Protected persons in Canada — Convention refugees and persons in need of protection determined by the IRB — are often unable to use their national passport to travel. A Convention refugee who returns to their country of nationality risks undermining their refugee claim (see the cessation provisions under IRPA s 108). Canada issues a refugee travel document to allow protected persons to travel internationally without relying on a passport issued by the country from which they fled.

The refugee travel document is a Convention travel document issued in accordance with Schedule VI of the 1951 Refugee Convention. It is not a Canadian passport and does not confer citizenship, but it allows the holder to travel to countries that recognise it and to re-enter Canada.

• 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, Schedule VI — the Schedule sets out the travel document for refugees
• IRCC: Travel documents for non-Canadians — canada.ca/travel-documents-non-canadians
• IRCC: Who can apply for a travel document — canada.ca/travel-document-eligibility

Who can apply

A person must be in Canada and must be a protected person — that is, a person who has been determined by the IRB's Refugee Protection Division (RPD) to be either a Convention refugee or a person in need of protection under IRPA s 95 and s 96/97. Government-assisted refugees who have arrived in Canada and have been granted protected person status are also eligible.

A person whose refugee claim is still pending (a refugee claimant) cannot apply for a refugee travel document — the document is only available once protected person status has been recognised.

The restriction on travel to the country of citizenship

The refugee travel document is not valid for travel to the bearer's country of citizenship. This restriction is absolute — it is printed on the document itself. Travelling to the country of citizenship on a refugee travel document is not permitted, and doing so may be relevant to a cessation application under IRPA s 108(1)(a) (re-availment of the protection of the country of nationality).

A protected person who wishes to travel to their country of citizenship for compelling reasons (such as the death of a family member) should seek legal advice before doing so — such travel may put their protected person status and eventual permanent residence at risk.

How to apply

Applications for refugee travel documents are submitted to the Passport Program (administered by IRCC). The applicable forms are:

• PPTC 190 — adult refugee travel document application
• PPTC 192 — child (under 16) refugee travel document application

Completed applications are mailed to the Passport Program. The application requires proof of protected person status (the IRB decision or letter confirming status), proof of identity, and passport-standard photos. For current application requirements, forms, and where to submit, refer to the IRCC application instructions page.

Fees

Fees for travel documents increased as of March 31, 2026. For current fee amounts, refer to the IRCC travel document fees page.

Certificate of identity

A separate document — the Certificate of Identity — is available for persons who are lawfully in Canada but who are not protected persons and who cannot obtain a national passport (for example, stateless persons, or persons who have been recognised as having a well-founded fear but whose claim was not determined by the IRB). The Certificate of Identity and the refugee travel document are different documents with different eligibility criteria. For details, refer to the IRCC travel documents page.

Recognition by other countries

The refugee travel document is recognised by countries that are parties to the 1951 Refugee Convention or the 1967 Protocol. However, not all countries accept Canadian refugee travel documents for entry — applicants should check entry requirements for the destination country with the relevant embassy or consulate before travelling.

For all current information — fees, forms, processing times, and submission address — refer to the IRCC travel documents for non-Canadians page. This information changes periodically.

Permanent residents who are protected persons and have obtained Canadian permanent residence may later become eligible for a Canadian passport once they acquire Canadian citizenship. Until then, they must use either a refugee travel document or their national passport (with the caveat that using the national passport may affect their refugee protection status).