Flying on K-1 Visa to USA, One Way or Roundtrip?

[NaNaNaNaBooBoo 0]

I thought I read somewhere the K-1 Visa holder must fly on a one way ticket. Is this true? It is more expensive than a roundtrip. Please let me know if it must be 1 way.

Best,

Monica

[Tim and Bethanie 1]

It doesn't have to be a one way ticket. Many of us have purchased roundtrip tickets because they are cheaper.

[mrc 0]

No, by all means, purchase the cheapest ticket available. There are no restrictions.

I'm going through the same thing right now...a roundtrip is cheaper. Looks like I'm buying a roundtrip. I read somewhere that certain airlines will allow you to sell back the return trip. I'll have to look into it.

[Chris-n-Veronica 0]

I checked on it to From Moldova... Round trip $1200 one Way $1000...

No, by all means, purchase the cheapest ticket available. There are no restrictions.

I'm going through the same thing right now...a roundtrip is cheaper. Looks like I'm buying a roundtrip. I read somewhere that certain airlines will allow you to sell back the return trip. I'll have to look into it.

[payxibka 10,045]

I checked on it to From Moldova... Round trip $1200 one Way $1000...

No, by all means, purchase the cheapest ticket available. There are no restrictions.

I'm going through the same thing right now...a roundtrip is cheaper. Looks like I'm buying a roundtrip. I read somewhere that certain airlines will allow you to sell back the return trip. I'll have to look into it.

Chris-n-Veronica,

Did you have your fiancee check with a local agent in Moldova? You might be pleasantly surprised that the same flight ticketed outside the US will be potentially cheaper for the same dates. For some reason we typically pay a premium price.

[William33 110]

I would purchase a one-way ticket, unless you are reasonably sure you can use the return leg.

An item of note, a one-way ticket typically costs 80% of a round trip.

If you buy the round trip and decide to get a refund for the return leg (if allowed), you will only get about 20% of the ticket value, minus any penalties.

Airlines intentionally sway the rules in their favor. Profits before service.

[1HappyGuy 45]

You should purchase a round trip ticket with a 90 day return date. Although we all are convinced that our fiancee will be coming to stay and marry us, things happen. A round trip ticket is not usually much more expensive than a one way, but two one ways are much more expensive.

Also, do have your fiancee check on purchasing a ticket from her home country to America (round trip). You will probably find there is a savings that way. You can purchase her ticket with a credit card or arrange with the travel agency to wire money. If you use a credit card, be sure to alert your credit card company of a charge to be made from a foreign country. I forgot to do that and it took me a couple of days to get it right. Duh!

Be prudent and buy the round trip ticket. If she stays you only waste a little money, but if she doesn't you'll be big dollars ahead.

[Lou Lou 1]

(FWIW I bought a one way ticket as it was cheaper. Go for the best option that suits you. )

[Yodrak 7]

Monica,

Interesting question - most people ask if it has to be a round-trip ticket.

My wife came on a one-way - the airline was running a special and it was less expensive than a round-trip.

Yodrak

I thought I read somewhere the K-1 Visa holder must fly on a one way ticket. Is this true? It is more expensive than a roundtrip. ....

Best,

Monica

Edited November 10, 2006 by Yodrak

[Marilyn. 340]

you can buy a one way or a round trip..... it really doesn't matter

[Saddle Bronc 124]

This question pops up a lot.

Answer: take whichsoever one is cheapest!

Many people have used this approach to move domestically (one leg of a cheap, nonrefundable return as one-way) and even internationally (I used a 30-day Calgary-Atlanta return when I got my first TN-1).

[Ladylethal 12]

In my case I got it one-way 'cus it came out cheaper, but two way is just as dandy.

[mgat5 0]

I bought a roundtrip ticket because it was cheaper, what my travel agent did was reduce returning flight by one stop...

My flight was Lima - Dallas - Portland, the return flight was only Miami - Lima because it is always cheaper to flight from Miami to Lima... maybe you can find a city that usually has good prices to/from your country and get it that way...

[missy_antha 0]

Also with a return, if you have to change somewhere in the USA to another flight. Eg; you were flying from the UK to LA and had to change at JFK or Washington for the internal portion of the flight to LA.

3 -6 months later you could take a trip to New York or Washington only using the internal flight part of the ticket, have a nice weekend away, and purchase a single ticket to return.

Thus you get a lovely weekend away for the cost of 1 single flight.

I'm going to book a return when I fly in January as it's so much cheaper but I'm booking the return for 6 months after arrival as it doesn't seem to make any difference to the cost if the return is 2 weeks or 6 months away. I would like to go back to the UK then for a holiday. I will then book another return to come back with. Booking the return portion back to the UK around 6 months later.

This could be very handy for visiting my folks and if I don't use the return portion for whatever reason it will still be cheaper than a single would have been.