# Why British Passports cost so much



## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

The cost of obtaining a standard passport has increased greatly over the past twenty years.

In November 1992, the standard cost of a passport was £18. Even 12 years ago, in March 1998, it would have cost you just £21.

Since then there have been eight hikes in the price of passports, leading to the current cost of £77.50.

Reasons for the hikes have included the funding of a major overhaul of the Passport Agency, to pay for anti-fraud measures and interviews for first-time applicants.

The most recent hike happened on September 3 2009, which the Government said was due to a combination of things, one of which was the falling number of applicants (ironically probably put off by the cost of a passport.)

They also cited again that there are enhanced passport security measures which warranted the cost. Recently, the coalition Government has stated that people were footing the bill for the introduction of the ill-fated ID cards.

The cost of £77.50 represents an increase of 85% in just four years. You have to renew your passport every ten years, so those who are coming to having to renew will find that the cost will have more than doubled. Even the cost for a child passport is now £49.

Researching the breakdown of the costs from the Identity and Passport Service, there was a document which gave the following breakdown of production costs for a passport (dated May 2008):


Application processing: £14.67 
FCO consular protection: £15.12 
Book production: £12.25 
Secure delivery: £3.00 
Anti fraud initiatives: £16.06 
Authentication by interview: £5.88 
Administrative: £5.02

Total: £72.00 This is for UK only. You can fast track your passport but this hikes the price up to almost double.

Unfortunatly, there is no way around this cost, you need it to travel - unless you were born on or before 2 September 1929. In which case, your passport is free of charge. 

And of course if we renew our passport when we are out of the country we then have the added cost of postage to Paris


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## GM1 (Sep 30, 2008)

We have to pay approx LE400 (that was last year) but we need a new passport every 5 years! Luckily we can get a new passport from the Dutch embassy in Cairo.


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## aykalam (Apr 12, 2010)

Just before the introduction of the new processing system I paid almost LE800 for my daughter's passport renewal here in Cairo, which is nearly double what I would have paid in UK.

The service at the consulate in Cairo was shocking so now that they no longer provide it I will not be missing them.


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## Sam (Aug 27, 2009)

Those costs are outrageous. Looks like I'll be saving for the next 6 months just to flippin' pay for my passport and it's holiday to Paris!!!

Can't remember what mine cost last time, it was back in 2001. But I do remember it being just 2 weeks before I was due to fly to Thailand so it cost me a trip across the border to Newport! Worked out quite pricey after the petrol, shopping trip etc


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## gw4khq (Oct 27, 2009)

Cost of renewing passport through the new system, via Paris is 128GBP plus courier service both ways of about 65GBP. Just going through the process myself now.


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## Beatle (Aug 14, 2009)

gw4khq said:


> Cost of renewing passport through the new system, via Paris is 128GBP plus courier service both ways of about 65GBP. Just going through the process myself now.


That is horrendous!


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## kevinthegulf (Aug 16, 2009)

Renewing at Liverpool Passport office, express service on the day, for which you wait 4 hours from submitting your documents (make an appoinyment) cost £138.50 for my 48 page and £128.50 for my wifes standard passport, plus parking at £10, plus fuel plus a days leave used up
Why they cant make the old 96 page ones I dont know, my last passport lasted 2.5 yrs before being full-


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