The cost of obtaining a UK passport is set to rise for the second time in just over 14 months, with online application fees for adults increasing from £82.50 to £88.50 starting midnight Thursday.
This 7% increase follows a previous 9% rise in February 2023, leading consumer group Which? to express concerns that travellers due to renew their passports would be taken aback by the sudden hike.
The Home Office clarified that they do not profit from passport applications and stated that the fee adjustment aims to enhance service quality.
Travel expert Guy Hobbs from Which? urged individuals planning passport renewals to act promptly to avoid the price surge, emphasizing that the cost of applying for both adult and child passports is also increasing.
For online child passport applications, fees will rise from £53.50 to £57.50, while postal applications will increase from £64 to £69. Adult passport fees for postal applications will see an increase from £93 to £100.
Prior to the recent hikes, passport fees had remained unchanged for five years, with the standard adult online application costing £75.50.
The current cost of a UK passport online ranks among the highest in Europe, trailing behind countries like Switzerland, Denmark, and Italy. Despite the rise in fees, concerns have been raised about service quality, especially in light of past passport processing delays affecting hundreds of thousands of individuals amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Consumer rights campaigner Martyn James emphasized the importance of ensuring that service quality matches price increases, particularly given the significant percentage hike over a short period.
The Home Office defended the fee increase, stating that it will contribute towards passport delivery costs and reduce reliance on tax funding.
In a separate issue, holidaymakers travelling to the EU are reminded of the "passport 10-year rule" post-Brexit, which requires passports to be issued within the last 10 years to be accepted. Travel associations are also urging travellers to adhere to existing airport security rules regarding liquids and hand luggage, as the deadline for installing new security scanners has been extended. Photo by Swapnil1101, Wikimedia commons.