Immigration Corner | How to get an emergency travel document if abroad

Dear Mr Bassie,

I am a British citizen outside of the country without a UK passport and I need to travel urgently. Please advise how I might be able to do so.

YK

Dear YK,

It is possible for persons to travel on an emergency travel document. This document allows persons to travel from abroad if they need to travel urgently and cannot use their UK passport. It is usually only valid for one single or return journey and persons can travel through a maximum of five countries.

Those persons who are in the United Kingdom (UK) should apply for a passport urgently. If they plan to travel in more than six weeks, they should apply for a passport.

Please be aware that persons usually cannot get an emergency travel document if they have never had a UK passport and, in that case, they should apply for a UK passport from abroad instead.

HOW TO APPLY

If persons want to apply for an emergency travel document, all the following conditions should apply:

• They are a British national

• They are outside the UK

• They need to travel within six weeks

• Their UK passport has been lost, stolen, damaged, is full, has recently expired or is with HM Passport Office or a foreign embassy

• They cannot renew or replace the UK passport from abroad before travelling

• They have had a valid UK passport in the last 10 years.

Before applying, persons should check if an emergency travel document will be accepted in the countries they plan to leave, enter and travel through, and whether a visa is needed.

APPLYING FOR AN EMERGENCY TRAVEL DOCUMENT ONLINE

The cost of applying is £100 and no refunds are allowed. Persons will need:

• A valid digital passport photo that meets the guidelines and has not been used in a previous passport

• A contact telephone number

• An email address

• A debit or credit card for the fee.

Please note that a relative or friend can pay for the applicant if he/she is not able to make a payment using the online service.

It should be noted that the applicants’ old passport will usually be automatically cancelled as part of the emergency travel document application. Persons will be advised if their passport will not be cancelled. This may occur, for example, because it is with an embassy, or the person has already applied for a new passport.

Persons can apply for an emergency travel document for someone else if they are a British national. They might have to attend an appointment and they may need to collect their emergency travel document in person.

If persons apply for a child under 16 years of age, the child will need to go to an appointment with both parents or legal guardians. If a parent or legal guardian cannot attend, they’ will need to send a signed consent letter instead.

AFTER APPLYING

Persons will get an email update about their application. If the application is approved, they will be told:

• How and when to collect the emergency travel document

• Whether they need to do anything else, like attend an appointment at the nearest British embassy, high commission or consulate.

The emergency travel document will usually be ready to be collected two working days after applying. In addition, the travel plans (countries and dates) will be printed on the emergency travel document.

Please note that, if the travel plans are changed, they will need to apply for a new emergency travel document and pay another fee of £100. If the destination is the UK, border control will keep the emergency travel document upon arrival. This could also happen in other countries.

Just for completeness, persons can apply online if either they are a British national (overseas) or if they have another type of British nationality and they have had a valid UK passport in the last 10 years

IF UNABLE TO APPLY ONLINE

If unable to apply online, those persons should apply for a UK passport instead. Persons can only apply for an emergency travel document in exceptional circumstances.

Please note that exceptional circumstances do not include travelling to planned events such as a holiday or needing a document to prove their residency or enrolment in a school. Please complete the contact form to explain the exceptional circumstances, and those persons will need to provide supporting documents.

If successful in proving that there are exceptional circumstances, they will be invited to apply for an emergency travel document.

Good luckf

John S. Bassie is a barrister/attorney-at-law who practises law in Jamaica. He is a justice of the peace, a Supreme Court-appointed mediator, a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a chartered arbitrator, the global president of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and a member of the Immigration Law Practitioners Association (UK). Email: lawbassie@yahoo.com