Certificate of identy meaning :

The identity certificate is a travel document issued by a country to non-citizens residing on its territory, notably stateless individuals or those unable to obtain a passport from their state of nationality, such as refugees. Some countries also issue identity certificates to their own citizens, either as emergency passports or as a substitute for a passport.

Based on its underlying texts, the identity certificate can have different names :

• Documents of the 1951 Convention for Refugees : This identity certificate is also known as a travel document of the 1951 Convention or Geneva passports. They are issued to refugees in reference to the 1951 Convention, an international agreement adopted by the United Nations to define the legal status of refugees and establish the fundamental rights of individuals displaced due to persecution, war, or violence.
• Documents of the 1954 Convention for Stateless Persons : This special travel document is issued to stateless persons in accordance with the provisions of the aforementioned convention, an agreement concerning the status of stateless persons, which has 89 signatory countries. This document thus enables its holder to legally travel and access certain rights and services in the countries where they reside.
• Non-conventional travel documents : These are travel documents issued by a country to non-citizen residents who are neither refugees under the 1951 Convention nor stateless persons under the 1954 Convention. These documents generally comply with the international standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for international identity documents.

Etymology of certificate of identity

The term “certificat d’identité” comes from the Latin word “certificare,” which means “to certify” or “to attest,” and “identitas,” a derivative of the word “idem,” meaning “the same” or “self.” Therefore, this legal concept refers to a document that officially establishes or confirms the characteristics or particular qualities that make an individual distinct or identifiable. In the field of immigration, it is used to designate an official travel document specific to oneself.