These Regulations amend the Travel Documents (Fees) Regulations 1999 (“the 1999 Regulations”). The 1999 Regulations prescribed fees for the making of applications for different types of travel document. A fee of £28 is payable upon the making of an application to the Secretary of State for a travel document under Article 28 of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and Article 28 of the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons. In respect of applications for all other Home Office travel documents a fee of £67 is payable.

These Regulations amend the 1999 Regulations by introducing an exemption to the payment of fees in respect of applications for Home Office travel documents. This exemption applies to a person applying for a travel document in order to participate in one of two types of project, both of which require the participant to leave the United Kingdom voluntarily to make a single visit to the participant’s country of nationality or country of former residence. In the case of the first type of project the single visit would be made for the purpose of assisting the reconstruction of the country visited where conflict or natural disaster has resulted in loss and damage to infrastructure. Those participating in such projects may take advantage of the exemption irrespective of whether they intend to resettle in the country to which they are lending assistance. In the case of the second type of project covered by the exemption, the single visit would be made for the purpose of deciding whether to resettle in the country visited.