Get Dummy Ticket
Plain-English answers from someone who's worked both sides of the border counter. Written by Marek Dvorak, former airport passenger-services duty manager. 10 years fixing same-day travel problems.
Standing at the Guatemala counter with no onward flight? Book a live PNR now. Here is what to do at every stage, from the gate to the CA-4 land border.
Onward ticket getting checked at your El Salvador check-in counter right now? Here is what to book, show, and fix, sorted by how much time you have.
Chile checks onward proof differently at the airport, at land borders, and for long-stay visitors. Here is what to book and when to show it.
Argentina checks proof of onward travel at check-in, on arrival at Ezeiza or Aeroparque, and at land borders, each with its own rules and fixes.
Brazil doesn't list an onward ticket as a formal entry rule, but check-in agents and Polícia Federal officers can still ask for one. Here's what actually gets checked, and when.
No return flight booked and the Mexico check-in agent is asking? Here is the fastest fix, sorted by how much time you actually have.
Peru's airline desks, land border posts, and visa applications each check proof of onward travel differently, and a dummy ticket needs to satisfy the right one.
Colombian airline check-in checks your onward ticket through IATA's Timatic system before immigration ever sees your passport, and each border crossing handles the question differently.
Panama checks proof of onward travel at the airline counter, at Tocumen immigration, and at land borders like Paso Canoas, each with a different bar.
What counts as proof of onward travel depends on whether an airline, a border officer, or a consulate is asking, and a dummy or onward ticket doesn't satisfy all three the same way.
Whether India checks your onward ticket depends on your visa category, not a blanket rule. Here is what tourist, business, and OCI travelers actually need to show.
Nepal's onward-ticket checks vary by checkpoint, from airline check-in to Tribhuvan Airport immigration to land border crossings. Here's what to have ready at each one.
Sri Lanka's ETA can request proof of onward travel after you apply, and airlines check it again at the counter before boarding.