Refugees Without Documents: Alternative Proof of Identity and Translation

A woman from Mariupol left in March 2022 with a single backpack. Her passport burned with her apartment. Her child’s birth certificate - gone too. When she walked into the Ausländerbehörde in Berlin, they asked: “How can you prove your identity?” And she’s far from alone. According to UNHCR, millions of refugees worldwide have no document proving who they are, and it’s one of the most serious barriers to getting protection.

If you’re in this situation - no passport, no birth certificate, sometimes not even a phone photo of your documents - this article covers which alternative evidence different countries accept, how to translate it properly, and how to restore Ukrainian documents even from abroad.

Why refugees end up without documents¶

There are plenty of reasons, and none of them are the refugee’s fault. But immigration authorities need an explanation, because “I don’t have documents” without context sounds suspicious.

Main reasons:

• Destruction from combat. Direct hits, fires, flooding - hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians lost their documents this way. Mariupol, Bakhmut, Sievierodonetsk, and other frontline cities were hit the hardest
• Documents left in occupied territory. You left in a hurry, your papers were in the safe at home - and now you can’t get back. Or you’re from Crimea, where getting Ukrainian documents has been impossible for 10 years
• Document confiscation. Traffickers, smugglers, and sometimes even border guards confiscate passports. This is a documented fact
• Country of origin won’t issue documents. Governments refuse passports to opposition members, deserters, certain ethnic groups
• Expired documents. Your passport ran out, and the consulate either isn’t functioning or has a year-long queue

As the Lowy Institute notes in its research:

Comparative international approaches to establishing identity in undocumented asylum seekers show that no country requires a passport as an absolute prerequisite for protection - all jurisdictions provide alternative pathways for identity verification.

Bottom line - no country denies protection just because you don’t have a passport. But you need to collect, translate, and submit alternative evidence properly.

What alternative proof of identity is accepted instead of a passport¶

The list varies by country, but there’s a baseline set of alternative evidence that’s recognized almost everywhere. The more you can gather, the better.

Documents (if you have anything at all)¶

Document	What it proves	Translation needed?
Internal passport (ID card)	Identity + citizenship	Yes
Driver’s license	Identity + name + photo	Yes
Expired foreign passport	Identity (even expired)	Yes, all pages with data
Birth certificate	Identity + origin	Yes
Student ID	Supporting evidence	Yes
Military ID	Identity + citizenship	Yes
IDP certificate (довідка ВПО)	Displacement due to war	Yes
Any photo ID	Supporting evidence	Yes

Indirect evidence (when you have absolutely nothing)¶

Type of evidence	What it is	When it’s accepted
Affidavit (sworn statement)	Written statement under oath from witnesses	All countries
Church records	Baptism, marriage, parish registers	Most countries
School records	Diplomas, report cards, enrollment records	Most countries
Medical records	Discharge summaries, medical cards	Most countries
Photos of documents	Scans, phone photos	As supporting evidence
Bank statements	With name and address	As supporting evidence
Government correspondence	Letters, receipts, notifications	As supporting evidence
Digital documents from Diia	E-passports, certificates	Depends on country

Tip: collect EVERYTHING. Even a phone photo where your passport is visible on a table - that’s evidence. A screenshot from your banking app showing your name - that’s evidence. A letter from your child’s school - that’s evidence. Every little “insignificant” piece adds weight to your application.

Country-specific requirements for alternative evidence¶

Each country has its own approach to situations where a refugee can’t produce a passport. Some are more flexible, some stricter - but every country has a mechanism.

Germany (BAMF / Ausländerbehörde)¶

Germany is one of the most flexible countries on this issue, especially for Ukrainians.

Under §24 AufenthG, people under temporary protection are exempt from the passport requirement. This means you can’t be penalized for not having documents if obtaining a passport constitutes an “unreasonable burden” (unzumutbare Belastung).

What’s accepted: - Ukrainian ID cards are recognized as equivalent proof of identity (Interior Ministry decision) - Driver’s license, military ID, birth certificate - as supporting evidence - Certificate from the Ukrainian consulate confirming identity - If you have nothing - the Ausländerbehörde issues a Reiseausweis (substitute travel document)

As Handbook Germany explains:

People without a passport but with other identity papers like a driving licence, military ID card or birth certificate can obtain a residence permit if their identity has been clarified.

Requirements get stricter for transitioning from temporary protection to a permanent residence permit - but at the registration stage, Germany is as flexible as it gets.

Translation: all alternative documents need a sworn translation (beglaubigte Übersetzung). Find certified translators at justiz-dolmetscher.de.

United States (USCIS)¶

The US system is built on a “primary → secondary → affidavit” hierarchy - a clear escalation ladder for evidence.

According to the USCIS Policy Manual:

When submitting secondary evidence, an applicant must establish that the required primary document is unavailable or does not exist.

What this means in practice:

1. Primary evidence: passport, birth certificate
2. Secondary evidence: church records (baptism), school records, hospital records, census data
3. Affidavits (third tier): at least 2 sworn statements from people who aren’t parties to the case and have direct personal knowledge of the facts

For each level, you need to prove the previous one is unavailable. If you don’t have a birth certificate, you need to submit a letter of certification from civil authorities (or explain why it’s impossible to get one - for example, because of war), and then submit secondary evidence.

Translation: every document must include a Certificate of Translation. The translator doesn’t need to be certified, but must sign a statement of competency. The applicant CANNOT translate their own documents.

United Kingdom (Home Office)¶

According to the UKVI Identity Standards (February 2025):

Where a person provides other documentary evidence that you cannot validate, you must not disregard it but weigh it up when considering any other evidence provided.

In other words, even if the Home Office can’t verify your document, they’re required to consider it. That’s a key principle.

What matters: - If you don’t have documents, you need to explain why - Alternative evidence is assessed cumulatively (no single document is sufficient, but together they can be convincing) - Biometric data (fingerprints) is used as additional verification - Simplified requirements apply for the Ukraine Scheme

Translation: certified translation with the translator’s signature, date, and statement of qualifications. Notarization isn’t required. The translator can’t be a relative.

Canada (IRB / IRCC)¶

The Canadian system explicitly recognizes that refugees often don’t have documents - and that’s okay.

Section 106 of IRPA requires the Refugee Protection Division to consider: - Whether the claimant has acceptable identity documentation - If not, whether they provided a reasonable explanation for lacking documentation - Whether they took reasonable steps to obtain documentation

As the Canadian Council for Refugees explains:

For many refugees it is difficult, dangerous or impossible to acquire identity documents after their arrival in Canada, as governments in some countries cease to exist or will refuse to provide identity documents.

Translation: all documents must be in English or French. If you’re not using a certified translator, you need an affidavit attesting to the translation’s accuracy. Google Translate is prohibited.

Affidavits: your key alternative evidence¶

If you have absolutely no documents, an affidavit (sworn statement) becomes your primary tool. It’s a document people often underestimate, but it can save your case.

What’s an affidavit in plain English¶

An affidavit is a written statement where someone confirms certain facts under oath (or under penalty of perjury). In the refugee context, this can be:

• Affidavit of identity - someone confirms you are who you say you are (name, date of birth, place of birth)
• Affidavit of birth - replaces a birth certificate when the original is unavailable
• Affidavit of relationship - confirms family ties
• Affidavit explaining absence of documents - explains why you don’t have documents

Who can write an affidavit¶

Depends on the country: - USCIS: at least 2 affidavits from people who aren’t parties to the case and have direct personal knowledge of the facts - Germany: eidesstattliche Versicherung (declaration in lieu of oath) - made before a notary or Amtsgericht - UK: statutory declaration or sworn statement - Canada: affidavit or statutory declaration, certified by a commissioner of oaths

What an affidavit must contain¶

Here’s the minimum content for an identity affidavit:

1. Full name and contact details of the person making the statement
2. Relationship with the applicant (neighbor, relative, colleague, teacher)
3. How long and under what circumstances they’ve known the applicant
4. Specific facts: applicant’s full name, date of birth, place of birth, citizenship
5. Circumstances under which documents were lost
6. Statement of truthfulness under penalty of perjury
7. Date and signature

Translating affidavits¶

An affidavit needs to be translated like any other legal document - in full, with all formal elements, including the oath language. This isn’t a document where you can cut corners.

Translation cost: $20 to $30 per page in the US, 25 to 60 euros per page in Germany.

If you need to quickly understand an affidavit’s content before meeting with a lawyer, you can upload it to ChatsControl and get a preliminary translation in minutes. But for submission to immigration authorities, only a certified / sworn translation will do.

Translating alternative documents: what you need to know¶

Translating alternative evidence has its own quirks that don’t come up with standard document translation.

Translating non-standard documents¶

Handwritten documents. Church parish registers, old certificates, hospital records - often written by hand. The translator needs to not only translate but also transcribe the handwritten text. If part of the text is illegible, that goes in a translator’s note: “[illegible]”.

Partially damaged documents. If a document is burned, water-damaged, or otherwise damaged, the translator translates everything that’s readable and adds a note about the damage: “[portion of document damaged/missing]”.

Documents in an unexpected language. Soviet-era documents are in Russian. Documents from Crimea might be partly Russian, partly Ukrainian. The translator must note the source language.

Documents without a standard format. A letter from a neighbor, a note from a teacher, a certificate from a church - none of these follow a standard format. The translator translates as-is, preserving the original structure.

If you’re dealing with Soviet-era document translation, that’s a whole separate topic with its own challenges.

Cost comparison for translating alternative evidence¶

Document	Pages	Price (Germany, EUR)	Price (USA, USD)	Price (UK, GBP)
Affidavit of identity	1-2	25-80	20-50	15-40
Affidavit of birth	1-2	25-80	20-50	15-40
Church record (baptism)	1	25-50	20-35	15-25
School certificate / report card	1-3	25-120	20-75	15-60
Medical records	2-10	50-400	40-250	30-200
Driver’s license	1	25-50	20-35	15-25
Military ID	2-4	50-160	40-100	30-80
IDP certificate	1	25-50	20-35	15-25
Minimum package (5-8 documents)	10-25	250-990	200-630	150-495

Prices are approximate and depend on the language pair, complexity, and urgency. For “needed yesterday” turnaround, add +50-100% to the base price.

How to restore Ukrainian documents from abroad¶

Before hunting for alternative evidence, try restoring the originals. It’s much easier than you’d think, even from abroad.

The Diia app¶

Diia isn’t just an app - it’s a full platform for document restoration. Through Diia, you can: - Get a digital passport (e-passport) that some countries already accept - Order extracts from the civil status registry (birth certificates, marriage certificates) - Get your TIN (taxpayer identification number) - Order a criminal background check certificate

But here’s the catch: digital documents from Diia aren’t automatically recognized abroad yet. Some countries (like Estonia) accept them, but Germany and most EU countries still require the paper version. More on this in our article about restoring lost documents through Diia.

DP “Dokument”¶

DP “Dokument” has opened offices abroad - in Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Bratislava, Bucharest, and other cities. You can: - Apply for or renew a biometric passport - Get an ID card - Restore expired documents

The queues are long (sometimes 2-3 months), but it’s the most reliable way to get a proper document.

Ukrainian consulates¶

At Ukrainian consulates, you can: - Get a certificate confirming your identity and citizenship - Order a return certificate (свідоцтво про повернення) - Certify document copies

Since October 2025, a TIN is required for passport processing - you can get one remotely through the Diia app.

When nothing works¶

If you’re from occupied territory where documents are simply impossible to obtain, document that fact. Write an explanation (with dates and details) of why you can’t get documents. This explanation becomes part of your application and also needs to be translated for submission.

Common mistakes when applying without documents¶

Every one of these mistakes actually happens - and each can cost you your case.

Mistake 1: Not explaining why you don’t have documents. The immigration officer isn’t a mind reader. If you just show up without a passport and say nothing, they’ll note “applicant failed to provide identity documents.” You need a written statement with specific circumstances: when, where, and how the documents were lost.

Mistake 2: Not translating alternative evidence. “But it’s obvious what it is, it’s just a driver’s license” - no, it’s not obvious. A BAMF or USCIS officer doesn’t read Ukrainian. Every document - even a receipt, even a student ID - needs a translation.

Mistake 3: Submitting only one piece of alternative evidence. A single affidavit or a single driver’s license usually isn’t enough. You’re better off submitting 5 weak pieces of evidence than 1 strong one. The “weight of cumulative evidence” is an official principle in the UK, Canada, and the US.

Mistake 4: Affidavits only from family members. If your witness is your mom, that’s weaker evidence than an affidavit from a former employer or teacher. Relatives have an obvious interest. Better to collect affidavits from disinterested parties.

Mistake 5: Not making copies. BAMF can hold originals until the procedure is complete. Scan everything at 300 dpi. Save to the cloud. Without copies, you risk being left with literally nothing.

Free legal help for refugees without documents¶

If you’re without documents, you’re probably without money for a lawyer and translator too. Here’s where you can get free help:

Germany: - PRO ASYL - legal advice through state-level Refugee Councils - Refugee Law Clinics - free legal help from law students supervised by professors (available in Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, and other cities) - Beratungshilfe - a certificate for legal aid, obtained at your local Amtsgericht

United States: - RIF Asylum Support - help gathering evidence - CLINIC (Catholic Legal Immigration Network) - free legal services - Immigration Justice Campaign - pro bono representation

Canada: - Canadian Council for Refugees - information and support - Legal Aid Ontario, Aide juridique du Québec - free legal assistance

United Kingdom: - Right to Remain - legal toolkit - Refugee Council - legal consultations and support

Free translation: - Tarjimly - 56,000+ volunteers, 250+ languages - Respond Crisis Translation - urgent translation in 100+ languages - Refugee Translation Project - document translation for asylum cases

Step-by-step strategy for a refugee without documents¶

Here’s what to do if you don’t have a passport and need protection:

Step 1: Document everything you have. Check your phone - maybe there’s a photo of your passport, a screenshot from your banking app showing your name, a photo of your student ID. Check your email - maybe you once sent someone scans of your documents. Check cloud services - Google Drive, iCloud.

Step 2: Try to restore your documents. Download the Diia app, register, check what’s available. Sign up at DP “Dokument” - even if the wait is 3 months, that’s better than nothing. Contact the consulate.

Step 3: Gather alternative evidence. Ask two or three people (preferably NOT relatives) who can confirm your identity to write affidavits. Collect any church, school, or medical documents you can find.

Step 4: Write an explanation. A detailed description of the circumstances under which you lost your documents. With specific dates, places, and details. It doesn’t need to be a literary masterpiece - just simple, honest, and detailed.

Step 5: Translate everything. Every document, every affidavit, every explanation. According to the country’s requirements: sworn translation for Germany, certified translation for the UK, certified translation for the US and Canada.

Step 6: Get legal help. A lawyer experienced in asylum cases knows how to present alternative evidence most effectively. If you can’t afford one, use the free services listed above.

If you need a quick translation for an initial lawyer consultation, ChatsControl provides AI translation in minutes. It doesn’t replace an official translation, but it helps your lawyer understand the document contents before you order an expensive sworn translation.

FAQ¶

Can I be denied asylum just because I don’t have a passport?¶

No. No country that’s a party to the Geneva Convention can refuse to consider an asylum application solely because the applicant lacks a passport. But missing documents complicates the process and extends processing times. That’s why gathering as much alternative evidence as possible is so important.

How many affidavits do I need to prove my identity?¶

It depends on the country. USCIS requires at least 2 affidavits from people who aren’t parties to the case and have direct personal knowledge of the facts. In Germany, one eidesstattliche Versicherung is usually enough, but more is always better. Recommendation: 2-3 affidavits from different people (for example, a former employer + a neighbor + a teacher).

Are digital documents from Diia accepted abroad?¶

So far, only to a limited extent. Some countries (Estonia, partially Poland) recognize the e-passport from Diia. But Germany, the UK, the US, and Canada still require paper documents or their certified copies. Digital documents from Diia can be used as supporting evidence, but not as primary proof.

What do I do if I’m from occupied territory and can’t get any documents at all?¶

This is exactly the situation where affidavits become your primary evidence. Write a detailed explanation of the circumstances (occupation, no access to Ukrainian government agencies, inability to contact DP “Dokument” or a consulate). Submit affidavits from anyone who can confirm your identity. Immigration authorities are used to dealing with cases like these - it’s not unusual.

Do I need to translate photos and screenshots?¶

If the photo or screenshot contains text (for example, a photo of a passport, a screenshot of a banking app showing your name) - yes, the visible text needs to be translated. The translator typically describes the document and translates all text elements. If it’s just a photograph with no text, no translation is needed, but you should include a description of what’s in the photo.