HomeBritish CitizenshipTravel Documents & Passports
UK travel documents and British passports
First British passports, nationality that needs proving before a passport can be issued, and Home Office travel documents for people who cannot get a passport from their own country. We work out which document you are entitled to and prepare the application.
Written by Dipendra Fakira, Supervising Immigration Caseworker · Reviewed by Georgette Thomas, Principal Solicitor · Last reviewed 12 July 2026
At a glance
Home Office fee
Varies by document type
Decision time
Standard Home Office processing
Routes covered
Refugee, certificate of travel, stateless, one-way
What it does not do
Travel document only, not a passport
Home Office fees and thresholds change - check gov.uk for the current figures. We confirm them in writing when we quote you.
First British passports
A first adult or child passport application needs more than a form. You must prove your identity - usually a birth or adoption certificate - and, if you were not born in the UK, prove your British nationality with a certificate of registration or naturalisation. You also need compliant photographs, a referee to confirm your identity and evidence of any name change.
Where nationality is disputed or the paperwork is missing - common for people born abroad to British parents, or where the law changed between generations - we establish the claim first, then prepare the passport application on top of it.
Home Office travel documents
If you are not British and cannot use or obtain a passport from your country of nationality, the Home Office can issue a travel document instead. Which one depends on your status:
- Refugee travel document - for people with refugee status, and family members who joined them on family reunion. It replaces the national passport for international travel.
- Certificate of travel - for people with humanitarian protection, and for others with permission to stay who cannot reasonably get a national passport or an emergency document from their own authorities.
What travel documents cannot do
A refugee travel document does not permit travel to the country you fled - going back can put your status at risk. Some countries do not recognise a certificate of travel at all, so check before booking. We advise on both points as part of the application.
What it costs
| Service | Our fixed fee |
|---|---|
Full application package Passport or travel document - eligibility, evidence, forms and submission | £358–£720 + VAT |
Single services Form filling, document checking, certified copies or a supporting letter | £21–£538 + VAT |
Initial consultation We tell you which document your status entitles you to | from £50 + VAT |
UK travel documents - four different rules
Travel document and passport questions
A refugee travel document is issued if you have refugee status or humanitarian protection. A certificate of travel is issued if you have some other form of leave and are formally and unreasonably unable to obtain a passport from your country of nationality. They look similar; the eligibility rules are different.
No. A refugee travel document is not valid for travel to the country you were recognised as a refugee from. Doing so risks your refugee status and your leave in the UK. If you need to travel there for a compelling reason, take legal advice first.
Processing times are published by the Home Office and change through the year. Standard applications commonly take several months. Priority is not usually available, so plan around this - book flights only when the document is in your hand.
Refugee travel documents and stateless person documents are usually valid for up to ten years, or the length of your leave if shorter. Certificates of travel are usually valid for the length of your leave, up to five years.
It varies by destination and by the type of document. Many countries still require a visa. Check the embassy of each country before you book - a UK travel document does not carry the same visa-free access as a British passport.
You need to be a British citizen first - either by naturalisation, registration or birth. Indefinite leave to remain alone does not entitle you to a passport. We handle the citizenship step, and HM Passport Office issues the passport separately.
If you have ILR and cannot reasonably get a new passport from your country of nationality, you may be eligible for a certificate of travel. The Home Office expects to see the steps you have taken to renew it first - keep every letter and receipt.
The UK allows dual nationality. Whether your country of origin allows it is a separate question - some do, some do not, and some treat naturalisation elsewhere as automatic loss. Check before you naturalise if this matters to you.
Not sure which document you are entitled to?
Book an initial consultation, from £50 + VAT. We will tell you which application fits your status and what evidence it needs.