and they don't care. One day they have an accident and aren't wearing their seatbelt... well we all know the results of that!!!

Far better to have a refundable/changeable return ticket and not need it, than to need it an NOT HAVE ONE. Don't heed the sound advice given here, continue trying to enter without a return ticket. When the day comes that somebody does do their job don't say you haven't been warned.

Won't make any comments about the username, but it's certain that it couldn't be "prudentgringo".

Cheers,
James       Expat-blog Experts Team

James and Bob _ I could care less what either of you think of the name classygringo, why don't you both try getting some class yourselves and stop trying to put down the user name and focus on the forums. I was replying to the person in the original posting and sharing my personal experience. You can share your personal experience without commenting on my username, but again I could care less what either of you think. Get a life as far as I am concerned I won't waste my time responding to people that have nothing better to do that trying to take cheap shots. Grow up fellas, get a life, and trying getting some class yourself.

A bit touchy are we.  No harm meant.  Lo siento

Bob K

Ok guys calm down.

Classygringo -  we have had this argument multiple times, we have laid out THE LAW and still people want to argue with us.

WE ARE DONE ARGUING AND DONE WITH THIS DISCUSSION....... I will have this CLOSED and the thread will be kept for review and NO MORE DISCUSSIONS.

It doesn't really matter what the law is. What matters is what actually happens. In the USA they are anal retentive to the nth degree about laws, regulations, etc. In the DR, that issue DOES NOT EXIST.

With that in mind, do what you want. But lets hear from a person in the DR who arrived and actually had a problem because they didn't have a return ticket to anywhere. I can't imagine that situation ever coming up. That would mean a Dominican who works at the airport would actually pay attention to a detail and demand a rule be enforced. LOL. That's really funny Can anything be more funnier? I think not