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South America Immigration

  • 15-01-2009 5:35pm
    #1
    worrier
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12 ✭


    Hi

    I've RTW flights booked in May with Rio being the first stop and flying out of Santiago two months later. I will also be booking a flight from Buenos Aires to Lima.

    Booked them with Trailfinders and they keep saying that you could be refused boarding if you don't have an onward flight. They claim it only happens to a minority but that obviously it's a big risk. They claim the problem is the airlines as opposed to immigration in Rio as the airlines are liable if you don't make it through immigration (and have to pay for your flight back).

    Anyway I think it's all scaremongering and possibly a scam to get people booking extra flights they don't need. Surely there are thousands of people every week flying in to South America with no onward flights from the same country (only an outward flight at the end) and I never hear of anyone being turned away. Anyone I've talked to who has been there hasn't had any problems. When I looked on the internet (tripadvisor forums) all the people raising the issue seemed to be Irish people who had been advised this by their travel agents (presumably Trailfinders).

    Has anyone else had any problems with this?


Comments

  • #2
    TonyD79
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,080 ✭✭✭TonyD79


    They said the same to me so I naively went and booked a return ticket to Rio when I wanted to fly into Rio & Return by Lima when Trailfinders said I would need an outward ticket. Ended up paying an extra 380 euro to get a flight to Rio from Lima at the end. I met a few English lads who had flown into Rio and were returning via Lima. Taca the airline that I flew with back to Rio insisted on seeing my outbound flight from Rio but was never quizzed on it in Brazil only internal flight into Rio..Strange.Thinking back if you have a flight departing South America which you obviously would with a RTW ticket then you would be ok cause loads of people pass through Rio that I met with no need for a flight out of Brazil.Maybe if you contact Brazil the embassy?


  • #3
    worrier
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12 ✭worrier


    Ya that's what I thought.

    Don't think the problem is Brazilian immigration though - think it's the airlines that are the problem (both from the side of them avoiding the possibility of footing the cost of deportation, and forcing someone to buy an extra flight). Which seems to be what happened with you (the airline looked for it but immigration wasn't a problem).

    Seems a bit mad alright that you had no problems entering the continent but only when flying internally although I guess they were probably just looking for a flight out of the continent. Trailfinders claim that a flight out of another country isn't sufficient. I would have presumed that the fact that I will have a flight from Buenos Aires to Lima two weeks after I arrive in Brazil would surely be enough to cover me but they claim it won't necessarily be. They also claim I could have problems flying into Lima as well.

    As with everything in Trailfinders you get different information depending on who you speak to. Some make it out that it's just a warning they have to give so that they can tick a box and that way if you are the unlucky one in a hundred (or thousand) you can't claim you weren't warned. Others make out that it is a real issue.

    Would like to hear from someone who actually did have an issue with it.


  • #4
    dory
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 4,574 Mod ✭✭✭✭dory


    The airline in Ireland asked me if I had a flight out of Brazil. It's their job to fly me home again if I don't get let into the country so they ask more tham immigration.
    It's random in Latin America. First time I went to Costa Rica they asked, 2nd time I went straight in. I know of a few people who got asked in other South American countries but I didn't.
    Also remember LAN do a full refund within 24 hours. I presume they're still doing that. Lots of people were booking with them, getting over borders and then cancelling.

    Oh, and the time I got asked in Costa Rica I showed them a ticket I had for Chile - Australia 6 months later and that was fine with them.


  • #5
    worrier
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12 ✭worrier


    dory wrote: »
    The airline in Ireland asked me if I had a flight out of Brazil. It's their job to fly me home again if I don't get let into the country so they ask more tham immigration.
    It's random in Latin America. First time I went to Costa Rica they asked, 2nd time I went straight in. I know of a few people who got asked in other South American countries but I didn't.
    Also remember LAN do a full refund within 24 hours. I presume they're still doing that. Lots of people were booking with them, getting over borders and then cancelling.

    Oh, and the time I got asked in Costa Rica I showed them a ticket I had for Chile - Australia 6 months later and that was fine with them.

    Thanks Dory. When the airline asked you about a flight from Brazil how did that get sorted? Did you actually have a flight booked or were you able to show something else to prove you were moving on? From what you're saying about Costa Rica then surely my flight from Buenos Aires to Lima (two weeks after I arrive in Rio) would cover me?


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