One way flight to Australia

kittenz

Hi all,
Just wondering if anyone has some information about going to australia. I am going in Novemeber for a year, and have booked a one way ticket, however have been talking to a few people who said that you need to have a return flight when entering or you will be stopped. Is this true, i thought you could book a one way flight and that would be ok? did anyone have any experience with this?

ShamBoballa

I went into AusTravel on College Green on saturday and was told that I must have a return ticket or I will be sent home. She went through all the crap I'd have to do with regards changing the flights every 6-8 months to extend my stay in Oz.
I then went to Usit and Trailfinders on Dawson St and they both informed me that its ok to go down with a 1 way ticket. All you need is the cash to buy a return flight.

To be honest I'm still not 100pc certain where I stand either!!!

Where did you get your flight from Kittenz? The best i've seen is for 675 from Usit (Departing early August).

kittenz

yeah it is a bit confusing alright, i heard the same, some say it is ok and others say no we'd be sent home..... i booked my flights with emirates.com, it cost €1398 for both me and my boyfriend, so roughly about €695 each. It flys from London Heathrow to Dubai and then to Bangkok, we stay in Thailand/Cambodia for about 3 weeks and fly to Sydney... Emirates were the cheapest we could find, i rang trailfinders and they quoted €744 for roughly the same flight with emirates (a bit of a rip off), so if your booking, book directly with the airline....

Dave!

did ya get in touch with the australian embassy? I'd say they'd be the best people to contact about it

Skittlebrau

I arrived here 6 weeks ago on a one way ticket. No problems at all. Didn't even have to show proof of the $5000 that you're meant to have.

Laguna

By and large, I think the Australian authorities do look for you to have a return ticket as they don't want people staying in the country permanently, although as Skittlebrau has stated, you can slip through the cracks - I wouldn't take that chance though, the Oz authorites come down like a ton of bricks on anyone they deem to have 'broken' whatever outdated and borderline racist immigrant laws they still have in place.

Our man in Havana

When I went out to oz last time they were very strict about the return ticket. The immigration inspector wanted to see it before he would stamp the passport and let me in. I would not chance it. Have you ever watched "Border Security" on TV3?

kittenz

Yeah i will contact the Australian embassy to find out. so many people were telling me that i only needed a one way ticket so i went ahead and got it, even trailfinders and the company i booked with said that i would be fine with one way, but with what is being said now, i am not feeling too hopeful

BC

Its not true. As long as you have the visa they don't care. I went for a year and I only had a one way ticket, as did my 3 friends.

kittenz

Thanks BC, didnt get any information from the embassy, they kept transferring me to different people till i got sick of it and hung up. That is good news to hear you didnt need it, still a little worried still incase they do ask, but sure not a lot can be done now, the flights are booked for 1st of Novemeber...

cartman

since the extended 2 year visa came you dont have to have a return ticket. Im getting a one way ticket for next january and probably staying the 2 years..
700eurs is good price for tickets have you sorted your visas?
how much did they cost??

Our man in Havana

They were very strict about it when the 1 year visas existed. It also depended purely on the mood of the inspector and where you landed. 90% of the time they would never query it but you could get the one inspector having a bad day who would enforce the regulations to the last letter.

kittenz

hey cartman, i havent got my visa yet, applying for it this week, i rang trailfinders and they have said that it costs roughly around €100 euro and they charge €30 for processing it... If you get it with the Australian Embassy it costs €180 which is roughly about €105.....

drunkdaz

6 of us arrived seperately from Ireland, the US, NZ and Thailand in september 2004, into both melbourne and sydney. All of us on one way tickets. No questions asked, and no proof of funds requested either. Ive been on three occasions and they just scan youre passport for the visa and let you in. The "official" line may be different, but in my times there i never heard of any troubles getting in what so ever.
Youll have the time of your life, im so jealous.

kittenz

Cheers for that information Drunkdaz, i am really looking forward to this trip, but the worry of being stopped for not having a return ticket was weighing me down a wee bit.... i am glad to see that yourself and a few other posters here had no problem getting in on a one way ticket, that really put my mind at ease, i can relax now and count the days. Cheers for all the info .. Roll on November