Reader question: What about a plane ticket when applying for a Schengen visa?

In the Schengen Visa Code (EU Regulation 2009/38/EC) there is no requirement for a return ticket, which would also be strange because there may be valid reasons for no return ticket: transit to another country (A Thai who, after staying in the Schengen area to, for example, the UK or the US for holiday, work or a long stay there), for example, or that you leave again in a different way (return by ferry, by car, by train, etc.) or because there are still there is no sight of an exact return date within the maximum 90 days (even if I would take an open ticket).

However, a return ticket is a means of proof in which you demonstrate that you intend to return in time, making the risk of establishment (which is a ground for rejection) somewhat less plausible:

Annex II, part B of the Schengen Visa Code states:

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B. DOCUMENTS FOR ASSESSING THE APPLICANT'S INTENTION TO LEAVE THE TERRITORY OF THE MEMBER STATES

1.reservation of a return or round trip ticket;
2. proof of financial means in the country of residence;
3. proof of employment: bank statements;
4. title deeds of real estate;
5. proof of integration in the country of residence: family ties; professional situation.
-

In the vast majority of cases, a return ticket will be obvious, so you should submit a (reservation or option) for this when applying and you can therefore also show a ticket at the Schengen external border that indicates that you will return on time. or at least leave the Schengen area again. That is also the reason why a (reservation/option) for a return ticket is requested, almost everyone will need this and there is no room for extensive nuances and exceptions if you want to briefly and concisely list what an applicant must arrange. .

The more extensive “Handbook for the processing of visas” dictates:
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6.2. Which documents should be submitted in support of an application for a
uniform visa?
Supporting documents should provide evidence of the following:
– the purpose of the intended journey;
– proof of accommodation, or proof of sufficient means to cover the applicant's
accommodations;
– that the applicant possesses sufficient means of subsistence both for the duration of
the intended stay and for the return to his country of origin or residence, or for the
transit to a third country into which he is certain to be admitted, or that he is in a
position to acquire such means legally, in accordance with Article 5(1)(c) and (3) of
the Schengen Borders Code;
– information enabling an assessment of the applicant's intention to leave the territory
of the Member States before the expiry of the visa applied for.
A non-exhaustive list of supporting documents which the consulate may request from the
applicant is set out in Annex 14.
Supporting documents should be assessed in relation to the individual application and one
document might render another superfluous: ”
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Dear Jan,

Read the information on the website of the embassy, ​​national government and EU carefully, I would say.
– a ticket BKK-AMS-AMS-BKK (or however you want to fly, you can also land in Düsseldorf if you want and leave via Brussels again) is called a return ticket in my book.
– A full ticket is not a requirement, especially not with the application. They ask for a return trip (which will usually be by plane from Thailand..) and a reservation or option is sufficient. Sometimes an embassy wants to see the actual ticket with an assigned visa, but that is also far from standard.
– According to the official rules, there is no obligation or requirement to show an actual ticket when applying or after granting a visa. However, the return ticket is a piece of evidence that contributes to demonstrating a valid purpose of travel (no risk of establishing a business, etc.). See also my previous post.
— On Rijksoverheid.nl they describe it as “a proof of reservation of the trip”.
— A bit more simplistic with VFS (actually too short-sighted, but applicable to almost most applicants): ” Copy of hotel reservations for the entire trip (also other Schengen countries) and flight booking (The Embassy advises you not to make any payment for hotel accommodations or flight tickets before you are granted a visa). ”
– In the actual EU regulations, which I quoted earlier, it is abundantly clear that there is no obligation whatsoever to buy a return ticket before applying for a visa.

Sources:
- http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/visa/vraag-en-antwoord/hoe-vraag-ik-een-visum-voor-nederland-aan.html
- http://thailand.nlambassade.org/producten-en-diensten/consular-services/visum-voor-nederland (just click through to the site of the external, optional, service provider.
- http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/borders-and-visas/visa-policy/index_en.htm (website of the EU containing the visa regulations and a handbook).

In short, we come back to the simple advice: call China Airlines, Eva etc. in Thailand and request a reservation (option) on a ticket. Submit the request, then convert the reservation into a booking or see if you can find a better ticket in the meantime. Know that, for example, on a Schengen visa issued by the Netherlands, you can also fly in via Germany, Belgium or any other Member State if that suits you better, PROVIDED you can convince the border guard at the border that the Netherlands is your main destination.

Are you still traveling on a one-way ticket? Hopefully you can then show how you are leaving (Orient Express for example??) or that a (flexible open) ticket was not an option and you were therefore forced to take a one-way ticket but have enough money in your pocket to buy a ticket back (or to elsewhere in the world, as long as you leave the Schengen area). The quotes I quoted earlier from official EU sources seem clear enough to me?