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Central America and Mexico Topics specific to Central America and Mexico only.
Photo by Sean Howman, The Pamir highway in an unseasonably cold late October, Tajikistan

I haven't been everywhere...
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Photo by Sean Howman,
The Pamir highway in an unseasonably
cold late October, Tajikistan



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  • 2 Post By markharf
  • 1 Post By poorbuthappy
  • 3 Post By Grant Johnson
  • 1 Post By mark manley
  • 1 Post By markharf
  • 1 Post By Alanymarce
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  #1  
Old 11 Nov 2022
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Entering USA without an air ticket out
We are in the early stages of planning a trip around Central and South America, and plan to ship our bike from New Zealand to Los Angeles.

My question - is there any problems at immigration if you do not have any evidence of you planning on leaving the US. We don't know how long we will be travelling for, hoping for a year, so won't book any onwards travel.

Is it a problem and if so how do we get around it?
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  #2  
Old 11 Nov 2022
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Start by reading official US State Department rules on tourist visas. For example, you can't actually stay for a year--and this includes Canada and Mexico, which is hard to fathom but nonetheless true.

Google is your friend.
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Old 18 Nov 2022
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friend from France living in Canada shipped his bike to Florida tiket, then ,tried to fly with a one way ticket, no way. The way to go arond is to buy a ticket to the closest Canadian city.
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  #4  
Old 18 Nov 2022
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Originally Posted by poorbuthappy View Post
friend from France living in Canada shipped his bike to Florida tiket, then ,tried to fly with a one way ticket, no way. The way to go arond is to buy a ticket to the closest Canadian city.

Just make sure it's a refundable ticket

You may find it easier to fly into Vancouver, certainly shipping the bike to Canada is generally easier.

Check the various Trip Paperwork forum threads, load of info.
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  #5  
Old 15 Dec 2022
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if we flew into USA (to collect our motorbike) and our next air ticket was exiting (say) Santiago 10 months later do you know if that would be sufficient?
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Old 15 Dec 2022
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Originally Posted by Young1 View Post
if we flew into USA (to collect our motorbike) and our next air ticket was exiting (say) Santiago 10 months later do you know if that would be sufficient?
I have been asked for a return ticket before even being allowed to board a flight to the US in the past and have been asked about one by immigration on nearly every visit, I would follow Grant's advice and get a refundable return.
They do not like long term plans like the ones overland travellers make and assume the worst, do not risk a bad start to your trip to save a few Dollars.
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Old 15 Dec 2022
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I can't speak directly to the original question. I can report, however, that the attitude of US immigration officials is "Everyone wants to come here and stay forever, therefore we only admit those who can prove otherwise."

The fact that this is not true doesn't seem to have much effect. That means it's in your best interest to provide them with whatever "proof" you can assemble, in whatever form. A ticket 10 months later from another continent may not suffice, no matter how reasonable it seems to you or I.
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Old 15 Dec 2022
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... I can report, however, that the attitude of US immigration officials is "Everyone wants to come here and stay forever, therefore we only admit those who can prove otherwise."
My comment doesn't answer the direct question however it may have some value (or at least interest).

I have been refused entry to the USA on three occasions (the reasons not being particularly relevant to the topic). On all three occasions I simply said something like "Oh OK, how do I get to the airline desk to take a flight back to where I came from?". This generated considerable surprise - it was clear that the expectation was that I would plead to be allowed into the country. The agents all then asked me more about my intentions, which I explained, and on all three occasions, after further conversation, and a little time waiting , I was told, in essence, "OK, so I'm going to let you in this time but next time you need to do X, Y, and Z".

Otherwise good advice in other posts.
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Old 16 Dec 2022
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Originally Posted by Young1 View Post
if we flew into USA (to collect our motorbike) and our next air ticket was exiting (say) Santiago 10 months later do you know if that would be sufficient?
Just buy a random 100% refundable ticket and cancel it after getting into states. That's what girl I flew with did in Oslo when US border control was giving her hard time. (Yes they have US border agents at Oslo airport)

She had a ticket back from Mexico city but it was no-go. It could be fine with some agents and not with other, why to take chances?
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