Passport Fees to Increase from $60 to $85 on Aug 19, 2002

[albiats]

I just read a tiny blurb in the Travel section of our Sunday paper that says the fees for U.S. Passports will be increasing on Aug 19. It was reported to them by the subscription based newsletter from Rudy Maxa, at www.rudymaxa.com. I went to the Website and couldn't find anything, but I don't subscribe to it.

I did an Internet Search and finally found some info about it on a Website from Rock County, Wisconsin. Here's the link:
Passport Fees from Rock County, Wisc

The old fees were $45 to the Department of State and $15 to the processing agency.

The new fees will be $55 to the Dept of State and $30 to the agency.

Anyway, if you need a passport or know of anyone that does, it would be best to get it before the increase goes into effect.

I can't believe how 'quietly' this has been pushed through, I would have thought it would have been reported in a lot more places, this is the first time I heard of it.

edited - I just found a page on the Department of State Website about it also:
Dept of State

 

[CarolAnnC]

Just got our passports back in the mail for myself and my two DD's. I anticipated probably an increase in cost due to additional security costs that probably will be incurred since 9/11.

Also, since the Canadian government now requires passports even to visit the islands on the cruise, I am thinking we may not be far behind.. So I brought in the applications and had them issued and mailed to me in three weeks. Faster than the minimum five weeks they told me there.

 

[FantasticDisFamily]

Does anyone know if the fee on renewals is going up also?

My kids passports expire in Dec and I had planned to take care of the renewal after school starts but if fees are going up I'll find a way tog get this done before the 19th!

Deb

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Originally posted by FantasticDisFamily

Does anyone know if the fee on renewals is going up also?

According to the State Department link that albiats posted, renewals are increasing from $40 to $55.

 

[albiats]

Originally posted by FantasticDisFamily
Does anyone know if the fee on renewals is going up also?

My kids passports expire in Dec and I had planned to take care of the renewal after school starts but if fees are going up I'll find a way tog get this done before the 19th!

Deb

The fee for renewing an adult passport is going up. It looks like it is also increased for renewing a child's passport, but I can't tell for sure.

There's a renew by mail option, but there are 4 conditions that have to be met before you can do that:
1. Already have a passport that is not damaged; and
2. Received it within the past 15 years; and
3. Were over age 16 when it was issued; and
4. Still have the same name as in passport (or you can legally document your name change).

Here's a link to that webpage:
Renewal Info

I would suggest calling the passport agency nearest to you to ask for a clear answer from them.

hope that helps

 

[Rock'n Robin]

Boy it would already cost $240 for my family--either we get on the ball or stick with birth certificates, I guess! Do you need the photos when you apply?
Robin M.

 

[FantasticDisFamily]

Thanks everybody - the $30 is worth getting this done earlier than later.

Can't do the by mail as neither were over 16 when first issued.

Looks like we head for the passport photo stop and then the office!

Yes, you do need pictures - make sure they are taken as passport photos. School pics for instance don't count. Many places that have 1 hour photo services also do passport pics in our area at least.

Deb

 

[Hot4disney]

I have been hounding my husband for months-since the last cruise to get his passport renewed. I just gave him a quick call and told him about the price increase...now he seems interested! LOL...anyway..I appreciate the info! This way we can renew his, get a new one for DD -3- and ask if I should renew mine which does not expire until 2004. I think I'd just rather have them all expire at the same time to make life simpler.

 

[VondaP]

I applied for passports for my dds recently. I had the picture taken at Walgreens $7.99 ready in minutes. I had the application filled out that I had printed from the USPS website. It took just a few minutes at the post office and the passports arrived in 2 weeks without the expedited cost.

Vonda

I wanted to add that for minors, either both parents present themselves or one parent witha form signed by the absent parent. These forms are also available online.

 

[peg2001]

As the last poster did, consider Walgreens for your passport photo. I called around (Sears Portrait Studio, Walgreens, Mailboxes Etc., Kinkos, etc.) to get prices and they varied from $7.99 for set of 2 photos at Walgreens to $14.99 for set of 2 photos at Sears. Most places were $9.99 or $12.99.

We had photos taken for our family of 4 so the difference adds up!

Peg

 

[bizybea]

I am a member at AAA and they took the passport photos for DH and I. I don't recall how much they cost?

 

[SweetSpot]

I just called my local AAA and with a standard membership the cost for the set of pictures is $8.00. I never even thought to go there (even if they are my TA).

 

[FOJMO]

After all this talk about going to Walgreen's, I felt I just had to speak up and ask my fellow DIS'ers to consider going to Eckerd (if you have that Drug Store Chain in your area).

I guess I couldn't consider myself a true-blue associate if I didn't take this opportunity to suggest Eckerd. They, by the way, are the same price as Walgreen's. My DH, DD and I all work for Eckerd and my DD used to call Walgreen's the "bad name place" when she was little - LOL.

But wherever you go for your passport photos, happy sailing!

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Keep in mind that not all post offices handle passport applications. In some areas, you'll visit your town clerk. Visit this site to find your nearest passport application office.

iafdb.travel.state.gov

 

[albiats]

It is possible to take your own passport photos if you want to save the cost of it. They have a description of the requirements on the Dept of State Website and they aren't that outrageous.

I'll confess though, I was only getting passports for my DW and I and we got them from the AAA. We discussed getting the passports while we were there booking a new 7 day DCL cruise and they took the pictures for us and didn't charge.

Here are the passport photo requirements:

1. 2x2 inches in size
2. Two Identical photos
3. Taken within the past 6 months, showing current appearance
4. Color or black and white
5. Full face, front view with a plain white or off-white background
6. Between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head
7. Taken in normal street attire
8. Uniforms should not be worn in photographs except religious attire that is worn daily.
9. Do not wear a hat or headgear that obscures the hair or hairline.
10. If you normally wear prescription glasses, a hearing device, wig or similar articles, they should be worn for your picture.
11. Dark glasses or nonprescription glasses with tinted lenses are not acceptable unless you need them for medical reasons. A medical certificate may be required.

And info about digitized photos:
If you choose to submit digitized photos, they must meet the same requirements of all passport photographs. In addition, digitized photographs are always produced on digital printers. Some printers will produce a photograph in which the dots are seen. Visible dots distort the image by making it look grainy. Acceptable photos have a continuous tone image that looks very photo-like.

The info is located here: Passport photo requirements

hope that helps

 

[VondaP]

Nothing wrong with Eckerds, we just don't have one here.

Vonda

 

[SweetSpot]

I went to AAA yesterday to get passport pictures taken. They charge $8.00 for the first set (me) and then $5.00 for each additional set (my kids and husband) taken at that time. I believe you have to be a AAA member but it is the least expensive deal I have been able to find so far.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

Here is an even better deal--we are AAA Plus members--our first 3 sets of photos are free--the other two are $6 each, so our family of 5 will only have to pay $12 for photos!
Good thing since our passports will be $240!!! Darn right we are getting them before 8/19!!
Robin M.