Is it necessary to have a return ticket?

lbfrancois · Post by **lbfrancois** » Mon Dec 26, 2005 6:41 pm

Hi,

Do people going to UK under HSMP visa need a return ticket??
I mean, can it be a one way ticket? Is it necessary to have a return ticket to show the immigration officer at the airport?

Thanks,
Lu.

tereshchenko · Post by **tereshchenko** » Mon Dec 26, 2005 7:51 pm

It would be very illogical - I mean you are meant to stay there for at least a year!

Matt Mateub · Post by **Matt Mateub** » Mon Dec 26, 2005 8:04 pm

Hmmm a brit friend of mine went to the US last year and the customs didn't even ask for his return ticket.

pakistan · Post by **pakistan** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 10:04 am

Not Necessary

kumi · Post by **kumi** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 11:21 am

I came in on a single way ticket.., they dint even see my tickets after seeing my HSMP visa. Might be a problem with immigration officers in your home country.,

lbfrancois · Post by **lbfrancois** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 11:46 am

Actually, I heard it is a problem for turists and students, so I was just wondering if HSMP holders would have the same problem.

Thanks everybody!
Best wishes,

Lu.

MWazir · Post by **MWazir** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 2:25 pm

It should not be a problem immigration wise. From the point of view of the cost, it could matter though because single fares are always expensive.

lbfrancois · Post by **lbfrancois** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 3:55 pm

You are right about that, the price of a one way ticket is way too expensive. It's better to buy a two way even if we are not going to use it. And the closer the dates, the cheaper it gets.

buntosanya · Post by **buntosanya** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 1:08 pm

ibfrancois

I did exactly that, i bought a return ticket because it was cheaper than what one way was going for.

inso · Post by **inso** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 9:26 am

Just wondering if someone recently entered on their HSMP with no outbound flight...? I agree that it doesn't quite make sense to have your return leg booked, since they can't even see a full year's availability at the agent, and open-jaw tickets (apparently) aren't being issued any more...

We can actually get one-way tickets now that are just slightly more than half the price of a return flight...

Dawie · Post by **Dawie** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 11:55 am

Return tickets are used by immigration officials as an indicator that a person being admitted into the UK intends to return to their country of origin.

Return tickets would not be expected from people entering the UK in a long-term capacity such students, work permit holders, HSMP visa holders, working holiday makers, etc because obviously you could potentially be in the UK for years in those capacities and it would be impracticle to expect these people to have return tickets.

This would especially be true of work permit and HSMP visa holders because these are both visa categories leading to settlement (eventually). So don't worry.

inso · Post by **inso** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 12:06 pm

Dawie wrote:This would especially be true of work permit and HSMP visa holders because these are both visa categories leading to settlement (eventually). So don't worry.

Yeah, that's exactly what we were thinking... I was just wondering whether anyone actually had some experience recently -- hearing some of the horror stories about immigration officials at Heathrow presumably having a bad day and threatening deportation for any small perceived transgression isn't all that reassuring...

Dawie · Post by **Dawie** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 12:14 pm

Firstly, in the last 3 months I must have flown in and out of Heathrow at least 6 times and have never had any problem going through immigration. Forget about the horror stories, either they are not true or the people involved have genuine problems with their visas.

Secondly, there is absolutely no requirement, I promise you, for the holder of an HSMP visa to hold a return ticket upon entering the UK. Simply none at all. As an HSMP visa holder you are a legal resident of the UK and are entitled to enter the UK without having to prove that you will return to your country of origin.

inso · Post by **inso** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 12:20 pm

Great, that is reassuring. I guess people would tend to blow negative experiences like that completely out of proportion -- you never hear when people are happy!

Dawie · Post by **Dawie** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 12:25 pm

By the way, I'm a South African citizen too.

inso · Post by **inso** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 12:54 pm

Dawie wrote:By the way, I'm a South African citizen too.

I know, and not for too long more from what I've read

Congrats, I guess... Hopefully my wife and myself will end up there as well some day...

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Is it necessary to have a return ticket?

Is it necessary to have a return ticket?

worked with me..

any recent update?