TD112 (Rev12))

Revision 12

Home Office
Travel
Document
Guidance
Booklet

In addition to this guidance booklet, you will also need to obtain the
documents named below if you don’t already have them:

HOME OFFICE TRAVEL DOCUMENT APPLICATION FORM

(TD112 Rev 12) AND TRAVEL DOCUMENT PHOTOGRAPH
GUIDANCE FOR HOME OFFICE TRAVEL
DOCUMENT APPLICATIONS.

You can download these from www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk or

request them by telephone from 0870 241 0645.

THE ADDRESS TO WHICH YOU MUST POST YOUR

TRAVEL DOCUMENT APPLICATION FORM TD112
(COMPLETE WITH ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS,
FEES, AND BY RECORDED DELIVERY) IS:
Border and Immigration Agency
Travel Documents FPU
Home Office
Lunar House
40 Wellesley Road
Croydon
CR9 2BY

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 GUIDANCE NOTES: FORM TD112 - please read these notes before completing the form

Do you qualify for a Travel Document? You must fulfil both these criteria

1. You should have more than 6 months outstanding leave to enter/remain before
applying for a Travel Document.

What if you don't have enough leave?

Other countries will often not accept a Travel Document with less than 6 months validity on return to the

 United Kingdom. If you have 6 months or less outstanding leave to enter or remain (at the time of your
application for a Travel Document) you can apply for an extension, although no guarantee can be given that
further leave will be granted. Please telephone 0870 241 0645 to obtain an application form for further leave.
If further leave is granted you can apply for a Travel Document.
- Please do not send applications for further leave to the Travel Documents Section.

2. You must be lawfully resident in the UK in one of the following groups (as shown in correspondence from
the Home Office)

GRANT OF ASYLUM
• You have been recognised as a refugee under the terms of the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating
to the Status of Refugees.
• You can apply for a Convention Travel Document (blue).

STATELESS PERSON
• You have been recognised as a stateless person under the terms of the 1954 United Nations Convention
Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons.
• You can apply for a Stateless Persons' Document (red).

INDEFINITE LEAVE TO REMAIN (but have not been recognised as a refugee).

• You must have been granted indefinite leave to remain.
• To qualify for a document you must also provide documentary evidence to show that you have been formally and
unreasonably refused a Passport/Travel Document by your own National Authority.
This means that you will have to apply for a Passport/Travel Document from your own National Authority before
applying for a Home Office Travel Document.
• If your application for a Passport/Travel Document from your own authority is formally and unreasonably refused,
you can apply for a Home Office Certificate of Identity (brown).

LIMITED LEAVE TO ENTER/ REMAIN (Grants of limited leave to remain include:

- exceptional leave to enter/remain
- discretionary leave to enter/remain
- grant of humanitarian protection.)
• Grants of exceptional or discretionary leave to enter/remain, and humanitarian protection are known as limited leave,
as they are granted with a time limit. They must be based on a failed asylum claim to qualify for a Home Office
Travel Document.
• To qualify for a document you must also provide documentary evidence to show that you have been formally and
unreasonably refused a Passport/Travel Document by your own National Authority. This means that you will have to
apply for a Passport/Travel Document from your own National Authority before applying for a Home Office
Travel Document.
• If your application for a Passport/Travel Document from your own authority is formally and unreasonably refused,
then you can apply for a Home Office Certificate of Identity (brown).

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 The table below will help you understand which document you can apply for. You may have been
issued with a different document when you were granted leave in the United Kingdom, but the
list contains those most frequently issued to persons who may qualify for a Travel Document.

Possible Status Letter / Document Adult Child (Aged 15

or under)
Convention Travel ACD 0122 / ACD 2151 / ADL 1 / ASL 2167 / GEN 23 / £66 £45
Document GEN 22 / ICD 0726

Certificate of Identity ACD 1047 / ACD 1080 / ACD 2164 / ACD 2168 / ACD £210 £130
2169 / ADL 27 / GEN 19 / ICD 0009 /
ICD 0128 / ICD 0717 / RON 58 / RON 60

How to apply for a Travel Document

What to do first:

Please check that you have all the documents needed for your application:
• Two identical endorsed colour photographs should be submitted.
• Please enclose either the original or a copy of your valid status letter from the Home Office
that shows that you have permission to stay in the United Kingdom and/or a copy of your
UK residence permit if you have one.
• Enclose any Passport or Travel Document that you have.

Certificates of Identity (brown document) rules and exceptions

If you are applying for a Certificate of Identity, you will need to apply for a Passport/Travel
Document from your own National Authority first. If your application for a Passport/Travel Document
has been formally and unreasonably refused, notification of this refusal should be submitted with
your application for a Home Office Travel Document.

You must also show why the refusal is unreasonable. The following are examples of what we would
not consider to be unreasonable. As such we would not issue a Home Office Travel Document:
• You have been refused a Passport because you have not completed military service.
• You have been refused a Passport because you did not provide evidence to confirm
your identity.
• You have been refused a Passport because you have a criminal record in your country.

If you have been granted humanitarian protection and we have accepted you have a fear of your
national authority, this does not apply to you. If not, you will need to:

• complete section 6 of the application form, and

• prove that you have been unreasonably refused a passport by your own
national authority.
This applies whether you have limited or indefinite leave to remain.

Some nationals are currently unable to provide the necessary evidence of a formal and
unreasonable refusal (section 6). If this applies to you because:

• you do not have an embassy in the UK, or

• you have an embassy which is currently unable to process your passport application and has
refused to accept your application, section 6 may be waived. If section 6 is waived, you may

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only be eligible for a CID valid for one year, rather than for 5 years or in line with the period of
leave you have been granted. This will depend on the circumstances of your Embassy’s inability or
unwillingness to process your passport application.

If this applies to you because you have an application for a passport outstanding with your
embassy, but this process will take an unreasonable length of time, section 6 still applies. We will,
however, consider waiving section 6 and issuing a Certificate of Identity in compelling and
compassionate cases, on condition that proof of an urgent need to travel is provided.

People in this position, who have an urgent need to travel should send:

· An explanation of why you are not able to comply with section 6;

· Documentary evidence of your need to travel;
· A receipt from your embassy for your passport application; and
· Completed TD 112 (application form), photographs and fee.

Essential travel must be under at least one of the following categories. A holiday is not considered
an urgent reason for travel. You must provide documentary evidence of your need for travel.
1. Travel for essential employment/business related reason

2. Travel on compassionate grounds

3. Travel for essential educational trips

4. Travel for religious reasons and other compelling

reasons of conscience

What to do next:

• Please carefully check that you have completed each section relevant to your application and
that you have enclosed the necessary documents.
• If, after posting, you realise that you have forgotten to enclose something, please do not send it
separately, as this will only delay the application further. Your application will be returned to you
with a request for any missing information/documents.
• If other members of your family are applying for Travel Documents, please enclose all
applications in one envelope.

Checking the progress of your application:

The Travel Documents Section does not have a Public Caller Unit. Visiting any
 other Public Caller Unit will not enable you to check the progress of your application or
submit any documents in support of your application. If you wish to check on the
progress of your application you should call the number provided below. If there is a problem with
your application we will let you know as soon as we can. If you need to contact us, call the
Immigration and Nationality Enquiry Bureau on: 0870 606 7766.

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Lost or stolen Travel Documents:
• If your previous Travel Document has been lost or stolen or is otherwise unavailable it may take
longer to issue a replacement because the Home Office needs to undertake enquiries.
• Please remember that the checks made before issuing a Travel Document are necessary to
prevent the misuse of identities and on occasion enquiries may take time to resolve.
• All applications to replace lost or stolen Travel Documents require a full police report and
a clear and concise explanation detailing the circumstances of the loss.

Priority requests
ALL applications are dealt with in the order in which they are received.
• The Home Office will only consider dealing with an application out of turn if there is a medical
emergency or a family funeral. In this case documentary evidence must be submitted in the
form of a recent medical report, doctor’s letter or death certificate by fax on 020 8760 3385
before we can consider giving an application priority.
If no evidence is submitted, or it is decided that priority is not appropriate, the application
will remain in the queue and will be dealt with in date order.

Children
It is not possible for children to be named on the Travel Document of their
parent or guardian. Children who wish to hold a Travel Document should apply
using a separate application form. Children who are aged 15 or under can obtain a
child’s document. Applicants aged 16 or over must apply for an adult document.
The Travel Documents Section does not grant leave. Children should have more than 6 months
leave to remain in this country when applying for a Travel Document.
Children should normally travel on a British passport if they were born in the United Kingdom:
• before 1 January 1983 or
• on or after 1 January 1983 to a parent who was a British Citizen on the date
of the child’s birth or
• on or after 1 January 1983 to a parent who was settled in this country on the date
of the child’s birth.
Further information on nationality of children born in the United Kingdom on or after 1 January
1983 is available from the Nationality Directorate, India Buildings, Water Street, Liverpool, L2 0QN.
Telephone: 0845-010-5200
If you require further application forms they can be obtained from the Application Forms Unit on
0870 241 0645
This number is for application form requests only.
You can also download the application form from the BIA website www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk

Where can you travel using your Travel Document?

Convention Travel Documents (blue):
• Travel Documents will normally be valid for travel to all countries except those from which
asylum was sought and/or your country of origin.
Stateless Persons’ Documents (red):
• Travel Documents will normally be valid for travel to all countries.
Certificates of Identity (brown):
• Travel Documents will normally be valid for travel to all countries except those from which
asylum was sought and/or your country of origin.
Countries that are party to the Schengen agreement, along with the Republic of South Africa, will
often not accept a Home Office Certificate of Identity as a valid travel document. You should
check with the Embassy of the country you wish to travel to before applying.

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NOTE for sections 6

Passport/National Authorities:

If you have been accepted in this country as a refugee under the terms of the 1951 United Nations
Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, or as a stateless person under the terms of the 1954
United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, you are not required to complete
this section.

All other applicants: You are required to complete this section.

Please read the guidance notes on Certificates of Identity (rules and exceptions)

NOTE for sections 7 & 8

Please use the following guide to determine how to complete these sections:

The applicant is aged 15 or under • Parent/guardian/person with parental

The applicant is aged 16 or 17
The applicant is aged 18 or over
responsibility signs section 7.
• Leave section 8 blank.
• Parent/guardian/person with parental
responsibility signs section 7.
• Applicant signs section 8.
• Leave section 7 blank.
• Applicant signs section 8.

Applicant’s declaration
Your signature will be scanned. Please make sure it stays within the border (as shown below).

Signature
John Smith

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NOTE for sections 9

Photographs

Please read the photograph guidance leaflet enclosed with your application.

Please send two recent colour photographs. They must be:

- identical
- full face
- face uncovered
- clear and of good quality (preferably in a matt finish) - taken against a white background
- 45mm x 35mm (do not cut to size)
- taken within six months of the date of application.

• If you wear glasses, care must be taken to ensure that the light of the flash is not reflected in the
lens of the glasses. Dark glasses are not acceptable.

• The photographs should not be pinned, stapled, glued or taped to the application form.

• If you are applying for your first travel document, or to replace a lost or stolen document,
you must make sure one of your photographs is countersigned. If you are applying for a
renewal and are enclosing your previous Home Office Travel Document, you will not
need to have your photographs countersigned unless your appearance has changed
significantly.

I confirm that the • The countersignatory must endorse one photograph on the back with the
enclosed
photographs are a
words “I confirm that the enclosed photographs are a true and
true and correct correct likeness of…” giving the full name and Home Office
likeness of… (name reference number of the person whose details are given in section 1.
of applicant).
Home Office Ref.
The professional person should sign the endorsed photograph.
Signature of
professional
person.

Who can endorse your photographs and application?

Your photograph should be countersigned by one of the following:

• Bank Manager
• Doctor
• Legal Advisors regulated by the OISC at level 1 or above
• Legal Advisors accredited under the Immigration and Asylum Accreditation Scheme at
probationer level or above
• Magistrate
• Minister of Religion
• Police Officer
• Prison Officer
• Probation Officer
• Social Worker
• Solicitor
• Teacher

We would ask that you avoid unnecessary delay to your application by ensuring that ONLY
persons whose profession is listed above endorse your photographs.

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CONTACTING US AFTER YOU HAVE APPLIED
You may need to contact us after you have applied - either
because we have asked you to send us more information to
support your application or to tell us you need your Passport or
other document urgently.
If sending us more information about your application,
please use the following address (not the address to which you
posted your application):
Border and Immigration Agency
Travel Documents Section
Lunar House
40 Wellesley Road
Croydon
CR9 2BY
Please give the following details in your letter:
- the applicants full name, date of birth and nationality
- any Recorded or Special Delivery number
- the date the application was posted
- the Home Office reference number, if you have one
Please do not send fees to this address. We will write to
you to request further payment if it is required.
OBTAINING ANOTHER FORM
You can obtain another form from the application Forms Unit on
0870 241 0645 or by downloading it from our website at
www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk
OTHER TELEPHONE ENQUIRIES
For enquiries other than obtaining an application form call
0870 606 7766.
CHOOSING AN IMMIGRATION ADVISOR
This form is designed to let you make your own application. If
you engage an immigration adviser, you should take care when
choosing one. The Office of the Immigration Services
Commissioner (OISC) regulates immigration advisers. It also
has links to websites for solicitors, barristers and legal
executives. You can visit their website at www.oisc.gov.uk.
If you have a complaint about an immigration adviser or need
other information, the OISC contact details are:
Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner
5th Floor
Counting House
53 Tooley Street
London
SE1 2QN
Telephone: 0845 000 0046
Alternatively, the Law Society, which regulates solicitors in
England and Wales, can help you find a solicitor. You can
contact them on 0870 606 6575 or visit their website at
www.solicitors-online.com
If you wish to complain about a solicitor you can contact the
Law Society’s Consumer Complaints Service helpline on
0845 608 6565 or write to them at:
The Law Society
Victoria Court
8 Dormer Place
Leamington Spa
Warwickshire
CV32 5AE
COMPLAINTS ABOUT OUR SERVICE
If you want advice on how to make a complaint about the
service you have received from the Border and Immigration
Agency please telephone 0870 241 6523 or visit our website at
www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk
You may complain in writing to:
BIA Customer Focus Team
PO Box 1384
Croydon
CR9 3YJ
Or by email to: ind.cu@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
DATA PROTECTION NOTICE
All information provided by you to the Home Office will be
treated in confidence but it may be disclosed to other
government departments, agencies, local authorities, the police,
foreign governments and other bodies for immigration purposes
or to enable them to perform their functions.
The Border and Immigration Agency may also use the
information provided by you for training purposes.
The information in the Payment Details page will be known to a
private contractor engaged by the Home Office to process
application payments.
TRAVEL DOCUMENT CHECKLIST
1. Status - You should be able to tick at least one of the
boxes in this section before you apply for a Travel
Document. See page 2 of the guidance booklet.
Refugee status.
Stateless person.
Indefinite leave to enter/remain.
Exceptional leave to enter/remain, or discretionary leave to
enter/remain or humanitarian protection Witten evidence has
been submitted of a formal and unreasonable Passport/Travel
Document refusal from my national authority.
2. Fees- have you enclosed the correct fee?
£66 (£45 for a child) for a Convention Travel Document or
Stateless Persons Document or IS 137.
£210 (£130 for a child) for a Certificate of Identity
(brown document).
3. Photographs- Please read the guidance notes
for a full explanation of our requirements.
Have you enclosed two (2) identical, suitably endorsed and
signed colour photographs?
4. Enclosures.
Your valid status letter and/or UK residence permit if you
have one (original or copy).
Current or expired Passports or Travel Documents
(original documents required).
Proof of change of name if required- see application form
page five (originals required).
If you are aged 17 or under and section 7 has been
completed by a person who does not have legal
responsibility, provide signed evidence that the person with
parental responsibility agrees to this application.
To avoid delays - have you filled in all sections of the
application form which apply to you?