Emergency Travel Document
It is issued with a restricted validity of up to 12 months and is printed on the old-style ‘Bird Series’ design. Border agencies have been advised that the Crown Dependencies (CDs) and Gibraltar will continue to issue passports using this design for emergency travel purposes. It is also known as an emergency passport.
When can an Emergency Travel Document be requested?
An ETD may be issued where an eligible applicant meets all of the following:
- Has to travel internationally (not just between Isle of Man and the UK) and can provide evidence of their pre-paid travel
- Cannot wait for a full validity Isle of Man variant British passport to be issued
- Can explain why their full validity passport is not available (for example: lost/stolen, expired, expiring, unavailable or submitted for renewal)
- Is able to pay the appropriate fee
The applicant will be required to provide documentation at the time of application to demonstrate the above criteria before the ETD can be approved.
If an applicant has already submitted a renewal application this must be withdrawn before an ETD can be issued.
An ETD will usually be issued with a validity of 12 months the applicant is responsible for satisfying themselves that this will be acceptable for their travel purposes. An ETD does not replace a standard full validity passport and should not be seen as a convenient alternative.
What documentation do I need to provide to apply for an Emergency Travel Document?
- Correctly completed Application form
- 2 x passport photographs – that meet the criteria set out in the Guidance Notes
- A countersignatory
- Correct Fee
- If your previous passport was lost or stolen, you will also need to complete Form LS01. If it is for a child’s passport this must be signed by the parent who applied for the previous passport
- Acceptable form of payment
- Evidence of the need to travel urgently (example is a pre-paid flight or ferry booking)
How much does an Emergency Travel Document cost?
Please visit the Service options, fees and processing times page.
Payment can only be made by credit or debit card, cash or postal order at the public counter at the time of making the application. We cannot accept postal applications or cheques for this service.
Issuing an Emergency Travel Document Out of Hours
Issuing an Emergency Travel Document out of hours will be restricted to a genuine emergency and subject to officer availability.
A genuine emergency is where the refusal of facilities would prevent travel, including urgent business or compassionate (death or serious illness abroad) reasons causing genuine emotional and financial hardship.
An out of hours call out fee will be charged in addition to the Emergency Travel Document fee if outside of the Isle of Man Passport Office opening hours.
Who can apply for an Emergency Travel Document?
An Emergency Travel Document can be issued in the Isle of Man to:
- Adult British citizens
- Child British citizens
- British subjects
In most cases establishing eligibility will be straightforward if the Emergency Travel Document will replace a previously issued full validity Isle of Man variant British passport held by the applicant.
Emergency Travel Documents are not ordinarily issued to people applying for a passport for the first time. Where exceptional circumstances prevail and the issuing of an Emergency Travel Document is approved, a first time interview must take place and all relevant supporting information must be provided.
The Passport Office retains the right to refuse to issue an Emergency Travel Document in cases where it is established that an applicant has a track record of losing previous passports.
Note: This is only a guide and officers may ask for any documents they feel are appropriate or would support the application.
Important: The applicant should be satisfied that they have all of the required information before submitting their application to the Passport Office. We recommend that you telephone the Passport Office to explain your circumstances to avoid any unnecessary delays.
