UK raises passport fees to record high: New rates, ways to avoid paying new price

London: The United Kingdom has hiked the standard application and renewal fees for passports by seven per cent. The Home Office decided to raise the fee due to a significant increase in the number of applicants. The new fee structure will come into effect from April 10, 2025, onwards. The UK increased the application fee by seven per cent last year, too. Meanwhile, it was a nine per cent hike in 2023.

The cost for an adult online application will increase from 88.50 pounds to 94.50 pounds, while for children, it will go up from 69 pounds to 74 pounds. Postal applications will also see a fee hike, with the adult fee rising from 100 pounds to 107 pounds and the fee for children increasing from 69 pounds to 74 pounds.

Meanwhile, the premium service, which issues passports in just one day, will also increase the application fee. For adults, the fee will rise from 207 pounds to 222 pounds, while it will go up from 176 pounds to 189 pounds for children. The authorities stated that although the application fee is hiked each year, the Home Office doesn’t make any financial gains out of it, as a major share of the fee is utilised for the production costs including printing fee.

How to dodge the rise
According to various experts, if your British passport will expire or become invalid for travel to the EU by November 25 this year, or you plan to travel abroad before the date, it would be a good idea to renew your passport before the rise, by April 9. Another effective method is applying online, which will help you evade the postal application fee. The postal applications cost 15 pounds more than online ones. If you are a British citizen living abroad, make sure you apply for a new one in the UK, as overseas prices are even higher – 108 pounds (12.50 pounds more than applying in the UK).