Draft Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. Text of an Article Adopted by the Conference on 12 July 1951

A/CONF.2/L.1/Add.5

Article 23 - Travel documents

1. The Contracting States shall issue to refugees lawfully resident in their territory travel documents for purpose of travel outside their territory, unless imperative reasons of national security or public order otherwise require, and the provisions of the Schedule to this Convention shall apply with respect to such documents. The Contracting States may issue such a travel document to any other refugee in their territory and shall give sympathetic consideration to refugee in their territory who are unable to obtain a travel document from the country of their lawful residence.

2. Travel documents issued to refugees under previous international agreements by parties thereto shall be recognized and treated by the Contracting States in the same way as if they had been issued pursuant to this article.