I am a refugee and I need to travel outside Canada. What documents do I need to travel?

You need to get a Refugee Travel Document from Passport Canada. It is recognized in all countries as a valid travel document. However, you cannot use it to travel to the country that you are a citizen of or the country of claimed persecution.

If you are a:

• Convention refugee, or
• person in need of protection,

you will need a Refugee Travel Document.

To apply, you will need to give Passport Canada proof of your status in Canada. You will need either:

• a letter from the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB);
• a confirmation of permanent residence; or
• a Verification of Status (VOS) document.

If you are a Convention refugee, you should have a letter from the IRB. If you need to replace a lost letter, please contact the IRB.

If you are a protected person who was selected overseas and resettled as a refugee in Canada, you should have either a Confirmation of Permanent Residence document, or a Permanent Resident Card. If you need to replace an expired, lost or stolen Permanent Resident Card, you can apply for a new one.

If you are a protected person with a positive Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA) decision, you should have a VOS. If your PRRA result was before December 17, 2012, and you did not get a VOS, or if you lost it, you can apply for a new one.