K1 visa granted, is return ticket necessary?

[pichusboy 0]

Hello Everyone,

Last Tuesday, after 6 months, I was granted a K1 Visa. We are immensely happy. 8 months ago I was banned from the visa waiver program so this is truly a 'double joy'..

Anyway, I need to buy a plane ticket now to actually get myself over to the US and I was wondering whether I need to buy a return ticket at the end of the 90 days I have to get married.

I obviously do not plan to need that return ticket in any way, BUT, I don't know what the custom's officials want...

Thank you for your help,

pichusboy

[JJ and Patty 9]

if you truly intend to marry inside of the 90 days dont you think a return ticket would look kinda suspicious?

[dukeandduchess 141]

You do not need a return ticket.

[Moomin 292]

If it's less expensive for a return, go ahead and buy it, maybe set the return a few months out in the future, whatever is cheapest. Remember to cancel it when the return isn't being used. This is where you might end up in trouble if you're name isn't changed in the system and it'll look like you have abandoned the AOS process. You don't need a return ticket and it won't look suspicious when you're entering on a K1 without a return ticket.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Hello Everyone,

Last Tuesday, after 6 months, I was granted a K1 Visa. We are immensely happy. 8 months ago I was banned from the visa waiver program so this is truly a 'double joy'..

Anyway, I need to buy a plane ticket now to actually get myself over to the US and I was wondering whether I need to buy a return ticket at the end of the 90 days I have to get married.

I obviously do not plan to need that return ticket in any way, BUT, I don't know what the custom's officials want...

Thank you for your help,

pichusboy

Not required. Buy what is cheapest.

[MB33 0]

Return tickets looking cheapest by quite alot from the UK for me, so thats what i will be doing, just cancel the return part when youre there

Edit: cheaper by around $400 (dont know how they work it, but deffo, why am i paying more dor a single ticket?)

Edited January 19, 2012 by MB33

[pichusboy 0]

I looked into it, and apparently buying a return ticket without having the intention of using it is either illegal, or against airline policies. It is called ticket throwing or something like that. Apparently airlines hate it when people do it, I don't understand why though.

That is it.

[Stu4Lee 66]

You could be charged a cancellation fee if you cancel, just don't turn up for return leg.

The only consequence for you not showing up for your flight is that you'll make someone on stand-by a very happy traveller.

[Moomin 292]

You could be charged a cancellation fee if you cancel, just don't turn up for return leg.

The only consequence for you not showing up for your flight is that you'll make someone on stand-by a very happy traveller.

In some cases, the they don't change/update the name even if it's not being used by the original person. If it looks as if the beneficiary left the country in the middle of AOS, they could have their i-485 denied based on being abandoned.

[Ruffie 22]

Return tickets are cheaper because that way the airline knows your seat will be occupied on the return flight at date X whereas a one way ticket always leaves the (admittedly very slim) risk of "that" seat being empty on the flight in the other direction. Since only an occupied flight actually makes money for the airline, they charge more for a one way ticket because there's a higher risk of an empty seat, as I said.

Book at return flight and just don't show up for the flight back. Nobody at immigration cares.

[kittylondon 47]

You could be charged a cancellation fee if you cancel, just don't turn up for return leg.

The only consequence for you not showing up for your flight is that you'll make someone on stand-by a very happy traveller.

seconded. i used to work for BA, and the passenger lists generated for each flight includes only passengers who checked in and physically boarded that flight. it's an incredibly important and accurate document that is passed on to authorities. there will be a record of your booking on a global system somewhere, but it will be clear that you did not check in for the return leg.

airlines don't care if you don't turn up - it allows them to consistently oversell flights by 20%, on the basis that around that percentage don't turn up on the day, for whatever reason. and people who work for airlines are grateful because they get to take your seat when they're on staff standby. i wouldn't ever have gotten to visit my fiance in new york if everyone turned up for their flights all the time! i travelled on standby to see him every few weeks on a cheap staff ticket, and if they'd known that seat was going to be empty they would have had time to re-sell it

[Stu4Lee 66]

In some cases, the they don't change/update the name even if it's not being used by the original person. If it looks as if the beneficiary left the country in the middle of AOS, they could have their i-485 denied based on being abandoned.

The following quote from kittylondon explains very well...I would like to think even USCIS could get that check right though, it's not rocket science.

seconded. i used to work for BA, and the passenger lists generated for each flight includes only passengers who checked in and physically boarded that flight. it's an incredibly important and accurate document that is passed on to authorities. there will be a record of your booking on a global system somewhere, but it will be clear that you did not check in for the return leg.

[Moomin 292]

The following quote from kittylondon explains very well...I would like to think even USCIS could get that check right though, it's not rocket science.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/255674-denial-of-aos-due-to-inaccurate-info/

[kittylondon 47]

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/255674-denial-of-aos-due-to-inaccurate-info/

woah. that seems like a particularly unfortunate situation, i wonder how it was resolved? you cannot claim you were on a plane that you weren't on, every airline record would indicate otherwise. in the same way, you cannot claim someone was on a plane they never boarded. i assume other people have booked cheap return tickets after receiving their k1, and had no problems?

[Stu4Lee 66]

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/255674-denial-of-aos-due-to-inaccurate-info/

Hmmmm...and...8 months on and there are no updates on that one particular unresolved thread, it's not even clear who fked up, the OP will not say who it is in their timeline. "Our case is a sensitive one due to a massive error made on someone's part(wont say who). Trying like hell to correct error through...everything possible."

OK what about this scenario, the return flight that you "don't get on" crashes and all souls are lost.

According to their records you were on that flight...then what???

Sorry but our records show you left the country and are now dead ?

Oh please....