Job Discussion Forums

SamanthaLeigh · Joined: 29 Aug 2010 Posts: 8 Location: Nashville, TN

Hello Friends,
It's finally happening, we are buying our tickets and moving to Argentina without jobs... Crazy, I know, but from what I've read on this forum and several others it shouldn't be too hard to find work once we get there. We hope to be teaching in Mendoza beginning in August, but we found a great airfare to Santiago. Our plan is to arrive in Santiago on a one way ticket and take the bus to Mendoza. I spoke with a travel agent that is hesitant to book one way tickets for us because immigration might ask us to prove a departure date. In short,
How safe is it to book a one way ticket to Chile?
If not, what other precautions can be taken besides buying a round trip flight?
Will a bus ticket suffice?
Will a bus ticket into Argentina and back to Chile suffice on the Argentinian side?

I realize that it's kind of a crapshoot, but any recent information or experience would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

HLJHLJ · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 1218 Location: Ecuador

It's highly unlikley that immigration will ask for the return ticket, but they might. However, the responsibility for ensuring you have one lies with the airline, in as much as they will have to foot the bill to take you back again if you get refused entry. As such, it's the airlines who deny people boarding for not having a return ticket.

Having said that, they don't usually check, but sometimes they do. As to whether you'll get lucky or not, no-one can tell you that. If you can buy an international bus ticket in advance, that will suffice. However, I am not sure if that's possible. You would need an actual ticket, not just pre-booking information.

If you have the funds, the easiest way around it is to buy the one way ticket, then do some research in advance and check-in with plenty of time. If you get denied boarding, go and buy a fully flexible, fully refundable one way ticket home again. Use one of the big international airlines (AA, BA, etc) and if possible, book online. (You'll have done your research in advance so you'll already have a plan as to what to book). Don't book it with LAN.

Go back and check in with your new ticket. Once you are in-country cancel the ticket. If you've done it all online the refund can usually be done online as well, and if you are lucky it may even be back on your credit card before the bill is due.

The downside to this is that fully refundable one-way tickets are VERY expensive, and you need the credit available to be juggle it.

EDIT: Also, if you are travelling on US passports you will get hit with 2 sets of reciprocity fees if you travel to Argentina via Chile, which will negate some of your savings.

SamanthaLeigh · Joined: 29 Aug 2010 Posts: 8 Location: Nashville, TN

SamanthaLeigh · Joined: 29 Aug 2010 Posts: 8 Location: Nashville, TN

HLJHLJ · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 1218 Location: Ecuador

I'm not really sure, you would be better checking with the relevant embassies.

I would think that if you fly, and are in transit (i.e. don't leave the airport in Chile) then you wouldn't have to pay the fee. However, if you leave the airport to travel overland, then I think you would.

Argentina were supposed to start charging at all borders from January, but I don't know if it actually happened.

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

Immigrations will probably NOT ask you. It'll be the airlines that you're leaving on. I've seen people forced into buying tickets.

With automatic ticketing kosks, they will NOT give you a boarding pass with a one way ticket. This is happening a LOT now.

i had a one way and had to go to the special line and show that I' had residency. No residency or onward travel and you will either have to buy a ticket or not travel.

Just buy an onward erfundable ticket. Doesn't have to be roundtrip, just to the cheapest nearby countr.y

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home