The Mobility Key: Realizing the Potential of Refugee Travel Documents

POLICY BRIEF THE MOBILITY KEY: REALIZING THE POTENTIAL OF REFUGEE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS THE MOBILITY KEY: REALIZING THE POTENTIAL OF REFUGEE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS ► Processes to obtain refugee travel ► Destination and transit countries should documents are often lengthy and identify and address discrepancies and gaps procedurally difficult. [...] documents and the thoroughness of the related vetting of refugee travelers, and ► Transit and destination countries may not to agree on expanding visa access while accept certain refugee travel documents receiving greater assurances that refugees as valid and may limit refugees’ access to will return to the country of asylum when visas. [...] mental stakeholders, made pledges to enhance MIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE | 2 MIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE | 3 THE MOBILITY KEY: REALIZING THE POTENTIAL OF REFUGEE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS THE MOBILITY KEY: REALIZING THE POTENTIAL OF REFUGEE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS access to and usability of refugee travel documents. [...] The recognition of travel documents, Finally, governments should ensure that the bureau- and the privileges afforded to their holders, are of- cratic infrastructure for issuing travel documents is ten contingent on the level of trust that destination designed to avoid bottlenecks and streamline the states have in the security of these documents and approval process. [...] By incorporating refugee issues into the discussion on travel documents, these processes can To facilitate improvements in access to travel doc- help reduce the discrepancy between the ease of re- uments, international organizations and higher-in- gional travel with a passport and the difficulty mak- come countries should support the development ing the same trip with a refugee travel document.