Not allowed entry to USA on one way ticket
 

I live in Europe, have an ESTA for USA and have bought a KLR650 in Montana to travel to Canada, import the bike (the plan is to ship back to my sisters in Canada after the trip), then go south to Central, South America.

They will not allow entry to the USA without an onward or return return ticket. Normally I would buy a full price fully refundable ticket to 'somewhere'. dated in the future, but is there an alternative?
Any suggestions are welcome, thanks

From memory, no there is not, I had to buy a return as well, a few years ago

hi

Another option is to fly to Canada and enter by land in USA where that restriction doesn't apply.
I enter canada in montreal last year with a single way ticket without any problem. Canadian custom are much cooler than Us Immigration !!

hope it helps
laurent

I'm wondering, is it sometimes the case that it's not whether the country will let you in without return/onward ticket, but whether the airline taking you there will let you board without such a ticket?

I've no experience really, but get the feeling sometimes that it is.

Enter by land or get a proper USA visa--not the visa waiver. A visa is expensive and time-consuming (not to mention demeaning), so make your choice advisedly. If you decide to use the visa waiver and a round trip ticket, you can ignore the return portion but make sure our highly-esteemed Department of Homeland Security knows that you have left the USA and all adjoining countries before the end of your 90 days. If they are not notified, you will not be permitted entry next time under the waiver program.

Airlines don't want to have to fly you back if you're refused entry. That's why they check before boarding.

Mark

Yep bought a return air ticket (London New York) , but with customs/immagration officials we were up front and said that was plan B and that we intended to leave the USA on the west coast but were unsure of that date so no ticket purchased as yet ... no problems .
We did leave by bus across to Canada as our bikes were shipped from Seattle and we flew out from Vancouver .. again no problems

Just a thought could you purchase a cheap greyhound/bolt bus ticket to Canada , would that not show intent to leave within the visa waiver period ??

Many thanks for the quick replies, I think I will just get the fully refundable return.
I checked with Condor and they said no problem.
Stan

Going to Canada, Mexico, or certain nearby Caribbean islands does not constitute "leaving" for the purposes of the visa waiver. It's necessary to read the fine print, since it doesn't necessarily make rational sense.