WASHINGTON — The cost of obtaining a U.S. passport is set to increase next year, with the price of a standard adult passport book and card rising from $165 to $185. The U.S. Department of State has announced the fee increase, which will take effect on April 1, 2022.
The fee increase is part of a larger effort by the Department of State to recover the costs of processing passport applications. The current fee of $165, which includes a $35 execution fee, has not been increased since 2018. The new fee of $185 will include a $40 execution fee.
The cost of a passport for minors under the age of 16 will also increase, from $135 to $155. The fee for a minor’s passport book and card will increase from $105 to $125.
In addition to the standard adult and minor passport fees, the cost of other passport services will also increase. The fee for a passport card will increase from $65 to $70, and the fee for a passport renewal will increase from $110 to $130. The fee for a second passport book will increase from $165 to $185.
The Department of State said in a statement that the fee increase is necessary to ensure that passport services are fully funded and that the costs of processing applications are covered. The fees collected from passport applicants are used to pay for the processing of passport applications, the production of passport books and cards, and the operation of passport agencies and centers.
The Department of State processes over 18 million passport applications each year, and the cost of processing these applications continues to rise. The fee increase is expected to generate an additional $152 million in revenue for the Department of State in the first year after it takes effect.
The fee increase has sparked criticism from some consumer advocates, who argue that the cost of obtaining a passport is already too high for many Americans. They say that the fee increase will make it even more difficult for low-income Americans to afford a passport and will discourage travel abroad.
However, the Department of State defends the fee increase, saying that it is necessary to ensure that passport services are fully funded and that the costs of processing applications are covered. The Department of State also points out that the fee increase is in line with the fees charged by other countries for passport services.
The Department of State has also announced changes to the processing times for passport applications. The standard processing time for a passport application will increase from 10-12 weeks to 12-18 weeks. The expedited processing time, which currently takes 4-6 weeks, will increase to 6-12 weeks.
The Department of State advises Americans to apply for or renew their passports well in advance of their planned travel dates to avoid any delays. The Department of State also recommends that Americans check the status of their passport applications online at travel.state.gov.
Overall, the fee increase for U.S. passport applications is set to take effect on April 1, 2022. The cost of a standard adult passport book and card will increase from $165 to $185, while the cost of a passport for minors under 16 will increase from $135 to $155. The fee increase is expected to generate additional revenue for the Department of State and ensure that passport services are fully funded.
