A UK travel document is a Home Office-issued document that replaces a national passport for people who cannot obtain or use one. The three main types are the Convention Travel Document, the Stateless Person's Travel Document, and the Certificate of Travel. Visa-free destinations for each differ from the lists open to UK passport holders.
Last reviewed: May 2026
TL;DR: A Convention Travel Document (CTD) is issued to refugees and is widely recognised under the 1951 Refugee Convention; many states grant visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to CTD holders, but each country sets its own rules. A Stateless Person's Travel Document follows the 1954 Convention. The Certificate of Travel is a UK-only document with limited international recognition. Always confirm current visa requirements with the destination embassy before booking.
- UK travel documents are issued by the Home Office. Three main types: Convention Travel Document, Stateless Person's Travel Document, Certificate of Travel.
- The CTD is issued under the 1951 Refugee Convention to people granted refugee status in the UK and is recognised by the states party to that convention.
- Stateless travel documents are issued under the 1954 Convention on the Status of Stateless Persons.
- The Certificate of Travel has the narrowest recognition; many states require a visa even for short visits.
- Visa-free access varies by destination. CTD holders are often visa-free in some Schengen states for short stays, but only some non-Schengen destinations grant visa-free access.
- Fees for UK travel document applications are published on GOV.UK; verify the current figure before applying.
Types of UK travel document
The Home Office issues three principal travel documents to people who are settled in the UK but cannot use a national passport. Each is tied to a particular immigration status and operates under a different legal framework. The differences matter because they directly affect which countries the document is recognised in and what visa requirements apply.
The Convention Travel Document is issued to people who have been granted refugee status in the UK. The Stateless Person's Travel Document is issued to people granted leave to remain as stateless under the UK's stateless person determination procedure. The Certificate of Travel is issued to people who cannot obtain a passport from their national authorities but who do not fall within the refugee or stateless categories.
The application process for all three is run through the same Home Office route, with an application form, biometric enrolment, and a fee published at GOV.UK: apply for a Home Office travel document. Applications are made from inside the UK. Documents are issued in book form with a chip and visible biographical page.
Convention Travel Document and the 1951 Convention
The Convention Travel Document (CTD) is the UK's implementation of the travel document obligation set out in Article 28 of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. States party to the Convention undertake to issue travel documents to refugees lawfully staying in their territory and, importantly, to recognise the travel documents issued by other contracting states.
The CTD's cover bears the wording "Convention of 28 July 1951". This wording signals to immigration officers in receiving states that the document is recognised under the Convention framework and that the holder is a refugee, not an ordinary national of the issuing country. The CTD records the holder's name, date and place of birth where known, and the period of validity. It does not record nationality, because nationality is the very issue that brought the holder into the refugee framework.
CTD holders are entitled to be admitted to other contracting states subject to that state's own visa rules. Many EU and Schengen members operate a visa-free regime for CTD holders for short visits within the Schengen short-stay framework, but practice varies country by country. Some non-European states grant visa-free entry to refugees under the 1951 Convention; others require a visa even where they recognise the document.
The UNHCR maintains policy guidance on the rights of refugees under the Convention, including travel rights, at UNHCR UK. UK-specific guidance is at GOV.UK: travel document policy guidance.
Stateless Person's Travel Document
The Stateless Person's Travel Document is the UK's implementation of the travel document obligation in Article 28 of the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons. The Convention defines a stateless person as someone who is not considered a national by any state under the operation of its law. The UK's stateless person determination procedure was introduced in 2013 and grants limited leave to remain to people found stateless under the test.
The cover wording is "Convention of 28 September 1954". The document is recognised under the framework of the 1954 Convention, although the number of states party to that Convention is smaller than the number of states party to the 1951 Refugee Convention. As a result, stateless travel documents are accepted by fewer destination states, and visa requirements are more variable. Some countries that recognise the CTD as visa-exempt for short stays require a visa for stateless document holders.
The practical advice for stateless travel document holders is to budget more time for a destination embassy visa application than a CTD holder might. The destination's published rules will state whether the stateless document is recognised and whether a visa is required.
Certificate of Travel: limited recognition
The Certificate of Travel is a UK-only document issued to people who do not have a national passport, cannot reasonably obtain one, and are not within the refugee or stateless categories. Typical applicants include people granted leave to remain on human-rights grounds, on long-residence grounds, or on family-life grounds, who hold a nationality the Home Office accepts they cannot exercise.
The Certificate of Travel does not sit within either the 1951 or 1954 Convention frameworks. It is a national document issued by the Home Office under UK rules. Recognition by destination states is therefore on a case-by-case basis. Many destinations require a visa for Certificate of Travel holders even for short visits. Some require a visa from the holder's nominal country of nationality first, which can be impossible to obtain in practice.
Holders planning international travel should expect to apply for a visa for each destination, allow long lead times, and be prepared for refusals on documentation grounds. Travel to non-Schengen and non-EU destinations is often the most difficult because there is no automatic recognition framework. The Home Office policy is at GOV.UK: travel document policy guidance.
Visa-free destinations for Convention Travel Document holders
CTD holders enjoy the broadest international recognition of any UK travel document because the 1951 Convention has been ratified by most of the world. The Schengen Area's Common Visa Code allows individual Schengen states to grant visa-free entry to CTD holders for short stays of up to ninety days in any one hundred and eighty, and many do so for CTDs issued by other Schengen states. The position for UK-issued CTDs in the Schengen Area is decided by each Schengen member individually because the UK is no longer in the Schengen visa cooperation framework.
As a result, the visa-free or visa-required status of a UK-issued CTD differs by destination. Some Schengen states accept UK CTDs visa-free for short stays; others require a Schengen visa. The position is set out in the destination state's visa rules and is also reflected in the IATA Timatic database used by airlines for boarding checks. Travellers should check directly with the destination embassy before booking.
Outside Europe, some states extend visa-free access to refugees with a 1951 Convention travel document; others require a visa. Several common holiday destinations require a visa from CTD holders even where the holder's national passport would be visa-free. The destination's own immigration authority page is the source of truth.
This guide deliberately avoids listing specific countries as definitively visa-free. The lists move, sometimes at short notice, and a list that was accurate a year ago may not be accurate today. Reliable practice is to ask the destination embassy in writing before paying for flights or accommodation.
Countries that require a visa even for refugees
Several destinations require a visa for travel document holders even where the underlying refugee status would otherwise be recognised. The United States, for example, requires a visa from all foreign travellers and does not extend the Visa Waiver Programme to travel document holders; CTD holders generally need a B-1 or B-2 visitor visa applied for at the US embassy in London. Canada and Australia similarly require their own visitor visas; the eTA programmes are not open to travel document holders.
Within Europe, some non-Schengen states require visas in their own right. Several Gulf and Middle East destinations require visas from CTD holders even where the holder's nationality would be eligible for a visa-on-arrival regime. South-East Asian destinations vary widely; some recognise CTDs, others do not. Travel within Africa and Latin America also varies by country.
The two implications for planning are simple. First, allow time. Embassy visa applications routinely take two to six weeks and sometimes longer. Second, allow budget. Visa fees for short visits, biometric appointments at consular sections, and supporting documents add up.
How to check visa requirements before booking
The reliable sequence for checking a destination's stance on a UK travel document is:
- Go to the destination country's foreign ministry or immigration authority page. Find the visa rules section. Many ministries publish a table for visa-exempt nationalities and a separate note on refugee and stateless travel documents.
- If the destination's page is silent on UK travel documents, contact the destination's embassy or consulate in London. Embassies are accustomed to this question and will confirm the position in writing for travel document holders. Keep the email reply as evidence at the airport.
- Check the carrier's documentation requirements. Airlines run boarding checks against IATA Timatic. A carrier may refuse boarding even where the destination would in principle admit the holder, if the Timatic entry is not clear.
- For Schengen states, contact the consulate of the country of first entry. The Schengen Borders Code requires applications to the country of main destination, but for visa-required cases the country of first entry's consulate is the practical contact point.
- Carry the original travel document, all visa correspondence, and proof of UK residence. UK Border Force checks the document on return alongside the eVisa record linked to the holder's UKVI account.
This sequence is slower than booking a holiday on a UK passport, but it is robust. Skipping any step risks refusal of boarding or refusal of entry at the destination.
Travel document and UK re-entry
A UK travel document is also the document the holder uses to leave and re-enter the UK. It is issued only to people with UK leave; the leave itself is what permits re-entry. The travel document records the holder's identity. The eVisa record, accessed through the UKVI account, records the underlying immigration status.
Carriers boarding a passenger to the UK check both the travel document and the eVisa status. Travel document holders should make sure their UKVI account is set up and accessible before travelling. The setup is described at GOV.UK: eVisa. The travel document validity must extend through the trip and ideally beyond it; many destinations require six months' validity on arrival.
If a CTD or stateless document is lost abroad, replacement is more complex than for a national passport because there is no UK consulate able to issue an emergency CTD overseas. Holders typically need to contact the Home Office through the UK embassy in the destination country and apply for an emergency replacement. The Home Office maintains specific guidance for these situations.
Frequently asked questions
Is a UK Convention Travel Document accepted in the Schengen Area?
Most Schengen states recognise the 1951 Convention Travel Document, but visa-free entry for short stays is not automatic and depends on each Schengen state's own rules for UK-issued CTDs. Some require a Schengen visa even for short visits. Always confirm with the destination's embassy in the UK before booking.
What is the difference between a CTD and a Certificate of Travel?
A Convention Travel Document is issued to people granted refugee status and is recognised under the 1951 Refugee Convention by states party to that Convention. A Certificate of Travel is a UK-only Home Office document for people who cannot obtain a national passport but do not fall within the refugee or stateless categories. The Certificate of Travel has much narrower international recognition.
Can I travel to the US on a UK travel document?
UK travel documents (CTD, Stateless Travel Document, Certificate of Travel) are not eligible for the US Visa Waiver Programme or for ESTA. Travel to the US requires a visitor visa applied for at the US embassy in London. The same applies to Canadian and Australian travel: their eTA schemes do not extend to UK travel document holders.
Does a UK travel document show my nationality?
A CTD records that the holder is a refugee under the 1951 Convention and typically does not record a nationality. A Stateless Travel Document records that the holder is stateless. A Certificate of Travel may record a nominal nationality if one is known. The position is set by the Home Office policy on UK travel documents.
How long is a UK travel document valid for?
UK travel documents are issued with a validity tied to the holder's immigration leave. CTDs for refugees are typically issued for the duration of the holder's leave to remain, up to ten years. Certificates of Travel are usually issued for shorter periods. Validity and current fees are published at GOV.UK: apply for a Home Office travel document.
Can I be refused a UK travel document?
Yes. The Home Office can refuse a travel document application on grounds set out in the policy guidance, including where the applicant could reasonably obtain a national passport, or where there are public-policy reasons against issuing. A refusal can be challenged through internal Home Office channels and, in some cases, through judicial review.
Where do I check visa requirements for the country I want to visit?
Check the destination state's foreign ministry or immigration authority page, then contact the destination's embassy in London for confirmation in writing for a travel document holder. Airline boarding is also keyed to IATA Timatic, so the airline's documentation requirements should be checked at booking. Do not rely on commercial visa-list aggregators; they are often out of date for refugee and stateless travel documents.
