# Difference Between Travel Document & Passport



## debbyhope (Jan 9, 2011)

My passport expired and I was issued with a travel document (they run out of passports!!!!) in my country. I travelled back to South Africa using the travel document. I live in South Africa with my South African husband.

The immigration person at the OT airport said because I have the spouse visa, the travel document is valid as long as the visa is valid.

I am in the process of applying for a new passport.

What I want to know is:

1. What are the main differences between a travel document & a Passport?

2. Can I use the travel document the same way as a passport e.g: as a form as identification etc?


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## Jem62 (Jul 25, 2012)

A travel document is normally issued in an emergency when the person's passport has expired or they are in the process of applying for one. SA is entirely comfortable with this but not other countries, you would not be able to travel anywhere else with this TD. The TD cannot be used as a means of ID, though it depends on who you are presenting it to. As soon as you get your new passport ensure that your SA visa is stamp in it, since the TD normally has a very limited lifespan, irrespective of what you were told at OT. Good luck.


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## LegalMan (Dec 26, 2012)

Sure I've answered this elsewhere:

A travel document is not regarded as significant as a passport. There are also a lot of countries that actually forbid entry when holding a travel document. A travel document is only a temporary solution to a passport. It depends on the institution asking for identification as the whether they would accept a travel document as form of identification. My advice to you is that organise your passport to be issued as soon as possible.


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