+1(514) 937-9445 or Toll-free (Canada & US) +1 (888) 947-9445

Refugee Travel Document - Questions and Answers

VancouverIsland

Hero Member
May 2, 2018
261
64
I applied pre removal risk assessment and still waiting for a decision.
It's been too long and i want to travel.
Can i apply to refugee travel document?
 

rachelm2000r

Star Member
Aug 19, 2023
97
31
Hi there

Yes indeed, you can travel to Domicain republic without your PR using your RTD.
Just know that some airplane companies agent work like robot and they do have all the info.
To be on the safe side and to avoid any delay ! Log to the Dominican republic ambassy website, find the email adresse...
Email them your first page of your passport and ask them for a letter that can confirm that you can travel there without the need of a visa. And then call them. It take 1 h to 2 days to have that letter.

That's it !
I have myself that letter already.
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
95,632
21,974
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
I applied pre removal risk assessment and still waiting for a decision.
It's been too long and i want to travel.
Can i apply to refugee travel document?
No, you can't unfortunately.

You can only apply for an RTD once you are accepted as a protected person. If you have applied for PRRA, then you wouldn't be a protected person yet so an RTD is not possible
 

Montreal_Guy

Member
Jul 27, 2023
15
10
Did anyone travel back to Canada from any Asian countries with RTD but still awaiting PR? I flew to Singapore from Montreal on 3rd September and then to Bangkok from Singapore on 9th September. No questions asked by Emirates at Montreal Airport. They didn't even look for my e-visas and gave me the boarding passes all the way to Singapore. I thought they might check in Dubai but nope. All went smooth till Singapore. At Singapore immigration, they asked for my PR. Went for the secondary verification which didn't last for more than 5 minutes. I said I applied but don't have it yet. They asked if I have my residency proof in Canada. Just told them with confidence, "yes I have multiple proofs." Then gave them my Quebec Driver's License and Healthcare Card. They let me in. When leaving from Singapore for Thailand, the budget airline 'Scoot' made my life even more difficult. The representative at the desk said she has never seen this type of passport and it took 2.5 hours for them to verify with Thai Embassy if I can be allowed in Thailand. I had to literary run with my old parents to the gate which was far away from the boarding counter as I couldn't afford to pay for another flight. It caused health issues to my dad. At Bangkok Airport, it was a charm. The immigration officer was probably talking to her boyfriend or someone with her earphones. Just saw my RTD, guided me for the arrival fingerprints, stamped my RTD and the gate to Thailand was opened to me. Took maximum 2 minutes for her to let me enter Thailand. Anyway, I'm coming back soon with Emirates but different portals giving different information. If anyone traveled back to Canada with RTD and never had a PR card, please let me know how it was. More the days are passing by and getting closer to my return date, getting more worried. Spending sleepless nights. Thanks in advance!!!
 

rachelm2000r

Star Member
Aug 19, 2023
97
31
Hi there,
What a story. This is why they always tell people to wait for their PR before you move around with your travel document.
Please, do not stress ur family or urself about this issue concerning traveling.
The RTD can give you the right to travel to some country but at the aeroport ! Those people work like robot and would like to build a case on any unnecessary situation.
To make you wait, loose ur flight and make people who haven't see you for 2, 3 or 5 years worry even further.

With you want to travel using ur RTD without a PR but an Evisa ! you can back ur document with an official letter of your ambassy that you can use ur travel document and even the transit country. So ! No one will stop you.

On your way back home, as long as you are not coming from ur home country. In canada you will be good !
 
  • Like
Reactions: Montreal_Guy

Whiskey2020

Hero Member
Apr 8, 2020
365
77
Hello have anyone been asked to provide police certificate from Mexico? And how can I get that.. if anyone knows how it works please let me know.
 

betterlife999

Star Member
Sep 25, 2021
142
35
Hello Everyone

Does anyone knows about VISA free travel to following countries on Canadian RTD with PR card
- Malaysia
- Bangkok
- Taiwan
- Japan
- China or Hong Kong
- Singapore
- Istanbul
- Doha / Qatar

One more specific question about Emirates Airline
UAE countries ( Dubai / Abu Dhabi etc ) doesn't recognize Canadian RTD to enter in UAE
but can we use for layover in any of countries for 3-4 hours ( less then 8 Hours ) ?

If anybody has any idea or experience about the same will be highly appreciated.

Thank you
 

Montreal_Guy

Member
Jul 27, 2023
15
10
Hello Everyone

Does anyone knows about VISA free travel to following countries on Canadian RTD with PR card
- Malaysia
- Bangkok
- Taiwan
- Japan
- China or Hong Kong
- Singapore
- Istanbul
- Doha / Qatar

One more specific question about Emirates Airline
UAE countries ( Dubai / Abu Dhabi etc ) doesn't recognize Canadian RTD to enter in UAE
but can we use for layover in any of countries for 3-4 hours ( less then 8 Hours ) ?

If anybody has any idea or experience about the same will be highly appreciated.

Thank you
Hi,
Please read my thread on the top of this page. I'm currently in Thailand with RTD and no PR.

Please don't try to apply for Singapore Visa unless you wanna take the risk. Mine was rejected once for not able to send them my Canadian PR and then when did it through the Consulate in Toronto 2nd time, just 5 days before the trip(because already had my non-refundable trip), it was approved. Then at the time of entry in Singapore, I had to go through the second inspection because I said no to PR when asked but it's a huge headache. The immigration officer may or may not allow to enter. They let me enter because they saw that my parents came up from my home country and they cleared the immigration before me and were waiting for me after the immigration like helpless. The officer asked me if they are my parents and then gave me the entry being very kind so my parents don't experience any problem.

Malaysia already said no without PR before applying for the visa.

Only Thailand is the country that didn't give me any hard time. I'll advise you to apply for a Thai E-Visa online and traveling to Thailand will not be a problem with Emirates as I did. You just can't seek entry in Dubai but up to 24 hours maximum layover is fine. I also enquired with Qatar Airways directly by walking to a check-in desk at Montreal Airport. They said the same thing. No problem transiting through Doha. For Turkish Airline's, I heard they need a sticker visa to the country you are going to and also make trouble on the way back if you don't have a PR from Canada which is foolish. I maybe wrong but I read this in a few threads. Also, I got a sticker visa from the Embassy of Laos. Had to send my passport to Washington DC by DHL and ended up not going to Laos. Did that just in case Emirates don't allow me to board their plane at Montreal but they didn't even check my Singapore or Thailand visa. Just treated me like one of the passengers and it was an easy check-in. So, it was so unnecessary to apply for a visa to Laos.

I'm still in Thailand and will update more when I'm able to board my flight with Emirates back to Canada and hopefully they won't ask for my PR.

Important Note: Not only UAE but none of the Gulf countries including Qatar will allow you to apply for a visa or seek entry. Only layover(less than 24h).
 

betterlife999

Star Member
Sep 25, 2021
142
35
Hi,
Please read my thread on the top of this page. I'm currently in Thailand with RTD and no PR.

Please don't try to apply for Singapore Visa unless you wanna take the risk. Mine was rejected once for not able to send them my Canadian PR and then when did it through the Consulate in Toronto 2nd time, just 5 days before the trip(because already had my non-refundable trip), it was approved. Then at the time of entry in Singapore, I had to go through the second inspection because I said no to PR when asked but it's a huge headache. The immigration officer may or may not allow to enter. They let me enter because they saw that my parents came up from my home country and they cleared the immigration before me and were waiting for me after the immigration like helpless. The officer asked me if they are my parents and then gave me the entry being very kind so my parents don't experience any problem.

Malaysia already said no without PR before applying for the visa.

Only Thailand is the country that didn't give me any hard time. I'll advise you to apply for a Thai E-Visa online and traveling to Thailand will not be a problem with Emirates as I did. You just can't seek entry in Dubai but up to 24 hours maximum layover is fine. I also enquired with Qatar Airways directly by walking to a check-in desk at Montreal Airport. They said the same thing. No problem transiting through Doha. For Turkish Airline's, I heard they need a sticker visa to the country you are going to and also make trouble on the way back if you don't have a PR from Canada which is foolish. I maybe wrong but I read this in a few threads. Also, I got a sticker visa from the Embassy of Laos. Had to send my passport to Washington DC by DHL and ended up not going to Laos. Did that just in case Emirates don't allow me to board their plane at Montreal but they didn't even check my Singapore or Thailand visa. Just treated me like one of the passengers and it was an easy check-in. So, it was so unnecessary to apply for a visa to Laos.

I'm still in Thailand and will update more when I'm able to board my flight with Emirates back to Canada and hopefully they won't ask for my PR.

Important Note: Not only UAE but none of the Gulf countries including Qatar will allow you to apply for a visa or seek entry. Only layover(less than 24h).
Thank you so much for detailed answer