Stateless persons' document
This page explains what a stateless persons' document is and who may apply for one. For other types of Home Office travel document, see Travel documents.
You may apply for a stateless persons' travel document if you have been recognised as a stateless person under the terms of the 1954 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons. This defines a stateless person as someone who is not considered as a national by any country under the terms of its laws. You will need to provide evidence of your status in the form of a letter from us confirming it.
Certain people cannot be recognised as stateless, including those:
- who are receiving help or protection from agencies of the United Nations (except the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees);
- who are recognised by the competent authorities of the country in which they are resident as having the rights and obligations attached to having nationality of that country; or
- of whom there are serious reasons for considering they have committed a crime against peace, a war crime, a crime against humanity, a serious non-political crime outside their country of their residence before they started living there, or acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
You must have permission to stay here for at least six months from the date when you apply for a Home Office travel document. This is because other countries may not accept your travel document if you have less than six months' permission to return to the United Kingdom. If you have less than this, you should apply for an extension to your permission to stay before you apply for a travel document.
A stateless persons' document issued to an adult will usually be valid for 10 years if you have permission to stay in the United Kingdom permanently (we call this 'indefinite leave to remain'). If you have temporary permission to stay in the United Kingdom (we call this 'limited leave to remain'), your stateless persons' document will usually be valid for the same period as your permission to stay here, up to five years.
Children cannot be named on the travel document of their parent or guardian. A stateless persons' document issued to a child will usually be valid for five years if the child has permission to stay in the United Kingdom permanently (indefinite leave to remain). If the child has temporary permission to stay in the United Kingdom (limited leave to remain), the stateless persons' document will usually be valid for the same period as his/her permission to stay here, up to five years.
A stateless persons' document is normally valid for travel to all countries.
See Applying for details of how to make your application.
Terms explained
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Stateless
Someone who is not considered as a national by any country under the terms of its laws.