Plane Tickets

[walterowe]

I was reading through some of the old postings and someone said that a ticket to one of the other islands (eg SABA) is sufficient for the government and MEIO. Is this true or do you have to have a return ticket back to the US?

The reason I ask is because we are not planning on returning to the US during our stay in the Caribbean. However we are planning on visiting other islands while there so we could go ahead and get our tickets if it's acceptable.

[dar2drm]

it is my understanding that your return ticket does not have to be to the US, but does need to be to a NON netherland antilles island. I believe Saba is netherland antilles...so pick again. You could always pick a US Vigin island or a British Vigin island...Have fun island hopping. :D

[stateofequilibrium]

You need to provide a return trip ticket, and the return date and destination doesn't matter for the Visa? Like the return date could be the next day? How about when you leave the country to go back home for a while.. do you have to redo the visa or what's the procedure?

[slfarnsw]

The return date and destination don't matter, but you must always have a return ticket with you. So, it's better to buy a plane ticket for as far out as possible (or for a time when you know you'll be leaving) so that you don't have to buy tickets as often. You don't have to re-apply for a Visa every time you come back from a break...you just have to get a new return ticket.

[beach bum]

If you really want to fork out a few bucks, then buy a ticket for the 5 minute flight to Anguilla and throw it away when you get here (or take the flight...). Either way it'd be cheeper than the charges to change another ticket date...

I'd suggest you don't buy a ticket.

We've been here tfor 8 monthes. I've been home and back once and I wife is currently making her fifth trip. We payed out for a return ticket the first time and felt like idiots. We have never done it since and have never been asked for it.

Even if you happen to find the one guy who isn't lazy and he for some reason decides to be super strict for the first time ever- What are they gonna do? Fly you back to the US? More than likely, they'd just make you buy a return ticket, then you'd go over to the local airline and buy a $70 ticket to Saba.

Tell them you're taking a cruise back... Tell them you're taking the ferry over to St. Barths...

Has anyone ever been hastled about this???

[adriayn]

I recently travelled to the US and (of course) bought a roundtrip ticket from and back to St. Maarten. When I checked in at the airport in Denver, the agent wouldn't check me in until I bought a ticket leaving FROM St. Maarten. He said the airline would have to pay a fine if I didn't have a ticket off of this rock. So, I bought the "fully refundable" tickets from St. Maarten to San Juan...don't even get me started on how the refund process is going... :evil: Ahhhhhh, welcome to St. Maarten!!
By the way, if you have residency papers, then you're all good and won't get hassled. Guess I should have gotten those papers...

[MushieCookie]

are those the papers that are written in dutch (i believe) and nobody can read? Who knows what that paper says...I've got one, but I couldn't tell you if it's good or bad.
I could have signed my life away and wouldn't know it.

[adriayn]

Yep, that's the paper that nobody can read...we probably just signed over all our earthly possessions to the SXM government. :shock: No worries, we don't have anything anyway.

[Faith]

I'd suggest you don't buy a ticket.

We've been here tfor 8 monthes. I've been home and back once and I wife is currently making her fifth trip. We payed out for a return ticket the first time and felt like idiots. We have never done it since and have never been asked for it.

Even if you happen to find the one guy who isn't lazy and he for some reason decides to be super strict for the first time ever- What are they gonna do? Fly you back to the US? More than likely, they'd just make you buy a return ticket, then you'd go over to the local airline and buy a $70 ticket to Saba. Has anyone ever been hastled about this???

I bought a return ticket far out, and during one of my trips home left the ticket at my SXM apartment.

They held my passport until I produced the ticket. I guess they would do the same until you bought another ticket.

Faith

[tRmedic21]

I think I've been asked 2 or 3 times for my ticket, and my wife got asked a coupla weeks ago, too.

I wouldn't risk not having a ticket. That's just me, tho...