My Dummy Ticket
Colombia is a brilliant place to spend 90 days visa-free, from the coffee region around Salento to co-working apartments in Bogotá's El Poblado. But before you even get to the boarding gate, Avianca or LATAM Colombia will ask for proof you're planning to leave. A dummy ticket, also called an onward ticket, is a real PNR booked for visa or border-check purposes without paying for the flight. These are the questions I hear most from travellers heading to Colombia.
Does Colombia actually require an onward ticket?
Yes, it does. The legal basis is Decree 1067 of 2015 (Colombia's Unified Migration Decree), which sets the entry conditions for visa-waiver nationals. For most EU, UK, US, Canadian, and Australian passport holders, proof of onward travel is a standard requirement. Migración Colombia can refuse entry at the primary desk if you can't show a plausible departure.
The check happens in two places: first at airline check-in at your origin airport, then optionally at the Migración Colombia desk when you land at BOG or MDE. The UK Foreign Office's Colombia travel page notes that most visitors are admitted visa-free but are expected to hold a return or onward ticket.
I've spoken to travellers who've entered Colombia dozens of times without being asked at the border. That's inconsistent enforcement, not zero enforcement. The airline check-in is where it's consistently applied.
What counts as a valid dummy ticket for Colombia?
Short answer: a live PNR, not a screenshot.
| Document | What the agent's terminal sees | Passes Colombia entry check |
|---|---|---|
| Dummy ticket with live PNR | A confirmed GDS record | Yes |
| Paid confirmed e-ticket | A confirmed GDS record | Yes |
| OTA booking (soft hold) | A price hold, not a PNR | Unreliable |
| Google Flights screenshot | A search result | No |
| Price-comparison PDF | No booking data | No |
| Bus ticket from Colombia | No airline PNR | No |
The check-in agent at your origin airport doesn't read your screen. They enter your booking reference into a GDS terminal and check the status code. "Confirmed" passes. "Cancelled," "voided," or "no record found" don't.
For Colombia, the onward flight can depart from any Colombian airport. Booking a dummy ticket from Medellín to Quito works just as well as booking from BOG to Panama City. The route matters less than the PNR status.
Do airlines actually verify your dummy ticket at check-in? explains exactly what that GDS query involves.
Does the rule apply at land borders?
Yes, at Migración Colombia-staffed crossings. That includes the Rumichaca bridge crossing from Ecuador (the main Ipiales-Tulcán route) and the Paraguachón crossing from Venezuela. There's no airline at a land border, so you skip the carrier-check stage. But the Migración Colombia officer can still ask for proof of departure.
The Rumichaca crossing sees a lot of backpackers on the Quito-Bogotá route, and officers there do ask for onward travel documents. It's not universal, but it's frequent enough that you should carry your dummy ticket or at least have it accessible on your phone.
How far in advance should I book my dummy ticket?
Book it 24 to 48 hours before check-in. This matters because most dummy onward tickets carry a time-to-live (TTL) of 48 to 72 hours from the point the PNR is created. Book three or four days before your flight and you risk the PNR expiring before you reach the desk.
How long does a dummy ticket last? breaks down TTL ranges by carrier and route type.
I had a moment at MDE where I'd booked four days ahead thinking I was being organised. Showed up to check-in to find the PNR had cancelled itself overnight. Sorted it on the app while standing in the queue. Made the flight, but not the calmest start.
What happens if I don't have a valid onward ticket at check-in?
If the agent flags the missing or expired document, you're not denied boarding immediately. You're given the chance to produce a valid PNR. Most agents at a staffed counter will give you 10 to 20 minutes.
Book a dummy ticket on your phone, pull up the booking confirmation, and show the agent. A live PNR on screen satisfies the check without printing. Don't argue about whether the rule is fair; what moves the agent's terminal is a confirmed PNR.
If you'd rather have this sorted before you get to the airport, book a real onward ticket at My Dummy Ticket in under two minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a confirmed return flight instead of a dummy ticket?
Yes. If you have a paid, confirmed flight out of Colombia with an active PNR, that's exactly what Timatic is looking for. You don't need a separate dummy ticket if you already have a confirmed departure.
Does the onward ticket need to depart before my 90 days are up?
Yes, roughly. The departure date should fall within your intended stay. A dummy ticket showing a flight six months after your intended arrival would raise questions at the primary desk.
Can I use a flight from Cartagena as my onward ticket?
Yes. Any Colombian airport works. Cartagena (CTG) to Panama City (PTY) or to Miami (MIA) are both fine choices.
Will the Colombian immigration officer check if I actually took the flight?
No. Colombia doesn't cross-reference onward bookings against exit records at that level of detail for most visitors. The check is about your departure plan, not your actual departure.
Does the name on the dummy ticket need to match my passport exactly?
Yes. Name matching is the most common reason an otherwise valid dummy ticket fails. Use your full passport name, including any middle names in the machine-readable zone.