Date of publication:

08/21/2025

Uganda

Do domestic laws and policies provide for the issuance and renewal of travel documents to forcibly displaced and stateless persons for the purpose of international travel?

ANALYSIS

Assessment by population

Refugees
Analysis

The domestic laws and policies in Uganda provide for refugees to be issued a Travel Document for the purpose of international travel. According to section 31(1) of the Refugees Act, recognized refugees are entitled to a travel document for the purpose of travel outside of Uganda unless compelling reasons of national security or public order require otherwise. The term “travel document”, as defined under section 2, is a document issued under or in accordance with the provisions of the Geneva Convention to a refugee lawfully staying in Uganda, for the purpose of travel outside Uganda. Furthermore, as provided under section 2(g) of the Ugandan Citizenship and Immigration Control Act, serves as a refugee's identity and travel document, allowing them to travel outside Uganda and return to the country. 

The Commissioner for Refugees under the Office of the Prime Minister coordinates with the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control to provide Trave document to refugees. According to regulation 48 of the Refugees Regulation, the Commissioner provides the names and details of the refugees to the Directorate for issuing travel documents. In turn, the Directorate, as per the administrative procedures, upon receiving a recommendation letter from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), birth certificates in case of children, copy of Refugee Id, personal appearance of the applicant, the Directorate shall issue the Travel Documents.

Uganda issues Machine Readable Convention Travel Documents (MRCTDs) to refugees for purposes of travel, as per Section 31 of the Refugees Act (2006).

The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) is responsible for the issuance of travel documents to refugees who  can apply for a travel document by submitting an application.  As per the Official website of the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control of Uganda.

The requirements are as follows:

  1. Recommendation Letter from OPM
  2. Birth Certificates in the case of children
  3. Copy of Refugee ID
  4. Applicants to appear at OPMs office 
  5. Applications for Conventional Travel Documents shall be made personally at the designated Passport Office referred

These documents are in line with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

    LAW & POLICY

    Related provisions of domestic law or policy

    The Refugees Act (2006)

    Legal provision

    Section 31 - Right to travel document

    (1) A recognised refugee staying in Uganda is entitled to a travel document for the purpose of travel outside Uganda, unless compelling reasons of national security or public order require otherwise. (2) A travel document issued to a recognised refugee shall be valid for all countries except the refugee’s country of origin and those countries with respect to which Uganda has restrictions. (3) A recognised refugee in possession of a valid passport issued by the country of origin shall surrender that passport to the issuing officer before acquiring a travel document. (4) A person who has ceased to be a recognised refugee under this Act shall not be issued with a travel document, and if such person is in possession of a travel document, he or she shall surrender it to the immigration office. (5) For the purposes of this section, "travel document" means a travel document issued under or in accordance with article 28 of the Geneva Convention.

    Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control Act

    Legal provision

    Section 2 - Interpretation ("convention travel document")

    “convention travel document” means a travel document issued to a refugee under the relevant refugee instruments and the Control of Alien Refugees Act;

    The Refugees Regulations (Uganda)

    Legal provision

    Regulation 48 - Travel documents for refugees

    The Commissioner shall forward the names and particulars of every refugee registered under these regulations to the Commissioner for immigration for the purposes of issuing travel documents to the refugee and every member of his or her family.