By: Shajil Kumar
The price of a UK passport will go up on Thursday, the second hike in 14 months.
This rise follows a 9 per cent rise in February 2023. Before that increase, passport fees had remained unchanged for five years.
The cost of applying online to get a new or renewed adult passport will go up from £82.50 to £88.50.
Children’s passports will also cost more, going up from £53.50 to £57.50 for an online application.
The cost of postal applications has gone up from £93 to £100 for an adult passport and £64 to £69 for a child.
Those applying online from abroad will have to pay more – £101 for adults and £65.50 for children.
Those using paper applications when applying from abroad will have to pay £112.50 for adults and £77 for children.
The home office said the increased fees will help reduce reliance on funding from general taxation.
Consumer group Which? said this would come as a shock to travellers who are due to renew their passports.
Guy Hobbs, a travel expert at the group, told The Guardian the price hike may reflect rising production costs, but the UK passport is now among ‘the priciest’ in Europe.
