Job Discussion Forums

yolo39 · Joined: 10 May 2012 Posts: 2

I've recently accepted a teaching position in Vietnam (super excited!) and bought a one-way ticket on Eva Airways. It was brought to my attention that I may have problems boarding the flight or at Immigration in HCMC with only having a one way ticket. Does anyone have any experience with this? Do I need to provide proof of onward travel? I will be picking up my 3 month visa on arrival at the airport..

DNK · Joined: 22 Jan 2007 Posts: 236 Location: the South

I think a lot of tourists come here without another ticket out - buses and boat rides to PP are fairly common, so I don't think there's any issue. I didn't have any when I came in.

teacherkev · Joined: 05 Feb 2012 Posts: 18 Location: Vietnam

I was informed at Hong Kong that I had to purchase an onward journey ticket. I reasoned that I could have a bus or boat tkt to Cambodia, though the person at the check in was pretty strict that I needed to produce this before they would let me check in. In hindsight there is often a "can not" attitude to most scenarios in HK. On arrival at HCMC I was not asked to produce any onward journey only fill in the details on the visa sheet. It's probably something best to have as an insurance policy against getting held up at immigration. Return flight to BKK was only $200 USD, though there are probably less expensive modes of transport and a few other destinations to choose from.

inhanoi · Joined: 22 Oct 2011 Posts: 165

tchrk: When was that? VN immigration no longer require that entering passengers complete a form. I have entered VN numerous times over the past 10 years on one-way tickets with no problem. You state that VN immigration never asked for this, yet you contradict yourself with : "It's probably something best to have as an insurance policy against getting held up at immigration." It's NOT VN immigration that's the problem. Name the airline if you want to be helpful.

As you say, MANY people arrive in VN by air and exit VN by land borders.

teacherkev · Joined: 05 Feb 2012 Posts: 18 Location: Vietnam

Vietnam airlines.
The sheet I was given had a section for date and destination of next exit.
Insurance policy = better to have and not need than to not have and want.

LettersAthruZ · Joined: 25 Apr 2010 Posts: 466 Location: North Viet Nam

Yeah, as inhanoi stated above, they stopped handing out the little cards that you fill out on flights entering Viet Nam about one year ago or so.

It's been a long time since I filled out a visa application form (it used to be one standard 8 1/2" X 11" sheet of paper....don't know what it is now), but if I recall, EVEN THAT never asked you WHEN you were leaving and WHERE you were leaving to.......

...NOT AT ALL doubting you for a second, teacherkev....but I wonder if this was some sort of Vietnam Airlines-specific practice (I have not flown them in about two years).

The Mad Hatter · Joined: 16 May 2010 Posts: 165

TRH · Joined: 27 Oct 2011 Posts: 340 Location: Hawaii

The answer may lie in where you are coming from. I have checked on this based on my upcoming plans and could find no airline that would sell me a one way Hawaii>HCMC ticket. I think this policy is to protect the airlines as they would have to bring back anyone who is turned away at arrival. Fortunately the price R/T is only slightly more than the listed one-way (which they won't sell you anyway.) As the return ticket is usually only good for a limited time, ask about change fees to use the return ticket at a later date. It could affect which airline you choose.

If it is a short flight such as from Bangkok then maybe a one-way is available.

inhanoi · Joined: 22 Oct 2011 Posts: 165

Keep in mind the original question: is it a problem boarding a flight to VN or passing through immigration in VN with a one-way ticket. The answer is no, it is not a problem. Buying a one-way ticket might be an issue, but that is on the airline.