ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Australian Convention Travel Document

Hey kiddo, have you ever heard of a passport? It's like a special book that you need to travel to different countries. In Australia, some people can't get a normal passport, but they still want to travel to other countries for different reasons like work, study, or visiting family. So, the government of Australia made a different type of special book, called an Australian Convention Travel Document (ACTD) that they can use instead of a regular passport.

Now, you're probably wondering who can get this special book, right? Well, it's usually for people who are stateless, which means they don't have a country to call their own. For example, if someone was born in a country that doesn't exist anymore or if their parents didn't register them as citizens of any country. These people still need to travel sometimes, so the ACTD helps them do that.

The ACTD looks a bit different than a regular passport. Instead of having the Australian flag on the front, it has a special design with the words "Convention Travel Document" printed in both English and French. It also has a special code on it that shows immigration officers in other countries that this person is traveling with an ACTD.

It's important to note that even though the ACTD is a bit different than a regular passport, it still works the same way. So, the people who have an ACTD need to follow the same rules as anyone else traveling with a passport. They need to make sure it's up-to-date, doesn't have any damage, and has the right visas or approvals needed to enter the countries they're going to.

So, there you have it, kiddo! The Australian Convention Travel Document is like a special passport that people who don't have a country to call their own can use to travel to other countries. It looks a bit different than a regular passport, but it works the same way and follows the same rules.