Travel Documents

 A UK Travel Document is issued by the Home Office to certain non-British residents in the UK who cannot obtain a passport from their country of origin. It allows international travel and is usually valid for up to 5 years. 

You must be lawfully resident in the UK and unable to obtain a national passport. There are four main types:

• For: Recognised refugees under the 1951 Refugee Convention.
   
• Allows travel to most countries except your country of origin.
   
• Valid for up to 10 years (if you have ILR), or 5 years (if you have limited leave).
   
• Visa-free travel to some countries.
   

• For: People recognised by the UK as stateless under the 1954 UN Convention.
   
• Does not guarantee visa-free access; most countries require a visa.
   
• Cannot be used to travel to your former country of residence.
   

• For: A single journey out of the UK (e.g., for voluntary return).
   
• Not for return to the UK.
   
• Typically issued to people leaving the UK permanently or under an assisted return scheme.
   

• For: People with leave to remain (e.g., asylum claimants or others with humanitarian protection) who:
   
  • Are not refugees, and
     
  • Cannot get a passport from their home country due to exceptional reasons.
     
• Usually valid for 5 years.
   
• Not accepted by all countries — you’ll often need to check visa requirements country by country.
   

• You must be lawfully resident in the UK (e.g., limited leave, ILR, refugee status).
   
• You cannot obtain a passport from your country’s embassy in the UK.
   
• You must provide evidence of your efforts to get a passport (e.g., embassy refusal letters).
   
• You must not be British or hold any valid travel document.

• Not all countries accept UK travel documents.
   
• You may still need a visa to travel internationally.
   
• You cannot use it to travel to your country of origin if you are a refugee or stateless person without prior written permission from the Home Office eg due to attending a funeral or visiting a very ill relative.