U.S. Passport price increase!

If you need a new- or renewed passport anytime soon, sooner might be better than later. Or at least cheaper.

Beginning July 13th, prices will increase. Here's more info:


Passport fees going up steeply in mid-July

If you need a U.S. passport, get one soon before fees increase steeply July 13.

By Kristin R. Jackson

Seattle Times travel writer

If you need a U.S. passport, get one soon before fees increase steeply in mid-July.

The cost for a first-time passport for an adult (age 16 and older) will increase to $135, up from the current $100, on July 13. A renewal for an adult passport will be $110, up from $75. A first-time passport or renewal for a minor (younger than 16) will be $105, up from $85.

The U.S. State Department noted the price increase on its website this week. The prices include an "acceptance fee," payable to facilities where passport applications are taken.

Travelers who need extra pages in their passports to accommodate more visas/stamps will pay $82 starting July 13. That service has been free.

The fee also is increasing for a passport card, a more limited form of federally-issued identification that can be used for land/sea travel between the U.S. and Mexico, Canada and a few other Western Hemisphere countries. A first-time passport card for an adult will cost $55 (up from $45). A renewal will be $30 (up from $20). For a minor, a passport card (first-time and renewal) is $40 (up from $35). The passport card is not valid for international air travel.

To get information on applying for a passport, formally called a "passport book," and to download application forms, see www.travel.state.govor phone 877-487-2778 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 877-487-2778 end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Adult passports and passport cards are valid for 10 years, five years for minors.

First-time applicants and those younger than 16 must apply in person at an acceptance facility, which includes post offices, libraries and certain government offices. Find passport-acceptance facilities by ZIP code at iafdb.travel.state.gov/

Renewals for most adults can be done by mail.

Kristin Jackson: kjackson@seattletimes.com

Thanks for posting this!

As an addendum, and personal rant, $82 for extra pages for visas is unjust, uncalled for and plain highway robbery! It wouldn't cost $.02 to add 10 more pages (5- 1/2 sheets of 8 1/2x11 paper) to every new passport from the get-go! BAAAH! JR

Thanks for the post Jim.

I had seen this today online and I guess it will motivate me to finally go get a new passport (mine expired a decade or so ago) prior to the 13th.

Which I guess means I can now go see my inlaws in Canada, eh!?

ricoba said:

Thanks for the post Jim.

I had seen this today online and I guess it will motivate me to finally go get a new passport (mine expired a decade or so ago) prior to the 13th.

Which I guess means I can now go see my inlaws in Canada, eh!?

Click to expand...

Probably a rookie question, but if you had one at one time but it has expired will you need a "new" one or a "re-newed" one? I ask because this is our situation as well.

teachingmyown said:

Probably a rookie question, but if you had one at one time but it has expired will you need a "new" one or a "re-newed" one? I ask because this is our situation as well.

Click to expand...

There are no dumb questions. You need a new passport. Get thee off to the post office with pictures in hand before the 13th and save $70 a couple. Walgreens and other drug stores will do the passport photos cheaper than the post office.... JR

Passepartout said:

There are no dumb questions. You need a new passport. Get thee off to the post office with pictures in hand before the 13th and save $70 a couple. Walgreens and other drug stores will do the passport photos cheaper than the post office.... JR

Click to expand...

And if you're a Plus Member of the American Automobile Association (AAA), they'll do your passport photo's free.


Richard

teachingmyown said:

Probably a rookie question, but if you had one at one time but it has expired will you need a "new" one or a "re-newed" one? I ask because this is our situation as well.

Click to expand...

It was issued over 15 years ago and since expired, so I have to apply for a new one. My picture was taken when I was young and good lookin' and much slimmer!!!!

Here is the link to the Dept of State for passport info.

Under the wire

Just got a total of 5 last month. (Four grandkids, one daughter name change). Didn't know I would be saving a bundle.

I wonder of the Passport cards will see a similar increase.

Cheers

x3 skier said:

I wonder of the Passport cards will see a similar increase.

Click to expand...

Yup. Up $10 for adults and $5 each for minors- and still are not good for air travel. See my post #1. JR

MULTIZ321 said:

And if you're a Plus Member of the American Automobile Association (AAA), they'll do your passport photo's free.


Richard

Click to expand...

Hardly worth the ~$100 annual membership fee. Pay me $100/yr and I'll come to your house and take your passport renewal photo every 10 years. "Free". JR

Passepartout said:

Yup. Up $10 for adults and $5 each for minors- and still are not good for air travel. See my post #1. JR

Click to expand...

Duh! Reminding myself to read everything before engaging keyboard.

Cheers

Passepartout said:

As an addendum, and personal rant, $82 for extra pages for visas is unjust, uncalled for and plain highway robbery! It wouldn't cost $.02 to add 10 more pages (5- 1/2 sheets of 8 1/2x11 paper) to every new passport from the get-go! BAAAH! JR

Click to expand...

From the article I read, part of the cost that they are trying to account for in the passport fees is the cost of providing services for those travelers while they are overseas (consulate / embacy services, other government-provided travel services, etc.). So even though the pages don't cost much of anything, they are charging a person that travels more often an additional amount to help pay for the travel services provided by the government.

When you look at it that way, it does make sense to charge for additional visa stamp space (even if you don't agree with being charged that extra fee).

Kurt

Passepartout said:

There are no dumb questions. You need a new passport. Get thee off to the post office with pictures in hand before the 13th and save $70 a couple. Walgreens and other drug stores will do the passport photos cheaper than the post office.... JR

Click to expand...

Thanks to my WONDERFUL Tug family, we saved $90! Getting new passports was on our "get around to" list to be done sometime during 2010 but I had no idea the price was changing until I read it here. Of course, we spent 2 hours in line at the Post Office Saturday in order to save it, but at least it's done. Now we can take advantage of these insane cruise deals being offered and maybe even take a trip to Peru to meet our future dil's dad.

luckily i got mine before they went up

Arghhh!

I just read the first post and sent the out of date news to my friends.

I wonder if the Dept. of State would take my suggestion of allowing citizens to buy in for longer terms for less money?
For example, $135 for 10 years, $200 for 20 years, $270 for 30 years, etc. Grandparents could gift their grands with 50 year passports.