one way international ticket

[StephanieM 60]

I am anticipating a May interview, although I do not have it yet I am pretty sure it will be then. I am just preparing the logistics.

I am a US born citizen and I know I need a return flight to the USA if I fly anywhere international, which in this case will be Dominican Republic. I will probably be flying with JetBlue and they are pretty strict about having a return flight to the USA. The point is, assuming we are approved, I want to stay a couple of weeks or less in DR depending on how long it takes for his visa to be issued. This can take anywhere from 1 week to months. I am willing and able to stay up to 3 weeks in order to try and do POE with him, but if his visa is issued in 3 days I will be ready to leave ASAP, with him. The point is, I would like to buy a one way ticket, and then purchase the return ticket while in DR after his visa is in hand so we can fly together. I don't want to buy a roundtrip ticket for 2 weeks and be able to leave before that, and then have to pay a ridiculous fee to change my flight.

A friend has told me she has done this many times by purchasing a return ticket from another airline and putting a 24 hour hold on it. She then prints it, uses wite out to cover the 24hr hold part and presents this to the person checking her in. She has done this various times without any problems and it works since one airline cannot get into reservations of another airline. I have asked my cousin who works for JetBlue and he told me this could very well work, but he does not recommend it because if I get caught I could get in huge trouble.

Are there any other options for me? I just wanna be able to control what day I am leaving since I don't know how long it's gonna take for my husband to get the visa in hand.

[StephanieM 60]

My cousin just confirmed I could be deported from DR and not able to enter for 5 years if I get caught. Told me he sees it all the time. Darn!

[Matt1968 13]

I am anticipating a May interview, although I do not have it yet I am pretty sure it will be then. I am just preparing the logistics.

I am a US born citizen and I know I need a return flight to the USA if I fly anywhere international, which in this case will be Dominican Republic. I will probably be flying with JetBlue and they are pretty strict about having a return flight to the USA. The point is, assuming we are approved, I want to stay a couple of weeks or less in DR depending on how long it takes for his visa to be issued. This can take anywhere from 1 week to months. I am willing and able to stay up to 3 weeks in order to try and do POE with him, but if his visa is issued in 3 days I will be ready to leave ASAP, with him. The point is, I would like to buy a one way ticket, and then purchase the return ticket while in DR after his visa is in hand so we can fly together. I don't want to buy a roundtrip ticket for 2 weeks and be able to leave before that, and then have to pay a ridiculous fee to change my flight.

A friend has told me she has done this many times by purchasing a return ticket from another airline and putting a 24 hour hold on it. She then prints it, uses wite out to cover the 24hr hold part and presents this to the person checking her in. She has done this various times without any problems and it works since one airline cannot get into reservations of another airline. I have asked my cousin who works for JetBlue and he told me this could very well work, but he does not recommend it because if I get caught I could get in huge trouble.

Are there any other options for me? I just wanna be able to control what day I am leaving since I don't know how long it's gonna take for my husband to get the visa in hand.

Hey Steph,

I'm also thinking about this scenario. My plan was to fly down there two days before and then wait 3 or 4 days after to fly back. However, you never know what might happened and the visa might be delayed. So what i'm doing is im going to fly down there for the interview and then fly back 2 days later. Someone had said that if you wait to purchase tickets until you are down, you might not be able to get seats together, it depends. I think the biggest issue is not knowing exactly when the visa will be in his hand and that's the biggest issue with me buy tickets for them to come back with me. So i'm going to wait about a month and fly back there to bring them back. Besides, she is really in no rush to leave and I understand why.

Matt

[Matt1968 13]

Hey,

I missed the white out part in your post. Yeah, don't try it, if you're caught it could be very ugly.

Matt

Edited March 8, 2012 by Matt1968

[StephanieM 60]

Hey Steph,

I'm also thinking about this scenario. My plan was to fly down there two days before and then wait 3 or 4 days after to fly back. However, you never know what might happened and the visa might be delayed. So what i'm doing is im going to fly down there for the interview and then fly back 2 days later. Someone had said that if you wait to purchase tickets until you are down, you might not be able to get seats together, it depends. I think the biggest issue is not knowing exactly when the visa will be in his hand and that's the biggest issue with me buy tickets for them to come back with me. So i'm going to wait about a month and fly back there to bring them back. Besides, she is really in no rush to leave and I understand why.

Matt

I can't afford to fly there just for the interview and then go back in a month just to get him. I don't even want to hear my mother's mouth if I tell her my grown as$ man husband can't get on ONE plane by himself so I have to go pick him up. With you it's different, because your wife will come with her daughter etc, but my husband is a grown man. LOL. I want to do interview and POE all in one trip. Well I hope.

[crazydomlvr 2]

Hey i am a u.s. citizen. I have traveled purchasing one way. The only airline that gave me problems was spirit. I traveled on jet blue about a month ago and when ipurchased my ticket it told me i needed a roundtrip. I only bought a one way to santiag and they did not hassle me.

[crazydomlvr 2]

You could call up the airline and tell them your situation. All that they ask for is proof that you will be returning to the u.s. explain that you dont have a set date because you do not know if it will take a week or 3 weeks for your fiance to receive his visa

[StephanieM 60]

You could call up the airline and tell them your situation. All that they ask for is proof that you will be returning to the u.s. explain that you dont have a set date because you do not know if it will take a week or 3 weeks for your fiance to receive his visa

Yeah I was thinking of doing that and calling, and see what they say. When I traveled back in December the guy did not notice my return flight on the computer and would not check me in till I provided him with the reservation of my return flight. Good thing I had it!

[aaron2020 11,651]

White out = fraud. Since all airlines are overseen by the federal government, it could be a federal crime to alter a plane ticket.

White out = fraud. Since all airlines are overseen by the federal government, it could be a federal crime to alter a plane ticket.

[Matt1968 13]

I can't afford to fly there just for the interview and then go back in a month just to get him. I don't even want to hear my mother's mouth if I tell her my grown as$ man husband can't get on ONE plane by himself so I have to go pick him up. With you it's different, because your wife will come with her daughter etc, but my husband is a grown man. LOL. I want to do interview and POE all in one trip. Well I hope.

Normally i couldn't afford it either, but I'm expecting my taxes back before I go back to get them. Without that I would not be able to do it either. I hear you, your man is grown yes, but as you and I know, coming through immigration alone can be very daunting. Hell, I speak perfect english and I was confused as hell my first time going through customs and immigration so I can imagine how a dominicano/a would feel. Besides, there is no way on God's green earth she would come alone, that was never an option. But depending on when we get our interview, I might be able to bring them back with me after the interview, that would be ideal.

Matt

Edited March 8, 2012 by Matt1968

[StephanieM 60]

Normally i couldn't afford it either, but I'm expecting my taxes back before I go back to get them. Without that I would not be able to do it either. I hear you, your man is grown yes, but as you and I know, coming through immigration alone can be very daunting. Hell, I speak perfect english and I was confused as hell my first time going through customs and immigration so I can imagine how a dominicano/a would feel. Besides, there is no way on God's green earth she would come alone, that was never an option. But depending on when we get our interview, I might be able to bring them back with me after the interview, that would be ideal.

Matt

Yeah I get it can def be nervewrecking but think about the amount of people that do it everyday and they survive just fine. I would love to do the POE with him and I will try my best to do so, but if I can't, he knows he will be coming alone.

[neoflasher 3]

Yeah I get it can def be nervewrecking but think about the amount of people that do it everyday and they survive just fine. I would love to do the POE with him and I will try my best to do so, but if I can't, he knows he will be coming alone.

There must be refundable flights that can be booked and just refund it right away.. As far as white out u don't use that. I have done it before you just photo copy it with a piece of paper covering the hold thats all. There must be someone you know either in DR or here that works at a travel agency who can get you a boarding pass or something like you have a return ticket. I used to have to deal with this until I became a Dominican Citizen.. Being US born and having Dominican Parents I was eligible for dual citizenship and don't have to worry about that or pay that dumb $10 fee to enter DR. I also don't get taxed for staying there more than 90 days.. Something to think about.. Best of luck.. If you need anything just message me ..

[StephanieM 60]

There must be refundable flights that can be booked and just refund it right away.. As far as white out u don't use that. I have done it before you just photo copy it with a piece of paper covering the hold thats all. There must be someone you know either in DR or here that works at a travel agency who can get you a boarding pass or something like you have a return ticket. I used to have to deal with this until I became a Dominican Citizen.. Being US born and having Dominican Parents I was eligible for dual citizenship and don't have to worry about that or pay that dumb $10 fee to enter DR. I also don't get taxed for staying there more than 90 days.. Something to think about.. Best of luck.. If you need anything just message me ..

I thought about doing this also as my parents are Dominican born but it seemed so expensive at the time and now I think it's pretty pointless since my husband will be coming to the US, and I will go to DR less. And I def don't see myself staying there for more than 90 days. I will look into all these options and also attempt calling Jetblue and AA to see if maybe I can just show the person checking me in a copy of my interview letter as proof that I am indeed returning home.

[chastitynjoel 19]

When my father was passing away and I did not know how long I would stay in DR, I had no problem purchasing a one way ticket. When I was ready to come back, I just purchased another one way ticket. I did fly American though and I had absolutely no issues doing this. I flew from Miami to Sanitago. You might want to look into AA.

Good Luck!

[MCMLXXXII 29]

You can purchase round trip tickets that are refundable. They are a little bit more expensive but they exist for a reason. That is what you would use in your situation since your return leg is unconfirmed at the moment. Or if you go the non-refundable route then it will cost $100 to change the flight.