U.S. Passport Fees Are Set to Increase Soon

On December 20, the State Department revealed that the price of passport books will rise by $20. This increase affects all customers and will be enforced starting December 27.

The $20 increase is specifically related to the security surcharge fees for passports. As stated by the State Department’s Twitter account, “The raised fee is essential to maintain our status as producers of one of the most secure travel and identity documents globally.”

How will this additional funding be utilized? In 2006, several new features were incorporated into passports, including polycarbonate pages, embossed lettering, watermarks, and RFID chips. The surcharges contribute to these enhancements, thereby improving protection for travelers against identity theft and fraud.

You can check the current prices for passport books on the State Department’s website, but here’s what you can anticipate in fees starting next week:

• For adults (16 and older) applying for the first time: $165
• For adults (16 and older) renewing their passport: $130
• For children under 16 applying for a passport: $135

Additionally, there are special fees for expedited services, including $60 for rush processing and $17.56 for delivery within one to two days. These fees will remain unchanged despite the upcoming price increases.

This announcement follows President Biden's signing of an executive order to transition mail-in passport renewals to an online platform, though the exact timeline for this change is still unknown. Currently, the process requires completing forms, printing them, and mailing them (along with your expired passport) to a specified center.

In the meantime, the State Department advises travelers to apply for new or renewed passports several months before their planned trips abroad. Although the current processing time of 8 to 11 weeks is a significant improvement from the 18 weeks experienced over the summer and fall, it’s wise to avoid last-minute applications—paying expedited fees on top of these increased security costs isn’t the ideal way to kick off your travel plans for the new year.