Post: #1

I'm taking my first trip to Colombia, but I'm not sure how long I want to stay or where I want to go from there.

For you guys that have been, have you been asked 100% of the time to show proof of a return flight when you arrived in Colombia? I'm landing in Bogota.

I bought a one way ticket, and I'm wondering if I can buy a ticket out of Colombia while at the airport if I'm asked to show proof of my exit.

Post: #2

I dont remb being ask for it. Id say no, but im not 100% sure...

Post: #3

(06-28-2011 12:54 PM)Dash Global Wrote:  I dont remb being ask for it. Id say no, but im not 100% sure...

you are supposed to have it, they did not ask me for it and the other tourists I asked said they never showed it when they entered the country.

Post: #4

A return ticket is one of these laws that are NEVER enforced for US, Canadian and EU citizens.

Colombia is more worried about you exploiting local poor women as drug mules or human trafficking than worried when you are leaving. If you overstay your 90 days you pay a hefty fine, and are asked to leave for 48hrs.

I've traveled to Colombia dozens of times with no return ticket as a US citizen. If asked, say you will buy it in the near future. I doubt you will be asked unless you are a citizen of Venezuela, Cuba or Middle East.

Mixx

Post: #5

Thanks a lot for the responses guys! Man I can't wait to get there... :-)

Post: #6

I was never asked for a return ticket entering Colombia, BUT I was asked for a return ticket before being allowed to board in the US.

I was fucking shocked, but they told me point blank that there was no way to get on the plane without a return ticket, and I honestly had no idea when I'd be coming back. I just bought a refundable ticket right there so they'd let me on the plane and then refunded it when I got to Colombia.

This was on Spirit Air.

Post: #7

(06-28-2011 02:58 PM)Sonsowey Wrote:  I was never asked for a return ticket entering Colombia, BUT I was asked for a return ticket before being allowed to board in the US.

I was fucking shocked, but they told me point blank that there was no way to get on the plane without a return ticket, and I honestly had no idea when I'd be coming back. I just bought a refundable ticket right there so they'd let me on the plane and then refunded it when I got to Colombia.

This was on Spirit Air.

Wow! I'm flying spirit too. Thanks for the heads up man.

Post: #8

TBone - whats the dealio - where are you going first ? Make sure you let us know the current status on COL.

Post: #9

(06-28-2011 12:49 PM)Tbone Wrote:  I'm taking my first trip to Colombia, but I'm not sure how long I want to stay or where I want to go from there.
For you guys that have been, have you been asked 100% of the time to show proof of a return flight when you arrived in Colombia? I'm landing in Bogota.

Which citizenship you have?
If you have any visa/entry question, always check Timatic (scroll down). It gives the same information which would be used by your airline checking agent when you're checking in.

From my experience, the proof of return flight is rarely checked, but I indeed have seen such cases. I've seen it happening in Thailand, although not to me. It is also more likely the airline would ask for it during checkin, as if you're refused entry, they will be fined.

Post: #10

(06-28-2011 05:19 PM)mr.minibar Wrote:  TBone - whats the dealio - where are you going first ? Make sure you let us know the current status on COL.

I'm flying in to Bogota and spending a day there. Then I'll be in Bucaramanga most of the time taking spanish lessons and staying with a girl that I met.

I'm also gonna make it out to Cartagena to see the beaches, maybe Santa Marta, and probably hit some other cities because I'll be there 4 to 6 weeks.

I probably won't have many (if any) juicy stories on my first Col go round with my very limited spanish and everything, but I'm gonna have fun I know that.

Have you been to Col? If so, how did it go?

Post: #11

(06-28-2011 05:38 PM)oldnemesis Wrote:  Which citizenship you have?
If you have any visa/entry question, always check Timatic (scroll down). It gives the same information which would be used by your airline checking agent when you're checking in.

From my experience, the proof of return flight is rarely checked, but I indeed have seen such cases. I've seen it happening in Thailand, although not to me. It is also more likely the airline would ask for it during checkin, as if you're refused entry, they will be fined.

I am a US citizen. Thanks for the link.

Post: #12

I will be there next year - never been before.

If you there for 6weeks, surely you could fit in MED & Cali. I'm sure you will have a better grasp after your time in Bucuramanga.

Suerte Amigo !

Post: #13

(06-28-2011 02:58 PM)Sonsowey Wrote:  I was never asked for a return ticket entering Colombia, BUT I was asked for a return ticket before being allowed to board in the US.

I was fucking shocked, but they told me point blank that there was no way to get on the plane without a return ticket, and I honestly had no idea when I'd be coming back. I just bought a refundable ticket right there so they'd let me on the plane and then refunded it when I got to Colombia.

This was on Spirit Air.

The exact same thing happened to me in Miami. I bought a one way ticket and they wouldn't let me check in my baggage unless I showed them an outbound ticket. I tried to tell them that I was going to take a bus to Ecaudor but they wanted to see some proof of travel. I ended up buying a plane ticket to Peru then cancelled it through my credit card company.

Post: #14

(06-28-2011 06:35 PM)Sardino Wrote:  The exact same thing happened to me in Miami. I bought a one way ticket and they wouldn't let me check in my baggage unless I showed them an outbound ticket. I tried to tell them that I was going to take a bus to Ecaudor but they wanted to see some proof of travel. I ended up buying a plane ticket to Peru then cancelled it through my credit card company.

Sardino, so you went to a nearby computer at the airport and bought a ticket? Or you bought a ticket from the agent?

Post: #15

Spirit Air ALWAYS makes me show a return ticket.

Post: #16

(06-28-2011 02:58 PM)Sonsowey Wrote:  I was never asked for a return ticket entering Colombia, BUT I was asked for a return ticket before being allowed to board in the US.

I was fucking shocked, but they told me point blank that there was no way to get on the plane without a return ticket, and I honestly had no idea when I'd be coming back. I just bought a refundable ticket right there so they'd let me on the plane and then refunded it when I got to Colombia.

This was on Spirit Air.

Which airline did you buy your refundable ticket through? Spirit only sells non-refundable tickets according to their website.

Post: #17

Yeah, ditto. Spirit Air wouldn't let me check in at FLL without showing a return ticket. I told them I was taking a bus to Venezuela but they didn't care so I had to buy a return ticket, then I got it refunded once I complained. Be sure to just buy a refundable Spirit return ticket or better yet just print a fake confirmation using Expedia. There's a website somewhere that explains how to do this.

I was never asked by Colombia immigration so I think it's just a thing Spirit does to cover their ass because they are financially liable if the passenger is returned from Colombia to the US.

Post: #18

On my last trip to Colombia I only had a one way ticket. I didn't get asked for a return ticket. This was with spirit airlines out of NYC.

I later found out that a return ticket was required when boarding the plane in the U.S. I guess it depends on the crew working that day.... some crews might be stricter than others, so you could be by without having one, and worst case you buy one on the spot like one of the guys mentioned.

Post: #19

On my last trip to Colombia I only had a one way ticket. I didn't get asked for a return ticket.

I later found out that a return ticket was required when boarding the plane in the U.S. I guess it depends on the crew working that day.... some crews might be stricter than others, so you could be by without having one, and worst case you buy one on the spot like one of the guys mentioned.

Post: #20

(06-28-2011 06:37 PM)Tbone Wrote:  

(06-28-2011 06:35 PM)Sardino Wrote:  The exact same thing happened to me in Miami. I bought a one way ticket and they wouldn't let me check in my baggage unless I showed them an outbound ticket. I tried to tell them that I was going to take a bus to Ecaudor but they wanted to see some proof of travel. I ended up buying a plane ticket to Peru then cancelled it through my credit card company.

Sardino, so you went to a nearby computer at the airport and bought a ticket? Or you bought a ticket from the agent?

I went downstairs and bought a ticket from the agent. The overweight bitches that checked my bags upstairs were yelling at me in Spanish like they didn't speak any English. They tried to make me feel like a piece of shit for trying to go there with a one way ticket. I will avoid using them in the future.

Post: #21

I wonder what the stats are for the amount of people who get returned to the USA from Colombia. I would be shocked if it were higher than 0.

Post: #22

Which airline did you buy your refundable ticket through? Spirit website says they have non refundable tickets only.

Post: #23

Just to make it clear, the ticket they require is the "return/onward ticket".
It doesn't have to be the return ticket, and it doesn't have to be an airplane ticket. It just should be out of Colombia, and your documents should be ready for this travel (i.e. if you're holding a ticket from Colombia to Brazil, and you're US citizen, you need to have Brazil visa). Technically you can have a bus ticket, but it needs to be something you can present.

Post: #24

(06-30-2011 03:31 PM)Ajiaco Wrote:  I wonder what the stats are for the amount of people who get returned to the USA from Colombia. I would be shocked if it were higher than 0.

Me too!!! I've never heard of this in the 15 years I've traveled to Colombia. Spirit just started flying to Colombia very recently.

Avianca does not care if you have one.

Mixx

Post: #25

(06-30-2011 03:40 PM)Tbone Wrote:  Which airline did you buy your refundable ticket through? Spirit website says they have non refundable tickets only.

Maybe it's changed but Spirit use to have two classes of tickets and if you bought the higher class (it was called something like SUPER HUGE SEATS OR SUPER BIG SEATS OR SOMETHING) then it was refundable.

Other option is to pay and then protest it with your credit card, claiming that it was forced on you.