From a Reddit discussion:
When I landed in Thailand, I didn’t have a return ticket. Immigration pulled me aside right away. Even though I had already filled out the arrival form online, they made me fill it out again and told me I needed proof of onward travel.
So I quickly booked a reservation using the Onward Ticket website, thinking it would work. About 5 minutes later, an officer came back and asked me to show proof of the transaction from my bank account. I was honestly shocked — not sure if that’s even legal.
I recently came across a service called OnwardTicket.com, which offers a verifiable flight reservation on an airline’s website for a $16 fee. This reservation serves as proof of your intent to leave a country, and while you can opt to purchase the ticket later, most users rely on it as a temporary “alibi” to meet visa or immigration requirements.
However, this approach has risks. First, a one-way ticket isn’t always cheaper than a round-trip ticket, so don’t assume it’s the better option. More importantly, immigration officers and consulate staff are highly perceptive and may detect temporary reservations. If you have a reason for not needing a return ticket, it’s wiser to buy one anyway. Consider a fully refundable ticket, even if it’s pricier, to avoid complications. We strongly advise against using services like OnwardTicket.com. While their business model is innovative, there’s a significant chance it could backfire, putting travelers in a difficult position.
Nearly every visa application form will ask:
You want to answer “No” to both questions truthfully. Lying is risky—disclosing a past denial or cancellation doesn’t guarantee rejection, but it can make the process more challenging.
“not sure if that’s even legal”
This is 100% legal, every country can deny entry because of any reasons. They don’t even have to provide a reason.