Who can apply
There are 2 types of travel documents for non-Canadians:
- refugee travel document
- We issue these to protected persons in Canada, including Convention refugees and persons in need of protection.
- certificate of identity
- We issue these to permanent residents of Canada who either
- are not protected persons and are stateless or
- can’t obtain a passport from their country or a travel document from any other source
- We issue these to permanent residents of Canada who either
You have to be in Canada to apply for a travel document.
Once we receive your application, we decide
- which type of travel document to give you
- how long it will be valid for
You can't use these documents to travel to your country of citizenship.
You should contact the embassy of the country you plan to visit (opens in a new tab) to check if your travel document will be accepted.
Travel documents for children
You may apply for a travel document for a child (under the age of 16) if you are 1 of the following:
- one of the child’s parents with proof of parentage
- the person with decision-making responsibility and all the necessary valid legal documents (opens in a new tab) if you are separated or divorced Updated February 2026
- the child’s legal guardian with proof of legal guardianship and all the necessary valid legal documents (opens in a new tab)
If any of the other parents or legal guardians are deceased
You must submit the original death certificate(s) or an official copy issued by either
- a provincial or territorial vital statistics office, or
- if you’re outside Canada, an equivalent office
A statement of death issued by a funeral home is not an acceptable death certificate.
When completing section 2 of the application, give as much information on the deceased parent(s) or legal guardian(s) as possible.
If you can’t provide a death certificate, contact us.