Travel documents for people with refugee or subsidiary protection status

Rules

You are eligible to apply to the Minister for Justice and Equality for a travel document if you:

• Have been granted refugee status in accordance with the Geneva Convention of 1951
• Are a family member of a person with refugee status who has been granted family reunification
• Have been declared stateless in accordance with the New York Convention of 1954
• Have been granted subsidiary protection. (Family members who have been granted permission to remain in Ireland as a result are also eligible to apply for a travel document)
• Have been declared a Programme refugee in accordance with section 24 of the Refugee Act 1996 as amended

If you have refugee status or subsidiary protection, you may travel freely in and out of the state with this document. You may travel to most EU states with this document without the need to obtain a visa. However, some countries require a visa, so it is always advisable to check with the embassy of whichever country you intend travelling to about visa requirements. You do not require a re-entry visa to come back into Ireland.

Children

Your children need their own travel document. An application for a child must be accompanied by the child’s birth certificate and evidence that the child is resident in Ireland. Travel documents for children aged from 5 to 17 years are valid for up to 10 years. A travel document for a child aged under 5 is valid for up to 5 years.

Alternative travel document

If you have do not have refugee status or subsidiary protection but have been granted permission to remain in Ireland, you should apply for a passport to the embassy of your country. In some exceptional cases people who have been granted permission to remain and who do not have a passport, may be issued with an alternative travel document by the Minister for Justice and Equality.

If you are issued with an alternative travel document, it will be valid until the expiry date of your Certificate of Registration (GNIB card). You must obtain a re-entry visa before you leave the State otherwise you may have difficulties re-entering. You also need a visa to enter other EU countries.