Refugee travel document

The travel document for refugees ( colloquially Convention Pass) is a substitute for a passport, which is issued to a refugee under the Geneva Refugee Convention (GRC ). The legal basis is Article 28 of the GRP. Is exhibition reason that refugee protection is provided against persecution measures in the country of origin and if it is therefore unreasonable to place themselves under the protection of that country, for it can be issue by the State in a regular passport.

Issuing scheme and use

The procedures for issuing travel documents for refugees are regulated in the Annex to the FRP closer. After that applies, inter alia:

  • The travel document must be written in at least two languages ​​and at least in English or French.
  • In children it may be listed.
  • The fees for the exhibition must not be higher than for regular passports, the outputs of exhibitors State to its own nationals.
  • Except in special cases, the travel document should be valid worldwide.
  • It is issued for one or two years.
  • The reissue and extension carried out by the exhibitor state of the previous card. But if the owner has settled in another state and lived there allowed, the responsibility is transferred to the new host country. This pulls the old travel document for refugees and sends him back to the exhibitor either state or destroyed him.
  • For this purpose, authorized foreign representatives of the issuing State, the journey passes for half a year can extend.
  • The States Parties to the Geneva Convention must recognize the travel documents for refugees of other States Parties in principle.
  • The travel document for refugees visas can be attached.
  • If a visa of a target state is present, transit countries should issue transit visas, if no refusal reason.
  • No fees may be required for the visa, which exceed the minimum fees for visas issued to foreigners.
  • Each exhibitor State must take back the owner again during the period of validity of the travel document for refugees; Visas and other formalities may also be required.
  • The travel document for refugees conveys no diplomatic and consular protection.

Other international legal provisions; Schengen law

The European Agreement on the Abolition of Visas for Refugees of 20 April 1959, a Europe Agreement provides for visa-free travel of refugees who travel with travel documents of the Parties.

Parties are currently: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia, Spain, Czech Republic and the United Kingdom. France and the United Kingdom have ratified the Convention, but in the meantime according to a clause that allows, say they will not use it until further notice.

Visa -free travel with the refugee travel document is possible to France, but not in the UK.

( Federal Law Gazette 1962 II, p 2331, 2332 Agreement between the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Swiss Federal Council on the Abolition of Visas for Refugees on May 4, 1961), an agreement was with similar objectives concluded between Switzerland and the Federal Republic of Germany.

Regarding the visa requirement for stay of up to three months in a half year to holders of refugee passports in the Schengen states otherwise because it

  • Subject to the visa requirement if the issuer of the card state in which they reside, is listed in the list of visa requirements,
  • However, they may be exempted from the visa requirement by the various Schengen states if this State is not listed in the list of visa-free countries.

(Article 3 of Regulation ( EC) No 539 /2001)

German law

  • Foreign Travel documents for refugees who have been ( ie states) issued by the Geneva Convention, approved in Germany readily as passport replacement ( § 3 para 3, No. 1, § 1 para 3 of the Residence Regulations [ AufenthV ] ).
  • Holders of foreign travel documents for foreigners are exempted for entry and short stay from the requirement of a visa or residence permit, if the identity card of an EU or an EEA country, Switzerland or a country is exhibited whose nationals can einfreien a visa for short stays, should be if the travel document contains a return permit, which is still valid for four months from the date of entry, and no employment in the legal sense exercised stay (§ 18 sentence 1 of the Residence ). The four month period shall not apply to the States in which the European Agreement on the Abolition of Visas for Refugees of 20 April 1959 shall apply (§ 18 sentence 2 of the Residence ).
  • German travel documents for refugees are passport substitute documents ( § 4 para 1 No. 3 AufenthV ). They are usually removed when the issue are no longer fulfilled ( § 4 para 7 AufenthV ).
  • The patterns of the German travel documents for refugees in the schedule D7a to stay Regulation or ( preliminary document ) in the plant D7b set ( § 58 No. 7 AufenthV ).
  • For the exhibition will be in accordance with § 48 Section 1 No. 1 a and b and d AufenthV fee of 59 euros, less than 24 years of 37.50 euros, less than 12 years of 13 Euros will be charged. Extensions of the cards are no longer possible; after the expiration date, a new certificate shall be issued. For temporary travel documents 30 euros will be charged ( § 48 para 1 no 1 c AufenthV ); these cards with possible extension, obtained for a fee of 20 € ( § 48 Section 1 No. 2 of the Residence ).
Council of Europe
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