Travel documents

United Kingdom

Country Report: Travel documents Last updated: 30/05/23

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Refugees and their dependants, including those who are united through the refugee family reunion process, can apply for a ‘Convention Travel Document’. The cost is the same as a UK national passport. An adult’s travel document will expire after 10 years or at the same time as the refugee’s limited leave (if during the first 5 years of leave) if that is earlier. A child’s travel document will expire after 5 years or at the expiry of their leave.

Beneficiaries of subsidiary protection and other forms of leave, including their dependants, are expected to apply to their national authorities for a passport, unless the humanitarian protection is granted following a refusal of asylum and it is accepted that the beneficiary has a fear of their national authorities.[1] This includes those resettled under the Syrian Resettlement Scheme who are granted humanitarian protection. Other than these individuals, including dependants, those with leave following a refusal of asylum, including beneficiaries of subsidiary protection where it is not accepted that the person is in fear of the national authority, are expected to show evidence of refusal to issue a document following contact with their national embassy.

All those who are not entitled to a Convention Travel Document, including all beneficiaries of subsidiary protection, can apply for a certificate of travel, which costs more than three times that of a Convention Travel Document and a maximum validity of 5 years. It will only be issued when the individual has more than 6 months leave remaining.

The procedure for all travel documents is via an online or paper form.[2] Travel documents that are not CTD, issued by other countries, would often need to be accompanied by a visa.

The numbers of travel documents issued are to third party nationals who do not have a passport, so are not exclusively travel documents for beneficiaries of international protection. In 2022, 55,494 were issued.[3]

 

 

 

[1]  Home Office, Travel Documents Guidance Notes, March 2016, available at: http://bit.ly/2jGkr2M.

[2] Home Office, Application Form TD11 BRP, March 2016, available at: http://bit.ly/2kWsDh4.

[3]  Resettlement, Asylum Support and Integration Transparency data, Q1 2023.

Table of contents

  • Statistics
  • Overview of the legal framework
  • Overview of the main changes since the previous report update
  • Asylum Procedure
  • Reception Conditions
  • Detention of Asylum Seekers
  • Content of International Protection