In This Section

What is a travel document?
Who can apply for a travel document?
How do I apply?
What happens next?
Relevant links

What is a travel document?

A travel document allows refugees who cannot get a passport, to travel outside Ireland.

It is an official travel document and is issued by the Irish government.

To get a travel document you must be eligible under Section 55 of the International Protection Act 2015.

Please read the information below carefully in order to see if you are eligible to apply.

Who can apply for a travel document?

You may be eligible to apply for a travel document if you hold any of the following permissions:

If you have been declared a refugee under the International Protection Act 2015, you may apply for a travel document. This is also called having refugee status.

You may also apply for a travel document for your family member if:

  • Your family member has been granted permission to travel to Ireland to join you by way of family reunification pursuant to the International Protection Act 2015.

Your family member must show that they have tried and are unable to get a passport or travel document from their country of nationality. In such cases, we may issue travel documents to the family member via the relevant Irish embassy. We can only do this after their identity is verified at the relevant Irish Embassy. Travel documents are then dispatched to the embassy for collection by the relevant family member.

If you have been declared a programme refugee under section 59 of the International protection Act 2015, you may apply for a travel document.

You may also apply for a travel document for your family member if:

  • Your family member has been granted permission to travel to Ireland to join you by way of family reunification,

Your family member must show that they have tried and are unable to get a passport or travel document from their country of nationality. In such cases, we may issue travel documents to the family member via the relevant Irish embassy. We can only do this after their identity is verified there. Travel documents are then dispatched to the embassy in the region for collection by the relevant family member.

If you have been given subsidiary protection status under the International Protection Act 2015, you may apply for a travel document.

NOTE: A travel document will only be issued where a person is unable to obtain a national passport in order to travel to Ireland and can demonstrate that they have tried and been refused this request.

You may also apply for a travel document for your family member if:

  • Your family member has been granted permission to travel to Ireland to join you by way of family reunification pursuant to the International Protection Act 2015.

Your family member must show that they have tried and are unable to get a passport or travel document from their country of nationality. In such cases, we may issue travel documents to the family member via the relevant Irish embassy. We can only do this after their identity is verified there. Travel documents are then dispatched to the embassy for collection by the relevant family member.

How do I apply?

Click the following link for the online application form.

We strongly recommend using our online service to apply for your travel document.

This is part of our ongoing commitment to making the process easier and faster for you and your family members.

  • You will be guided through what is needed to make a successful application
  • You can also pay your application fee online when you complete your application. The application fee is €55 for a travel document. The application fee is non-refundable. Payments can be made with a debit card or credit card. Follow on-screen instructions to pay your fee.

NOTE: While we strongly urge you to use our online application service, we will accept paper applications. Please register for or log into your Customer Service account, where you can request a copy of the new paper application form.

You can apply for a travel document if you are outside Ireland and are legally entitled to an Irish travel document.

All persons who have been granted family reunification under Section 56 of the International Protection Act and who cannot access a national passport should apply on a paper application form.

To apply by post:

1. Please register for or log into your Customer Service account, where you can request a paper application form.
2. Send your application form plus all required documentation to:
Travel Document Section
Repatriation Division
Immigration Service Delivery
Department of Justice
13-14 Burgh Quay
Dublin 2
D02 XK70
NOTE: Please leave blank any sections requiring Garda facilitation. Please let us know which Irish embassy you can attend.
3. Attend your nearest Irish Embassy to complete your application. We will let you know when to go to the Embassy. You will have the rest of your application completed and witnessed. Embassy staff will return this information to our Dublin office.
4. If your application is successful, your travel document will be sent to the Irish Embassy for collection by you.

You may need a travel document due to a genuine emergency, which requires you to travel abroad. To do this:

Applications will be considered urgent only if extraordinary circumstances apply such as the need for emergency medical treatment, death or serious illness of a family member.

NOTE: Applications to travel for medical treatment will need to be verified by a letter from your GP or consultant in Ireland.

Also, be aware of the following:

1. Always check the visa and entry requirements of the country you are intending to visit. You must show us proof that you will be able to enter that country.

2. We cannot guarantee that your application for a travel document will be completed in time to facilitate an emergency.

What happens next?

It currently takes 26 weeks to process applications for a travel document.

Your application will only be processed when we receive a fully completed application. Incomplete applications will be returned to you. This means that your application will delayed if you do not fully complete the online or paper application.

Applicants are advised not to pay for airline or ferry tickets without having first been issued with a travel document.

NOTE: Travel document applications are processed in Immigration Service Delivery (ISD). Travel document booklets are then printed by the Passport Office which is not under the control of the Travel Document Section in ISD.

Relevant links

Your application will only be processed when we receive a fully completed application. Incomplete applications will be returned to you. This means that your application will delayed if you do not fully complete the online or paper application.

You may need to include photos, affidavits or other documents with your application.

Click on the following links to find out what we require in order to process your application as quickly as possible.

Travel Documents are issued under Section 55 of the International Protection Act 2015. Click here for more details.

This page was last updated on October 23, 2024