The International Committee of the Red Cross Emergency Travel Document

In exceptional cases, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) issues one-way emergency travel documents for humanitarian purposes to people who do not possess a passport or other recognized travel document and find themselves unable to return to their country of origin or residence, or to proceed to a country offering temporary or permanent refuge or asylum. These people could be asylum seekers, refugees, migrants in particularly vulnerable situations, displaced people or stateless people.

Since January 2019, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been issuing an updated version of its emergency travel document so that it complies with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidance on emergency travel documents.

This brochure provides more details about the new document and its purpose, use and security features.