As a result of globalization and the rise of economic asylum seekers, more and more countries are tightening their borders. Policy has become stricter and the amount of immigration officers with large pinecones lodged in their butts has increased dramatically.

In order to convince these nationalistic, power hungry, and pinecone plagued individuals that you do not plan to work or mooch off of their society, it’s never a bad idea to show proof of onward travel. It also doesn’t hurt to illustrate proof of sufficient funds.

But if you’re making money with a blog like me and only ever buy one way tickets and head out with just enough cash for the next month, you’re going to need to know how to fake it.

In the following guide, you’ll learn the easiest way to fake return tickets, bank statements, proof of employment, proof of vaccination and any thing else you might need to forge.



Which Countries Require Proof Of Onward Travel?

The need to show proof of a return flight or bus ticket out of the country varies on your nationality and particular predicament. If for example you’re an American and are arriving in Laos but have a visa for Vietnam, that’s generally enough proof for the officer that you plan on leaving soon.

But in general, the following countries will almost always demand proof of onward travel; New Zealand, Australia, Laos, Costa Rica, UK, USA, Ireland, Peru and Bolivia. I’m sure I’ve left a few out, so let me know in the comments below.

Regardless of which country you’re visiting, it’s still a good idea to be prepared with proof of onward travel.

Detention & Interrogation

If you can’t show proof of onward travel or sufficient funds, and the immigration officer finds you suspicious, there’s a good chance you may be detained or even sent home.

I was most recently detained at UK immigration for 7 hours because I did not have proof of onward travel. During this time, 5 different British immigration officers questioned me as if I was a criminal. It was only after this marathon of questioning that I received food and water.

On another occasion, I was only granted 10 days in Costa Rica because I did not have proof of onward travel. While I could have easily bought a bus ticket to Panama at the border, I didn’t want to waste the money. In the end, I spent way more than 10 days. Check out How To Overstay Your Visa In Costa Rica, to see how I left without any problems.

How To Fake A Return Plane Ticket

Faking a ticket and getting away with it is very simple and comes with little risk. Although you could buy a fully refundable ticket or a super cheap 20$ flight on a budget airline, it’s just too easy to fake. It’s always worked for me and countless other runaway backpackers.

Step 1 Download Your Ticket

After buying your flight and receiving your confirmation email, simply download the reservation PDF.

Step 2 Edit The PDF

If you already have Adobe Acrobat, you can easily use this to edit the ticket.

If you don’t have Adobe or don’t know how to use it, there are many free PDF editors that you can download for free. Most editors recognize the current text font and size, and allow you to amend any text you want.

In order to make the ticket look more authentic, research an actual return flight, its flight number, and departure date and time. Then use this information to amend your ticket.

Step 3 Print The Updated PDF

You can either print the updated PDF or save it to your email and show it to the officer on your smart phone. And that’s it! The whole process shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes. And this can be done to edit anything from plane tickets to bank statements.

Conclusion

You never know who you’re going to get as an immigration officer. While some are pleasant enough, others may see you as the perfect candidate to practice their interrogation skills on. So be sure to play it safe, avoid complications, and have your documents in order. For country specific tourist visa and border policy information, check out the Visa Costs & Requirements Around The World.