One way ticket to Portugal - is a visa or return ticket necessary
 

Hi all,

Canadian here with a valid Canadian passport. I am travelling to Porto, Portugal with a one way ticket in late March. My plan was to spend 2 weeks in Portugal and then meet a friend in Spain for 2-3 weeks of exploring there. My plan was to fly one way and book my return when in Europe and more certain of when I want to come home. My understanding is that for tourist visits up to 90 days visas are not necessary. However when booking my ticket to Porto this warning popped up "You may need a visa in order to self-transfer between flights. Check visa requirements carefully before traveling." The information I have been able to find says that customs may ask to see proof of a return flight but I can't seem to find a definitive answer. Theoretically I could book a return flight now but I would much prefer not to. Has anyone had any experience with this?

Thanks in advance. Feel free to ask clarifying questions, this is my first time posting here.

Welcome to Fodors. Your post was caught up in moderation overnight. It has now been released, sorry for the delay.

In my many trips to Europe I have never once been asked to show any proof of a return ticket. I am usually asked a few simple questions like what is the purpose of my trip (vacation), and how long am I staying. Any hesitation or vague answer on your part to those questions may quickly invite further questioning. They have the right to deny you entry on the spot if they don't like your answers....

You may be asked for a return ticket, and or proof you can support yourself, and intend to return home, ie you have proof you have a job to return to. You may be refused entry if you don't have them.

You must get an entry stamp in your passport, and an exit stamp when you leave. Remember Schengen visa free travel rules.

Two single airfares are generally quite a bit more expensive than a return.

I'm American, not Canadian, but I've been asked to show proof of onward travel twice in the last two years when entering the Schengen zone, most recently in December (at Brussels).

Schengen border guards are getting stricter I've heard. Maybe it is because the SIS has improved and in anticipation of ETIAS and the EES.

I fly around Schengen a lot without a return ticket. And a visa is not necessary unless you plan to stay more than 90 days, which presumably you are not..

also, entry and exit stamps aren’t that common anymore. I don’t think I have entry stamps from the last time I entered Portugal from the UK and that was less than a year ago. Lisbon still might be stamping passports.

Could you book a return ticket that allows changes. I did once, but it was before Covid and rules may have changed.

I just checked for France (guess rules would be aligned for all Schengen countries).
Rules are you must provide a return ticket among other things (booking for accommodation, sufficient funds...) on top of visa if required.

But it is unlikely that you will be asked any of these if you look like a bona fide tourist not traveling on a shoestring. If asked by the immigration officer "how long do you stay?", avoid to answer : "I am not sure, I don't know" :-)

Check with the airline whether you can book a return ticket, then change the date of your return flight while in Europe. Once when I had to cancel a trip booked on a non refundable ticket I thought I had lost my money, but found I could change to a later flight within one year. That was a different situation, I know, but if you cancel your return flight before the departure date you may be able to change to a later one. You will probably have to fly back from the same airport in Portugal though.

We are asked for proof of return ticket everytime at YUL.
I have a Polish passport, wife is exempt because she is an aitrline retiree.
The check-in agent has to tick a box on their screen that passenger has proof of return ticket.

Airlines get fined if passenger is allowed to fly into Shengen without proper documentation.

No stamps could get you into trouble if a border guard decides to check on things. Until Etias and EES you must get stamps. You could be seen as an overstayer without proof in your passport.

I hope they finally start using both EES and Etias asap, even if it does initially cause total chaos, especially in the UK. Cue Daily Mail outrage.

This is incorrect. A lot of airports are using e gates now. It is all electronic. The UK does not stamp anymore. There are e-gates in Rome. There are e-gates in a LOT of airports. The border guard can see everything on the computer. I do keep my boarding pass stubs, but I’m a Luddite.. so many just use their phones to board. If I’m crossing a land border, I always make them give me a stamp.

However, I did check my passport for Portugal. I entered Faro last May and there is a very faint stamp. But leaving Lisbon and Porto several times over the last few years, no stamp.

one funny memory, a few years ago in Rome I made the border guy give me a stamp, even though it was e-gates. He was so annoyed, he gave me the stamp in the very last page of my passport.

I guess Canada is different.. no one ever asks me for a return ticket. They do ask what my final destination is.

I agree with rialtogirl - I've arrived in a few European/Schengen countries where my passport was not stamped -- and several where it was. I've also had to ask for a syamp when I wanted it for a 'souvenir"

Between us all we have had varying experiences. To that I think we can all agree. We can also all agree that there is some risk they will be asked for additional information, which may (or may not) include needing to show a return ticket. Whether they are going to be allowed in, or even asked to show any return ticket, or whether or not their passport will be stamped? Nobody here can say with 100% certainty, and while interesting it's not really to the point.

What really matters is to the original poster (OP).

1. are you willing to risk being denied entry?
2. what is your plan B if you are sent away?

I travel with a US passport and I usually travel with two separate one way tickets because I try to travel with points. I had never been asked for my return ticket until a few weeks ago traveling on Iberia from Miami to Rome via Madrid. My return ( which I had) was with AA and I was able to show that, dont know what would have happened if I didnt have it.

for the anecdote, we recently flew from CDG to US (outbound for us). Airlines hire 3rd party to screen passengers before the bag drop and boarding. And we were asked by their staff to show our return ticket, which we hadn't. So I bought a refundable return tkt on the spot.
For US / CND pax clearing immigration in CDG, I think most passports are eligible for e-gates, meaning no questions asked but I guess there could still be random checks.

That's just a cover their butt warning. If you get stopped it's on you .

There are no checks within the zone. At least not normally. Most Europeans don't even use a passport for those flights.

The OP is taking a risk not having a return booked. Is it a huge risk? Who knows. If the OP is young the risk is higher. Assume the person who does the checks will do some profiling.

The airlines submit advance passenger information. So called API. They've likely made a decision on you long before your plane lands.

I also thought that airlines submit all passenger details to immigration. For international flights we (Australians) need to enter passport and contact details into airline booking. It's not optional. So immigration already have flight info.