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I'm from Chile, and I'm flying from Colombia to San Francisco, I need to buy a ticket to exit the US, can this ticket be to Mexico? I will be staying only a month and a half in the United States.

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  • Are you entering under Visa Waiver? Are you planning to come back to the US from Mexico?
    – Karlson
    Oct 15, 2016 at 15:49
  • Are you trying to reset the clock by leaving the US ? If so going to Mexico won't work
    – blackbird
    Oct 15, 2016 at 15:58
  • No, I have a visa, but I'm travelling with a friend from germany, she has the Visa Waiver. We are not planning to return to the US, we want to continue travelling then down through central America. The thing is that I don't know if we will have problems entering the US, with an exit ticket to Mexico.
    – Clau
    Oct 15, 2016 at 15:59
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    What issues are you expecting ?
    – blackbird
    Oct 15, 2016 at 16:11
  • The only thing you have to be aware of is that travel to Mexico doesn't reset the VWP clock. Other than that there is no issue.
    – Karlson
    Oct 15, 2016 at 16:12

2 Answers 2

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In general, citizens of Chile do not require a visa to enter the US (and can instead enter via VWP with an approved ESTA), however in the comments you've stated that you have a Visa, whilst your travelling companion from Germany does not and will use ESTA. Thus there's 2 different answers...

With a Visa - There is officially no need for a return/onward ticket when entering the US with a visa. However even with a visa, your entry to the US is at the discretion of the border officials. If they believe you intend to over-stay your entry then they can deny your entry. Having an onward ticket will reduce the chances of this occurring.

Without a Visa - When entering under the VWP program there is a requirement to have an onward or return ticket. If that ticket is to either Canada/Mexico (or several countries in the Caribbean), then you ALSO need a ticket onward from that country to another country that does not border the US (unless you are a resident there).

So for you, a ticket is not required but may be advised - and Mexico will be fine. For your companion, a ticket is required - and Mexico will NOT be suitable without also having a ticket from Mexico to somewhere else.

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    Do you have any authoritative references?
    – JoErNanO ♦
    Oct 16, 2016 at 9:43
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When you enter the US, whether on a visa waiver or visa, you'll likely be asked to show proof that you intend to leave and not try to stay. For you any valid ticket out of the US should do, including to Mexico. For your friend however, a flight that ends in Mexico won't do and I recommend they get an additional ticket out of Mexico to be safe.

You should be aware though, that this doesn't reset the VWP clock for your friend. In case they return to the US their stay in Mexico will be counted in their 90 days.

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  • Timatic (the system most airlines use to determine visa/VWP eligibility) states "A return/onward ticket (or electronic ticket record) must be to a final destination country other than Canada, Mexico or contiguous (adjacent) countries or territories situated in or bordering the Caribbean Sea". It's also in the VWP legislation, I'm just too lazy to look it up
    – Doc
    Oct 15, 2016 at 17:56
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    8 CFR 217.2(c) explicitly requires "a round trip ticket that will transport the traveler out of the United States to any other foreign port or place as long as the trip does not terminate in contiguous territory or an adjacent island" (with exception for residents of that contiguour-territory-or-adjacent-island).
    – hmakholm left over Monica
    Oct 15, 2016 at 17:59
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    @NateEldredge if Timatic flagged it they probably won't let them board, for admission it's at the discretion of the official, idk and I can't say if that requirement is strongly enforced or not. Updated my A, hope it's clearer
    – blackbird
    Oct 15, 2016 at 18:25
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    @Doc Respectfully, that is not my experience. I appreciate you could have had difficulties yourself but I think the phrasing “almost guaranteed” is far too strong. Most carriers I use do not worry about it, as soon as I say I'll be leaving on a separate ticket with a different airline in x days they lose interest in the conversation. JL I remember does ask for the onward ticket number sometimes but they are the exception. At the other end of the spectrum BA usually doesn't even ask me about my onward plans.
    – Calchas
    Oct 16, 2016 at 10:29
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    @Calchas there is a legal requirement for those arriving by air to have a "round-trip" ticket, which is defined by regulation as a ticket that will take the traveler out of North America. The regulation doesn't actually require a literal round-trip ticket where the departure is on the same ticket as the arrival, so a different ticket with a different carrier qualifies. See law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/8/217.2. BA probably doesn't usually ask about your onward plans because you probably usually have a BA ticket that meets the requirement.
    – phoog
    Oct 19, 2016 at 14:46

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