Government to Increase Passport Application Fees
The government is expected to raise the cost of all passport applications on February 2.
The cost of applying for a passport would increase for the first time in five years, according to the statement, and the plans are being examined by the parliament.
The fee for a standard online application made from within the UK will rise from £75.50 to £82.50 for adults and £49 to £53.50 for children.
Postal applications will increase from £85 to £93 for adults and £58.50 to £64 for children.
Priority service fees are being aligned so all customers will pay the same.
The government announcement said: “The new fees will help the Home Office move towards a system that meets its costs through those who use it, reducing reliance on funding from general taxation.
“The government does not make any profit from the cost of passport applications.
“The fees will also contribute to the cost of processing passport applications, consular support overseas, including for lost or stolen passports, and the cost of processing British citizens at UK borders. The increase will also help enable the government to continue improving its services.”
The new fees include those newly applying or renewing their passport.
The statement added that, since January last year, more than 95% of standard applications have been processed within 10 weeks.