My Dummy Ticket
Every few weeks, a question pops up in nearly every nomad Slack and Facebook group: "Do I actually need a dummy ticket for the Sadao crossing, or can I just show my flights home?" The answer depends on the crossing and how consistent enforcement has been lately. A dummy ticket, also called an onward ticket, is a real PNR booked for visa or border-check purposes without paying for the flight. Here's what I actually see people get wrong.
Do I actually need a dummy ticket for a visa run?
Short answer: yes, at most major crossings.
Most Southeast Asian countries require visitors to demonstrate they have confirmed onward travel before they'll stamp you in. Officers at the Sadao, Padang Besar, and Batam Centre crossings check more consistently than many airports, because there's no airline check-in layer to catch bad documents first.
Where enforcement is strongest right now:
- Thailand (Sadao, Padang Besar): consistent
- Malaysia (Ban Prakob, KLIA): consistent
- Indonesia (Batam Centre, Ngurah Rai): consistent
- Vietnam (Moc Bai land crossing): variable but increasing since 2024
- Cambodia (Poipet): variable
The practical answer is to carry one regardless. A dummy ticket costs much less than accommodation on both sides of a border if you get turned back.
What's the difference between a dummy ticket and a screenshot?
This is where most people go wrong. A dummy ticket is a real confirmed booking in a GDS with an active 6-character PNR. You can look it up on the airline's own site by entering the code and your last name.
A screenshot from Google Flights is not a dummy ticket. Neither is a PDF from a booking aggregator that just shows a price and a route. Neither is an OTA booking reference that hasn't generated a real PNR in a carrier's reservation system.
Officers at the busier crossings will ask you to pull up the airline's manage-my-booking page and enter the PNR live. If nothing comes back, they won't accept it.
| Document | Contains real PNR | Can be verified | Will be accepted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dummy ticket from booking service | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Real confirmed airline ticket | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| OTA booking confirmation | Sometimes | Unreliable | Risky |
| Screenshot of search results | No | No | No |
| PDF from price aggregator | No | No | No |
IATA's Timatic system, which airlines and border agents use to check travel document requirements, specifies that proof of onward travel must be verifiable against the carrier's reservation system. A screenshot can't meet that standard.
How far in advance should I book my dummy ticket?
At least 24 to 48 hours before you cross. Two reasons for this.
First, PNR propagation takes time. A booking confirmed at 11pm might not show up cleanly in all GDS lookups until the following morning.
Second, you want a buffer if something goes wrong. If the PNR hasn't populated correctly, you have time to book a replacement and let that one propagate too.
For a detailed breakdown of how long PNRs typically stay live across different booking types, the dummy ticket expiry guide on My Dummy Ticket covers it by use case.
Can I reuse the same dummy ticket for multiple visa runs?
Only if the PNR is still active and the departure date is still in the future. Once the departure date passes, the flight record is archived and the PNR is no longer live. The crossing officer's lookup will return nothing.
In practice, most nomads on a 30- or 60-day cycle need a new dummy ticket every run. Don't try to reuse a ticket from four weeks ago. Check whether it's still live before you travel, and book fresh if it's not.
Most booking services issue a PNR that stays live for 7 to 14 days by default. Book yours close to the actual crossing date, not at the start of your stay.
What if my exit date isn't fixed yet?
That's fine. That's actually the whole point of a dummy ticket.
You pick a plausible departure date within your permitted stay window, typically three to five days before the maximum, book a dummy ticket for that date, and use it to satisfy the border check. You don't have to fly on that date. Your actual travel plans can be completely different.
| Entry type | Permitted stay | Book departure by |
|---|---|---|
| Thailand visa exemption | 60 days | Day 55-57 |
| Malaysia visa exemption | 90 days | Day 85-87 |
| Indonesia VOA | 30 days | Day 27-28 |
| Vietnam e-Visa | 90 days | Day 85-87 |
Just make sure the date on your ticket is consistent with what you tell the officer at the counter. Saying you plan to stay two weeks while your dummy ticket shows departure in 55 days will prompt questions.
What happens if I get turned back at a land crossing?
Annoying, but not catastrophic. You'll be directed back to the country you came from and will need to sort out your documents before trying again.
The usual sequence:
- Move away from the crossing queue
- Book a fresh dummy ticket with a valid PNR
- Verify the PNR is live on the airline's own site
- Return to the crossing, same day or next morning
- Cross with the confirmed booking on your phone
Some crossings have third-party document services on site who will book dummy tickets for cash. That's a last resort: prices are higher and PNR quality is variable. Book at My Dummy Ticket before you travel so you're not in that position. Get a dummy ticket here before your run.
Check the airlines verification guide on My Dummy Ticket if you're flying a segment as part of your loop and want to know what check-in agents look for too.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a different dummy ticket for each country on a multi-stop loop?
Yes. Each entry point is independent. Thailand immigration wants proof you're leaving Thailand. Malaysia immigration wants proof you're leaving Malaysia. One per entry.
Does the destination on my dummy ticket matter?
Not much. The officer is checking that you have a confirmed departure from the country you're entering. The specific destination is rarely scrutinised in detail.
How much does a dummy ticket cost for a visa run?
Most services charge between $10 and $25 for a dummy ticket with a valid PNR. The price varies by service.
Can immigration cancel my dummy ticket?
No. Immigration officers can look up whether a PNR is live but can't access the GDS to cancel bookings. Only the carrier or booking service can cancel it.
Is it legal to use a dummy ticket at a land border?
Yes. A dummy ticket is a real confirmed booking. The ticket hasn't been paid in full, but the PNR is genuine and verifiable. Using one to satisfy an onward-travel requirement is not misrepresentation.