The cost of a UK passport application is about to go up again, just twelve months after the first price increase in five years, if parliament approves.
From 11 April 2024, a standard online passport application within the UK will be priced at £88.50 (€103) for adults and £57.50 (€67) for children. That’s an increase of over 7%, up from £82.50 (€93) and £53.50 (€60).
Bearing in mind that in February 2023, UK passport fees went up from £75.50 (€85) and £49 (€55), this means that UK passport charges have gone up 17% percent in two years.
Postal applications meanwhile will go up from £93 (€105) to £100 (€117) for adults and £64 (€72) to £69 (€80) for children.
First time or new applications and renewals will be charged the same, but the cost of a non-standard 54-page passport, which some frequent travellers find necessary, has not yet been revealed.
Is this expensive?
The price and duration of a UK passport (10 years) is in line with other European nations. France charges €86. Italians pay €116. The practice of charging more for postal applications and applications made through consulates abroad is commonplace, and part of the pot amassed through passport charges is meant to go towards consular services, such as support in the case of a lost or stolen passport. The funds also contribute to UK border force activities.
In a statement, the UK Home Office said “The new fees will help ensure that income from these applications better meets the cost of delivering passport and associated operations, reducing reliance on funding from general taxation.” It also pointed out that the UK government does not make a profit from passport administration.
Useful to know
After voting for Brexit, UK citizens are classed by the European Union as “third country nationals”. This means extra caution is required when planning to travel to Europe. Passports must continue to be valid for at least three months after your planned departure from the EU.
The lead-in time for a new passport in the UK has significantly improved, from 10 weeks plus last year, to just three weeks. However, if planning to travel during the peak holiday seasons, it’s advisable to anticipate how busy passport offices will be and leave plenty of margin.
Fees for premium urgent services have not yet been updated. The premium extra fast service via the UK government website entails an in-person appointment which takes at least two days to set up. It costs £193.50 (€226) at the time of writing, more than double the standard online process.
There’s a further option to have your renewed passport delivered to your door. It takes a week with a Fast Track service that costs £155 (€181) for adults and £126 (€147) for children.
