can I get away with buying a one way ticket?

[annette]

me again!

we were just wondering if you can only buy one way tickets to NZ if you have a 2 year work permit?

I secured a job offer and am just waiting for the paperwork from NZ in order to attach to my application.

We are hoping to submit documents to NZIS by end of Sept.
We are looking at leaving around end Feb and have found that the longer in advance we book the cheaper the flights are
Also Qantas has a special offer for emigrants - One way ticket and 40 kg of luggage

(cant believe that there are so many south africans leaving that they have a "special offer!)

[jiyosub]

annette,

I've had a lot of experiences with 1-way ticket headaches. The airlines can't let you on if they don't think you can make it through immigration. They get fined and you really can't reason with them.

What I do is make a "fake" ferry ticket or other type of ticket that shows I have onward passage. If that doesn't work, I buy a 1 way fully refundable return at the airport if they stop me. Then I refund it when I land at the other side. It's expensive, but you can usually have the refund posted to your credit card before payment is due.

Hope that helps.

-JZ

[Jameelka]

We came across on a one way tix last month ,having received 3 yrs work visas,and no probs!
Good luck!!

[KerryS]

If you have the phrase "Outward Passage Waived" on your visa, then you can enter on a one way ticket.
Everybody else (other than NZ and Australian citizens and those with PR) need to have a ticket to a country where they have a right to enter.
If you chose to buy a ticket to Australia (being the nearest country) you will need a visa and proof of exit from there too, as they have very similar regulations to NZ.
I personally wouldn't recommend jiyosub's idea of making a fake ferry ticket - primarily as there are no ferrys that leave NZ...
His place ticket idea is perfectly reasonable though, and I know of several people who have done this.

[jiyosub]

Good point about the ferries. I had to use it to enter Korea because immigration here doesn't give you a visa until after you arrive in country and there are a few ferries to China. I was stopped at the airline counter and they did need the ferry ticket.

I have been stopped about 3 times out of 5 for one way tickets, so do be prepared for it.

[annette]

thanks so much. I think I will rather go for return tickets as i do not want to be stopped by NZIS and pick up problems on arrival!

[felix]

All those flying will need the work visas, we tried to leave the UK with only Kate having the work visa..we thought the visitors 6 month jobby would do until the PR came thru.....however the other 4 of us were not allowd to fly to NZ on one way tix as we only had the visitors visa at that point.....the carrier insisted that we have returns or get our immigration status upgraded..which we did at heathrow airport (thru NZ house on the phone) B4 we boarded..thus negating the need for returns.