So you're flying into Kathmandu (KTM) and somebody on a hostel rooftop swore you'd be asked for an onward ticket. Maybe you will, maybe you won't. A dummy ticket, also called an onward ticket, is a real PNR booked for visa or border-check purposes without paying for the flight, and it's a handy option for the questions backpackers ask most about Nepal. Let's go through them.

Do I actually need an onward ticket for Nepal?

Honest answer: it depends on who's asking and on your passport. Nepal's own rules are one thing. What your airline does at the departure airport is another. Carriers can be stuck with the bill if you're turned away, so plenty of them ask to see how you're leaving, even where the destination doesn't make a big deal of it.

The safest move is to read the official page for your nationality. The UK government's Nepal entry requirements page is a good starting point if you hold a British passport. Other passports, other pages. Check yours, and note the date you looked.

Then plan for the stricter of the two checks, which is usually the airline desk.

Who's going to ask, the airline or Nepal?

Usually the airline, and usually at the place you fly from, not in Kathmandu. The agent at check-in has a screen that tells them what your destination expects, plus their company's own rules. If something looks unclear, they'd rather ask you than risk the airline paying to fly you home.

Immigration in Kathmandu is a separate step. The officer there looks at your passport, your visa situation and your plans. They might ask how long you're staying or where you're going next. Having an answer ready, and a document that matches it, makes the whole thing quick.

So no, there isn't one single gatekeeper. Think of it as two small quizzes.

What if I'm crossing in by land from India?

Good question, and lots of people do it. If you arrive overland, there's no airline desk in the picture at all. What you meet is the border post, and what they ask for can differ from what an airport check-in agent wants.

Don't assume a flight booking is what the post wants to see, because your real plan is to cross a land border. We've got a longer explainer on onward tickets when you're leaving by land that covers how backpackers handle the mismatch.

Have a sensible answer for where you'll go next, and keep your documents in one place. Land posts can be slower and less predictable than airports, so patience helps.

How long does a dummy ticket last, and when should I book it?

Not forever. A dummy ticket is a live reservation, and live reservations don't sit around indefinitely. How long yours stays valid depends on the provider and on the airline's rules behind it.

So don't book it a month before you fly and hope for the best. Book it close enough to your trip that it'll still be alive when somebody checks, and verify it before you leave for the airport. Our post on how long a dummy ticket PNR stays valid goes through the timing in detail.

If your plans are fuzzy, that's fine. Pick a believable date inside your stay and make sure the name matches your passport exactly. A tiny typo is the number one reason good bookings get bounced.

What if I'm trekking and don't know when I'm leaving?

This is super common. You land in Kathmandu with a rough idea (a trek, maybe Pokhara, maybe a few weeks of wandering) and no fixed exit date. Ugh, right?

You don't need a perfect itinerary. You need a plausible one. Choose a departure date inside your likely stay, from an airport you could genuinely fly out of, to a place that makes sense on a map. If you extend or change plans later, that's your call, and a booking made for proof doesn't force you to follow it.

Just don't pretend to the officer that you've got a rigid schedule when you don't. If asked, say you're still deciding and show the booking that proves you can leave.

Is a dummy ticket basically a fake?

No, and that's the whole point. A fake would be an edited screenshot with a made-up reference. A dummy ticket is a genuine reservation in an airline system, so the reference pulls up when somebody types it in.

What it isn't is a flight you've paid the full fare for. You're using the reservation as evidence that you can leave, not as a plan to board that exact plane. Be straightforward about that if anyone asks you directly, and never claim you've bought a seat when you haven't. Honesty keeps you out of trouble far more reliably than a clever story does.

It also helps to remember that officers see all kinds of paperwork all day. Clean, consistent and checkable beats fancy every time.

What should I have ready at the desk?

Keep it to a short list:

  • Your passport, with plenty of space left in it.
  • The booking reference and the confirmation email.
  • Your first night's accommodation, in case you're asked.
  • A calm, short answer about what you're doing in Nepal.

Check the reservation on the airline's own site the day before. If it doesn't show up, sort it out at home, not at the counter. For more on how desks treat these bookings, read about checking in with a dummy ticket.

One last thing: none of this is legal or immigration advice. Rules differ by passport, airline and date, so confirm everything with official sources before you go.

Want proof of departure sorted before you fly to Kathmandu? Reserve a verifiable dummy ticket and head off with one less worry.