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By now you know that to travel outside of the United States you will need a passport. Gone are the days of driving to Canada or a quick weekend flight to the Bahamas with just your birth certificate and driver license. Well, soon enough it will be time to dig deeper into your pockets to obtain that much needed travel document.
The U.S. Department of State charges fees for its consular services related to processing passport and visas. After a recent study indicated that the government is not fully covering its costs for providing the services, the Dept of State has proposed a new fee structure to offset those costs.
The total proposed cost of a new passport will increase from $100 to $135 for adults and from $85 to $105 for minors. Renewals will increase from $75 to $110 for adults and from $60 to $80 for minors. Travelers needing extra visa pages will soon pay $82. Currently, this service is free. The fees for passport cards will be increasing as well.
While no firm date has been set for implementation, the U.S. Department of State is taking public comments through early March. Once they have had time to review those comments they intend to proceed with the rate increase.
We strongly urge all travelers to apply for their passports as soon as possible. If you are a first time applicant, you will have to make an appointment at the Passport Office at your local Post Office. Both first time applicants and renewals can download the necessary forms from our website.
Should you have any questions or comments we would be glad to hear from you.
Happy Travels.
Information for this article obtained from www.regulations.gov. Please visit the website for more detailed information.
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