Apply for a travel document
To get a travel document, you must be a recognised refugee under the 1951 Geneva Convention or be stateless and meet the requirements of the 1954 New York Convention. If you have become a Swedish citizen you should contact the police to apply for a Swedish passport.
Requirements for getting a travel document
To get a travel document, you must
- be a recognised refugee under the 1951 Geneva Convention, or
be stateless and meet the requirements of the 1954 New York Convention.
You cannot receive a travel document if you
- are a Swedish citizen or EU/EEA citizen.
If you are not a refugee, in some cases you may be able to get an alien’s passport.
Requirements for using the e-service
To use the e-service, you must
- be resident and registered as living in Sweden
- have an e-identification
- have a copy of your Swedish ID card
- have a copy of any previously issued travel document (copies of the personal page and all pages with stamps) or a police report stating that you have lost your travel document.
Read more about how to attach a copy of your passport to your application
If you have not previously proved your identity, you can also attach a copy of your national passport or other documents proving your identity (if you do not have a passport). Some examples of other documents are an ID card, birth certificate, or military service record.
Keep in mind that it may take longer for you to receive your decision if you do not submit the documents we need with your application.
Book an appointment in the e-service
Before submitting your application via the e-service, book an appointment to provide fingerprints and take photographs. The appointment is included as part of the e-service.
You will receive information on how to cancel or change the time you have booked in the e-service in your confirmation email.
Children under 18 years
Children under the age of 18 years cannot apply for a travel document themselves. It is the child's parent/legal guardian or guardian who applies for a travel document for the child.
If your child has two parents/legal guardians and you apply through the e-service, you must complete and attach the form Consent that the Swedish Migration Agency issues a passport (alien’s passport or travel document) for a child under 18 years, form 247011. Both parents/legal guardians must give their consent and their signatures must be witnessed.
If you are applying as a guardian, you must attach proof of your appointment and a copy of your ID card.
If the child does not have any parent in Sweden, the guardian must go with the child when the child has his/her photograph and fingerprints taken.
Applying for a travel document does not cost anything but you must pay a fee when you collect the travel document. You can pay the fee by card when you come to the Swedish Migration Agency to collect your travel document.
If you cannot pay by card, you can pay the fee by bank giro or ask for a payment slip when you have your photograph and fingerprints taken. Pay the fee after you receive the decision that you have been granted a travel document.
The Swedish Migration Agency does not accept cash and cannot give you your travel document until the fee has been paid.
If you cannot apply for a travel document online, you must apply by filling in the form Application for a travel document and handing it in when you go in person to visit one of the Swedish Migration Agency's Service Centres. Fill out the form before your visit.
Application for a travel document, form 109021
Pdf, 791.5 kB, opens in new window.
Children under 18 years
Children under the age of 18 years cannot apply for a travel document themselves. It is the child's legal guardian or guardian who must make the application for a travel document for the child.
If there are two legal guardians, both must approve the application by signing the child's application form. If only one of the legal guardians goes with the child to the Swedish Migration Agency to hand in the application, the other one must sign the application form in advance. The signature must be witnessed by a third person.
If the child does not have any parent in Sweden, the guardian must go with the child when the child has his/her photograph and fingerprints taken. The child's guardian must take his/her ID card and proof of appointment with him/her.
Book an appointment
Before you go to the Swedish Migration Agency to hand in your application, you must book an appointment. Keep in mind that all the people applying for a travel document, including any children, must go to the Swedish Migration Agency in person. Each person who is making an application will be given their own appointment. You can book several appointments one after the other.
Handing in your application
When you hand in your application, you must have the following with you:
- your Swedish ID card
- the application form, completed and signed (one form per person). Remember that both legal guardians must sign the form if you are applying for a travel document for a child.
- any previously issued travel document or copy of a police report stating that you have lost your travel document.
If you have not previously proved your identity, you can also attach a copy of your national passport or other documents proving your identity (if you do not have a passport). Some examples of other documents are an ID card, birth certificate, or military service record.
If you have a national passport or an older travel document, you must hand them in to the Swedish Migration Agency. Sometimes the case officer may accept that you hand in copies of your passport along with your application, but then you will be asked to hand in the actual passport when it is time to process your application or when you go to collect your new passport.
The Swedish Migration Agency will take your photograph and fingerprints when you hand in your application. Your photograph, fingerprints and personal data are stored in a computer chip in the travel document. These data are not stored at the Swedish Migration Agency; they are only stored in the card's chip. Children under the age of six years do not have to provide fingerprints.
You may need to answer questions about your chances of getting a national passport or other document that functions like a passport. In that case, you will be given a questionnaire to fill in when you visit the Swedish Migration Agency to hand in your application.
You will find up-to-date information about processing times on the Swedish Migration Agency’s website. The decision may take longer if the case officer has to ask you for more information.
Once the Swedish Migration Agency has processed your application, the decision will be sent to your home address by post.
The decision will be sent to your home address by post. If the Swedish Migration Agency has decided that you are entitled to a travel document, you will be notified when your travel document is ready to be collected. It may take up to 14 days from the date you receive the decision until you can collect your travel document from Service Centre where you made your application.
If your application for a travel document was refused, you can appeal against the Swedish Migration Agency’s decision.
If your application has been refused
If the Swedish Migration Agency has refused your application for a travel document, you can appeal against the decision.
If you want to appeal, you must write a letter in which you state what decision you want the Swedish Migration Agency to change and why you think the decision is wrong. In the letter, you must provide your personal data and your case number and you must sign the letter yourself.
Make sure that the Swedish Migration Agency receives your appeal no later than three weeks after the day you received the decision.
If you want someone else to appeal on your behalf, you must give that person a written power of attorney.
You must collect your travel document at the same Service Centre where you handed in your application (unless you have been told to collect the travel document in another town).
If you want to collect your travel document in another town, you must inform the staff about that when you have your photograph and fingerprints taken.
If you have been granted a travel document, you must book an appointment before visiting the Swedish Migration Agency. Be sure to book an appointment for each person who is collecting their travel document. If you are going to collect passports for your children, you must book an appointment for each travel document you are collecting.
You must collect your passport in person. For children under 18 years, the legal guardian or guardian can collect the travel document without the child being present.
Children over 15 years can collect their travel document themselves if the Swedish Migration Agency has noted that the legal guardian informed them about that at the time of application.
You must have a valid form of ID with you when you collect your travel document. If you have a previously issued travel document that you have not already handed in, you must return it when you collect your new one.
Pay a fee
You must pay a fee to collect your travel document. You pay the fee by card at the Service Centre when you visit the Swedish Migration Agency.
If you are unable to pay by card, ask for a payment slip and pay the fee before collecting your travel document. The Swedish Migration Agency does not accept cash and cannot give you your travel document until the fee has been paid.
If you have paid in advance, you must present a receipt showing that you have paid when you collect your travel document.
Travelling with a travel document
A travel document meets the EU's passport requirements and can be used for travel to all countries. However, if you are a refugee under the 1951 Geneva Convention, it will be stated in your passport that you cannot travel to your country of origin or the country from which you have fled.
If you have not been able to prove your identity, your travel document will state that your identity has not been proven which may make it more difficult for you to travel to certain countries.
Some countries may require you to have an entry visa. Please contact the embassy of the country in question for more information before you travel.
How long a travel document is valid for
A travel document is valid for a maximum of two years and cannot be extended. If you need a travel document after it has expired, you can apply for a new one.
When you want to apply for a new travel document, you must have your photograph and fingerprints taken again, since your photograph and fingerprints are not stored at the Swedish Migration Agency, only in a computer chip in the travel document.
If you lose your travel document
If you lose your travel document or if it is stolen, you must first of all report it to the police. If you need a new travel document, you must hand in a new application. When you apply for a new travel document, take with you a copy of the police report that you received by post or at the police station.