Issuance of a travel document for refugees, foreigners or stateless persons

The travel documents are produced by the Bundesdruckerei in Berlin.

You can apply for one of these documents at the Foreigners' Registration Office in Münster. Please bring a biometric passport photo with you. The Foreigners Authority will check whether you meet the requirements for the issue of a travel document for refugees, foreigners or stateless persons.

• You can apply for a travel document for refugees, if you have been recognised as being entitled to asylum or if the BAMF has established your refugee status. Status as a person entitled to subsidiary protection is not sufficient.
• For a travel document for foreigners, we need proof that you can not reasonably obtain a national passport. This must be proven by written confirmation from your home authorities and/or embassy. The same applies to the so-called "identity card replacement" which can be issued to you by the foreigners authority. However, border crossings are not possible with the substitute identity card.
• For a travel document for stateless persons, proof is required that no state considers you to be a national. Whether you are stateless will then be checked by the Foreigners Registration Office as part of your application.

It can take up to six weeks from the submission of the application to its completion. Therefore, if you are planning a trip, check early whether your travel document is still valid and make an appointment early.

The fee for issuing a travel document for foreigners is currently up to 100 EUR. The exact fees can be found in the legal text of § 48 Aufenthaltsverordnung (Residence Ordinance):

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