Buying round trip flight

[LoveinPeru 2]

Hi all,

In a surge of planning stupidly ahead (since I don't even have NOA2 yet), I decided to take a look at ticket prices for around the time that I *hope* my fiance will be coming to the US.

I have a couple of questions about this:

1) One of the cheapest flights has a layover in Mexico. From Peru, you need a visa to visit Mexico (and I know in Mexico EVERYONE has to go through immigration, even if its just a layover). So my question is, if he is just laying over and has his visa to the US, will they still require him to have a visa to Mexico just for the layover?

2) Another airline has a flights straight to san francisco from Lima. However, a one way flight with them costs $1500, where as a roundtrip flight costs $700 (total!). If he gets a round trip ticket and just informs the airline once he's here that he won't be using his return ticket, will that hurt his visa (like, will they see that he has a return ticket at immigration and think he's trying to do some kind of fraud?)

Thanks!

[iampatricias 17]

I remember seeing a thread about this a few months ago and many people opt for a return ticket simply because it is much cheaper!

The trouble at least one person encountered is that they forgot to cancel the return flight and several months later were rejected at some later step because according to flight records, they "had left the country"! In fact, the airline had sold their seat to someone else but had not changed the seat assignment record, so this poster was actually on file as having been on the flight though he (or she?) was not there. The suggestions from everyone in that thread were to book the return flight as far in advance as you can (6 months?), cancel the return portion promptly, and print confirmation of the cancellation should something like that come up with you.

[HeatDeath 430]

In answer to 2, buying a round trip ticket is perfectly fine, and will not create any negative impression with immigration at all. You've probably already read here why it's important to cancel the return leg once he's here, and as long he does that, a return ticket is perfectly fine.

In answer to 1, many countries require "transit visas" for people of certain nationalities switching planes, even if they never leave the airport. Mexico may very well be once of these.

According to this: http://www.skyteam.com/about/travelhelp/travelinfo.html

Peruvians transiting through Mexico to the Us do not need transit visas if they are

departing from the same airport within 24 hours, by the same or the first connecting flight, without further intermediate landings in Mexican territory, and provided holding confirmed onward tickets and other documents for their next destination. Leaving the airport is not allowed. Stay in transit area is under airline custody.

Edited February 9, 2011 by HeatDeath

[Inky 1,110]

I would go with the round trip ticket choice 700$ is a nice price~! plus its direct to the US. Just cancel the return ticket after your SO arrives to the USA.

[LoveinPeru 2]

Thanks!

The round trip ticket way does seem easier, and he doesn't have to worry about ANY layovers, let alone lay overs in another country. We'll be sure to cancel the return trip ticket as soon as he gets here if he do end up going that way.

Of course, I'm not buying any tickets until we at least have an interview date, and only then buy tickets that we can change the date for if *god forbid* something goes wrong!