Do I need a return flight ticket to enter Canada

[Buletruck]

Speaking from personal experience, airlines can and will deny you boarding at check in without a return ticket! We have, prior to receiving my wife's PR, been denied boarding for her on three separate occasions due to not having a return flight. It can be easily overcome by purchasing a ticket online at the airport and then cancelling it (choose the right airline) within 24 hours of making the booking at no charge. But it is inconvenient and a bit of a hassle.
And it is an inconsistent policy. Of the 8 trip we made to Canada prior to her PR, she had return tickets for two of them. The other six she didn't, as we had flights originating from Canada, and they only made issue of it the 3 times. The other three they didn't mention or ask for a return ticket.

 

[Becikl007]

I heard lots of people say they were denied boarding the plane with a one way ticket, that's why i contacted my airline and the said it's fine. So my concern is the immigration in USA.

 

[Rob_TO]

I heard lots of people say they were denied boarding the plane with a one way ticket, that's why i contacted my airline and the said it's fine. So my concern is the immigration in USA.

Doesn't really matter what a random customer service rep from the airline says on the phone. What matters is how that specific crew at the airport doing the check-in decides to screen you.

I would still be prepared to purchase a cheap refundable onward trip from Canada on the spot, just in case they give you any trouble over it.

 

[Bs65]

Doesn't really matter what a random customer service rep from the airline says on the phone. What matters is how that specific crew at the airport doing the check-in decides to screen you.

I would still be prepared to purchase a cheap refundable onward trip from Canada on the spot, just in case they give you any trouble over it.

so strange as it might seem a one way ticket UK to JFK is generally more expensive than a return

 

[alok4best]

so strange as it might seem a one way ticket UK to JFK is generally more expensive than a return

It's not really surprising. It is in fact very common for a one way ticket to be almost the same price, or sometime even more, than a return ticket.

 

[Becikl007]

My one way ticket from Budapest - New York was around 200 euros cheaper than a return. Flying with Norwegian Air.

 

[Bs65]

My one way ticket from Budapest - New York was around 200 euros cheaper than a return. Flying with Norwegian Air.

There are exceptions with the relatively smaller airlines such as this one and Airtransat but the bigger ones BA,Air Canada, AA and so on returns generally are cheaper than one way. Was just a generalisation statement nopt covering all cases

 

[Jackez]

There is no such requirement referred to on the Ihttp://www.cic.gc.ca site. I've been through the tourist visa process. The government of Canada is simply concerned with overstays and financial resources to support oneself for the duration of their stay. This is why they ask for proof, as in bank statements, itinerary and addresses where you will be staying. If you were approved on the basis of an invitation and support letter and a visa and counterfoil issued, you are good to go. With a valid visa, you also have the opportunity to apply for an extension once you arrive.

Bottom line....you are required to show

Ability to Leave Canada
The visa officer has to determine if you have the ability to leave Canada after your stay.
If you don’t have a return ticket because you are unsure when you want to return to your home country, be sure to show enough money to purchase a return ticket to your home country.

 

[Bs65]

There is no such requirement referred to on the Ihttp://www.cic.gc.ca site. I've been through the tourist visa process. The government of Canada is simply concerned with overstays and financial resources to support oneself for the duration of their stay. This is why they ask for proof, as in bank statements, itinerary and addresses where you will be staying. If you were approved on the basis of an invitation and support letter and a visa and counterfoil issued, you are good to go. With a valid visa, you also have the opportunity to apply for an extension once you arrive.

Bottom line....you are required to show

Ability to Leave Canada
The visa officer has to determine if you have the ability to leave Canada after your stay.
If you don’t have a return ticket because you are unsure when you want to return to your home country, be sure to show enough money to purchase a return ticket to your home country.

not sure why you have picked a nearly one year old post but never mind.

Whilst what you highlight may well be true many airlines will simply not support someone checking in with a one way ticket unless they can show they have authority to stay in the country for an extended period such as a study permit, super visa , WHV or they are PRs or citizens. Ultimately of course checkin agents are often not consistent as per a previous post here but not something maybe to test at checkin.

Airlines can be sensitive to this and in extreme circumstances fined if there are any issues in this respect when the traveller lands so whilst guidance might indicate proof of ability to buy a return gen erally having a return makes the process much easier and less likely if a visitor that CBSA will issue a restricted time period. The latter is more likely if a visitor answers they are not sure when they will depart as CBSA may decide that date for them, a 6 month stay is only a guide not a guarantee.

Majority of times anyway CBSA dont have time to ask a visitor to show a return ticket or proof of funds. They use their training to assess if someone is being truthful with their answers that their reasons to visit are true and will indeed only stay for the time they say. Any doubts and they would push for more detail in a secondary inspection where a return or POF would come up.

Ultimately opinions expressed on this form are just that opinions so if someone wants to travel as a visitor on a one way ticket that I guess is up to them, all people can do is share their own experiences of trying the same thing, sometimes it works sometimes they do not get beyond checkin in their home country which might be the first challenge despite whatever may or may not happen with CSBA. So just because passenger A succeeded does not mean that B will also.

 

[pankaj.kumar]

my friends ...my father got a visitor visa up to 2025. i booked ticket from 4 april 2018 to 31st october 2018. is that a problem anywhere ....with airlines or at destination as the stay is more than 180 days...

please help me with your suggestions....

 

[Buletruck]

Does he have a supervisa? If he is travelling on a TRV, CBSA might have issues with him having a return flight more than 6 months after his landing, as the limit on entry is 6 months.