How to leave the country without a passport

How it works

You can apply for an emergency travel document (sometimes called an ‘emergency passport’) if you’re abroad, need to travel and cannot get a passport in time.

Eligibility

You can apply for an emergency travel document if all the following apply:

  • you’re a British national
  • you’re outside the UK
  • your passport has been lost, stolen, damaged, is full, has recently expired or is with HM Passport Office or a foreign embassy
  • you do not have time to renew or replace your UK passport from abroad before you travel
  • you can provide proof of your travel plans, for example booking confirmations (or detailed written travel plans if you cannot book ahead)

You usually cannot get an emergency travel document if you’ve never had a UK passport. Apply for a UK passport from abroad instead.

What an emergency travel document lets you do

You can use an emergency travel document to travel to your destination through a maximum of 5 countries. You can also normally use it to return to the country you’re applying from if you live there.

Your travel plans (countries and dates) will be printed on your emergency travel document. If you change your travel plans once you have your emergency travel document, you’ll need to apply for a new one.

You may need a visa to leave the country you’re in or to travel through other countries with your emergency travel document. Check with the embassy or consulate of each country.

If your final destination is the UK, border staff will keep your emergency travel document when you arrive. Border staff at a different final destination might also keep the document.

Last checked: 22/04/2022

Coronavirus: safely resuming travel

If you are an EU national, you do not need to show your national ID card or passport when you are travelling from one border-free Schengen EU country to another.

Even if you don't need a passport for border checks within the Schengen area , it is still always highly recommended to take a passport or ID card with you, so you can prove your identity if needed (if stopped by police, boarding a plane, etc.). Schengen EU countries have the possibility of adopting national rules obliging you to hold or carry papers and documents when you are present on their territory.

Driving licences, post, bank or tax cards are not accepted as valid travel documents or proof of identity.

Warning

Under Schengen rules, in extenuating circumstances, where a threat to public policy or national security has been identified Member States are permitted to reintroduce temporary border controls.

More detailed information and the list of countries which have temporarily reintroduced border controls.  Ensure that you have either your ID or passport in your possession when travelling to these countries.  Also bear in mind that even under normal circumstances you may be required to produce one of these documents.

The border-free Schengen area includes:

Non-Schengen area includes:

Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania.

When travelling to or from a non-Schengen country you must show a valid ID or passport. Before travelling, check what documents you must have to travel outside your home country and to enter the non-Schengen country you plan to visit.

Sample story

Lars is Swedish and holidaying in Spain. He took his ID card issued by a bank with him - in Sweden, it's accepted as proof of identity.

But Lars could get into trouble if the Spanish authorities want to check his identity, because the only valid ID documents they recognise are national ID cards and passports issued by the Swedish authorities.

What is a valid ID card/passport in your country?

Entry refusal

In very rare cases, an EU country can refuse entry to you or your family members for reasons of " public policy, public security or public health".

This means the authorities must prove you or your family members pose a " genuine, present and sufficiently serious threat".

You are entitled to receive this decision in writing, stating all the grounds, and specifying how you can appeal and by when.

Are you travelling and have you lost your passport or identity card? Is it also not possible to apply for a new travel document before the start of your journey? Depending on the country that issued your passport or identity card, you can apply for an emergency passport. This is a temporary travel document. 

Last updated on 24 August 2022

Lees deze informatie in het Nederlands

Conditions for an emergency passport in the Netherlands

Are you travelling on a Dutch passport? You can only obtain an emergency passport if you meet the requirements. For example, you must show that you cannot postpone your trip. 

Applying for an emergency passport for Dutch citizens

In the Netherlands, you can apply for an emergency passport at the Koninklijke Marechaussee (Royal Netherlands Military Constabulary) at, for example, Schiphol Airport.  

Outside the Netherlands you can apply for an emergency passport at a Dutch embassy or consulate. You will be issued with a Dutch laissez-passerif it is not possible to issue an emergency passport in time.

Dutch laissez-passer

If it is not possible to issue an emergency passport in time then a Dutch laissez-passer can be issued. The passport holder's details are filled in by hand. This is done because of the short time frame. In most cases, a Dutch laissez-passer is intended to allow the holder to travel home. It is issued only outside the Netherlands. A Dutch laissez-passer has a blue cover and does not contain a embedded electronic microprocessor chip. 

Conditions for an emergency passport in the European Union (EU)

Are you travelling on a passport from another EU Member State? It is up to each EU country to decide whether and/or when it allows EU citizens to enter or exit their territory without a valid travel document. 

As there are no EU rules on travelling without a valid travel document, conditions and procedures vary widely from country to country (and may change without notice).

If you have already set off on your trip and: 

  • you are in the EU, the first place you should go to is your country's consulate or embassy. 

  • you find yourself outside the EU, where your country does not have a consulate or embassy, you have the right to seek consular protection from any other EU country. 

Where some countries allow you to leave or enter their territory without a valid travel document, you may still need to show one in countries you are transiting through. 

Applying for an emergency passport in the EU

View the exact rules for the countries you are travelling to and from on the europa.eu website. 

Conditions for an emergency passport for all other countries

Are you travelling on a passport from a country other than an EU Member State? It is up to each country outside the EU to decide whether and/or when it allows travellers to enter or exit their territory without a valid travel document. 

Review the rules for the country that issued your passport on how to access an emergency passport or travel document. 

Laws and regulations (in Dutch)

Passport Act

Royal Netherlands Military Constabulary Passport Implementation Regulations 2001  

Regulations for the Implementation of Passports Abroad 2001 

EU Consular protection directive 

EU Directive on emergency travel document 

Found what you were looking for?

Can I exit the US without a passport?

U.S. nationals, including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States.

How can a fly out of the country without a passport?

DHS-designated enhanced driver's license. Driver's licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by a Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent) that meet REAL ID requirements. Native American Tribal Photo ID. Airline or airport-issued ID (if issued under a TSA-approved security plan)

Can I exit UAE without passport?

A: Original passport or Emergency Certificate will be required to obtain exit permit.