Return Flight Requirement

I will be leaving the country at the end of November 2015 to go work as an au pair in Italy for 7 months. I have just about completed my visa application and have all of the required documents except for one. A return flight home. This is because after my stay in Italy I want to backpack around Europe for the months of July and August 2016 and therefore do not know when I will be back in Canada. Also airlines do not have any flights available that far in advance for me to even book one home at the end of August.

So I guess my qustion is, has anyone experienced something similar to me? Am I still able to be approved for a visa without a return flight?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

I suggest you need to talk about this with the Consul General of Italy in Montreal. They are the authority about this, not other travelers.

But this excerpt from our government's travel advice may be helpful: "Customs officials may ask you to show them a return ticket, proof of the purpose of your visit to Italy and/or proof of sufficient funds for your stay. Having more than one source of funds (for example, cash, traveller's cheques, credit card, bank card) is recommended."

Airlines only let you book flights 11 months and some weeks in advance, so most consulates will be reasonable about such return ticket requirements where they obviously cannot be met through no fault of your own. However, if you are stuck the normal way to deal with it is to book a flight with little or no date change fee for some date within the bookable range and then much later when you know when you want to return, change your ticket to the date you want.

could you not simply go to uk? then go on to Italy from there. no visas required for Canadians to enter the uk. might work

I ran into a similar situation when I was travelling once. The airline ticket lady recommended that I buy a full price return ticket because full price tickets can be 100% refunded. I purchased the ticket with my visa and when I was sure of the day I wanted to come home, I cancelled that ticket and bought a new one with a different airline (it was a lot cheaper).

no visas required for Canadians to enter the uk

No, but I was denied boarding once for the UK because I didn't have a return ticket. So I bought a fully refundable return ticket at the airport, boarded my flight, and cancelled it once I landed. The problem is that you lose 3% on each foreign currency transaction with Visa, so it isn't necessarily cost free!

have you double checked your medical ins cvrg. ? a s Ontario residents out of country 7 months or more lose cvrgd. then theres awaiting period upon return.

while in Italy I spent 3 days in torino. great city. great food. at the market in city got reggio parmesan cheese $60 worth to take back as pressies for my daughter as it was way cheaper than in Ontario. no problem with Canada customs. reggio is the brand as its the best so I have been informed. I got great deal for the hotel with groupon c oupons. keep check on groupon deals,. got $500 night hotel in Andorra for 75$

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