Flying from Bogotá

[ghunt2121 1]

I am getting indications that I should buy round trip tickets for my (K1) fiancée and her two (K2) children, even though we would of course have no intention of using the return leg of such tickets. I have been told that she and the children will not be allowed to board the plane in Bogota unless they all have round-trip tickets, even though the type of the visas is clearly designed and intended for a person who will not return to their origonal country.

Is this true? If so, is there any way around it?

Now, in practice the one way tickets I've looked at so far are either very, VERY little less than the round-trip tickets, or, in one case, the round-trip was significantly cheaper than the one-way flight!

Also, a lawyer friend of my fiancée´s told her something that I don´t understand: something about buying a one-way ticket but getting a reservation for a return flight... sounds a little flakey to me... besides which, the airlines (Avianca at least) will only hold a flight for 24 hours without me paying for it.

Any input on this topic would be appreciated.

[if this has not been posted in the right area, I apologize, but I have gotten such great feedback in here.]

Edited May 20, 2011 by ghunt2121

[Que Saudade 284]

Yes, round trip tickets can be cheaper. Just make sure to cancel the returning leg once there as I read here on VJ that it can cause problems later with AOS. Don't really know why, but the person was a diamond member and usually very accurate with his advice. I haven't heard about the case where not allowed to board without a roundtrip ticket. But every country is different.

Good Luck

[Gosia & Tito 199]

Yes, round trip tickets can be cheaper. Just make sure to cancel the returning leg once there as I read here on VJ that it can cause problems later with AOS. Don't really know why, but the person was a diamond member and usually very accurate with his advice. I haven't heard about the case where not allowed to board without a roundtrip ticket. But every country is different.

Good Luck

Some airlines take that stance, best to do is ask and try to convince them. You are correct, one ways can be quite pricey. If you absolutely have, I'd get an open ticket, so you could use the return at a later time. Now, I see the other post noting to cancel the return as it could have problems with AOS. I can't comment on that, as I don't know, but others would probably post here soon.

At same time, there is no reason why you have to fly direct and it might be possible to fly to Mexico/Canada on a one way and then into the US. Might end up being cheaper.

Good luck

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

I've purchased one way (from Colombia and the DR) and round trip while not taking the return trips (also from Colombia and the DR).. I've done it several times, never bothered to cancel the return trip or inform the airline (if they are not going to give me a partial refund then I feel no obligation to let them know the seat I paid for will be unoccupied) I have had no problems but I am a USC.. I am surprised the price break is not better.. I guess it depends on what airline you fly.. I assume you are back east (you show Vermont USCIS) so if you took say Spirit Airlines from Bogota to Miami in September the one way cost is 207.06 after taxes while the round trip is 369.34 after taxes.

Edited May 21, 2011 by OnMyWayID

[Davecsfl 1]

I am getting indications that I should buy round trip tickets for my (K1) fiancée and her two (K2) children, even though we would of course have no intention of using the return leg of such tickets. I have been told that she and the children will not be allowed to board the plane in Bogota unless they all have round-trip tickets, even though the type of the visas is clearly designed and intended for a person who will not return to their origonal country.

Is this true? If so, is there any way around it?

Now, in practice the one way tickets I've looked at so far are either very, VERY little less than the round-trip tickets, or, in one case, the round-trip was significantly cheaper than the one-way flight!

Also, a lawyer friend of my fiancée´s told her something that I don´t understand: something about buying a one-way ticket but getting a reservation for a return flight... sounds a little flakey to me... besides which, the airlines (Avianca at least) will only hold a flight for 24 hours without me paying for it.

Any input on this topic would be appreciated.

[if this has not been posted in the right area, I apologize, but I have gotten such great feedback in here.]

We purchased one way tickets for me, my fiancee and her daughter. When I made the reservations with Spirit Air, from Cartagena, Colombia to Fort Lauderdale, Florida the agent first stated my fiancee and her daughter required round trip. When I explained they were coming to the USA with a K1 and K2 Visa, the agent spoke to a supervisor who approved the reservation. One way flight with Spirit was less expensive. Spirit flies to many cities in Colombia, including Bogota.

[PachucoBro 3]

My experience with Round Trip tickets for your foreign fiancee on their 'first time entering' trip is this:

The airlines will not allow you (atleast they didn't in 2006) to buy a round trip ticket from Any City, USA to Colombia then returning from Colombia to Any City, USA for your foreign fiancee AND THEY NOT board the plane/use the ticket leaving the USA.

So to explain a little better... It was cheaper for me to buy 2 RT tickets from San Antonio, Tx to BAQ, Colombia than to buy 1 RT ticket and 1 one way ticket for her.

When I got to the airport to check in leaving the USA... They asked where the other person on my itinerary was. I said she is in Colombia and will be using the return ticket only. They told me if she did not check in on the leaving flight the ticket would be cancelled since I bought it on an internet type ticket seller.

Ended up having to cancel the one way ticket and lose $150 and re-purchase a higher priced one way ticket once I was in Colombia.

So be sure to ask if you are planning the same type of work around trying to use a RT ticket. Ask what happens if the other person does not 'check in' on the leaving flight. Can they still check in and use the return flight.

Hope that helps....

Edited May 22, 2011 by PachucoBro

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

That seams logical that if you miss the first half of your trip that the airline would cancel the return trip. I think the OP was talking about buying a round trip for his/her fiance in Colombia and not using the return part of the trip.

I assume the problem the airline has is that they require proof that the person is returning home which really does not make sense since 1) They are not returning home and 2) really not the airlines business if you choose another route home and only want to purchase one way..

[galenjr 1]

I bought tickets for my fiance and children in October, one-way, online from JetBlue...no problema. We flew from Bogota to Orlando. One-way tickets will always be cheaper. If you buy the tickets online you'll have no trouble...just put their names on the tickets.

[Mononoke28 135]

Buy whatever tickets you like, whether they're one-way or round trip, it doesn't matter. Don't know why somebody would tell you that they wouldn't be allowed to board the plane if they had a one-way ticket. There's no logic to that unless they had a tourist visa which is completely different.

Diana

[ryna 132]

I am getting indications that I should buy round trip tickets for my (K1) fiancée and her two (K2) children, even though we would of course have no intention of using the return leg of such tickets. I have been told that she and the children will not be allowed to board the plane in Bogota unless they all have round-trip tickets, even though the type of the visas is clearly designed and intended for a person who will not return to their origonal country.

Is this true? If so, is there any way around it?

Now, in practice the one way tickets I've looked at so far are either very, VERY little less than the round-trip tickets, or, in one case, the round-trip was significantly cheaper than the one-way flight!

Also, a lawyer friend of my fiancée´s told her something that I don´t understand: something about buying a one-way ticket but getting a reservation for a return flight... sounds a little flakey to me... besides which, the airlines (Avianca at least) will only hold a flight for 24 hours without me paying for it.

Any input on this topic would be appreciated.

[if this has not been posted in the right area, I apologize, but I have gotten such great feedback in here.]

I bought my fiancee a one-way ticket from Bogota on Jetblue. No problems...

As far as buying a R/T and not cancelling the return leg... I've seen a couple of cases on VJ where the airline reported the person to DHS as having departed the US on the return date even though they never used the return flight. Obviously an error on the airline's part but it caused major problems when it came time to AOS (and DHS was convinced the person had left the US and had abandoned their AOS.) Remember, in the US, only the airline reports to DHS that someone has left. There is no equivalent of a DAS Exit Stamp to prove otherwise.

Sure, buy a R/T (if it is cheaper) but I'd recommend cancelling the return leg of the trip, credit or no credit.

[TBoneTX 46,152]

the airline reported the person to DHS as having departed the US on the return date even though they never used the return flight. Obviously an error on the airline's part but it caused major problems when it came time to AOS (and DHS was convinced the person had left the US and had abandoned their AOS.) Remember, in the US, only the airline reports to DHS that someone has left. There is no equivalent of a DAS Exit Stamp to prove otherwise.

This is absolutely true. If round-trip tickets are bought, be certain to cancel the return portions. Mark this in ink on multiple calendars, si man.