U.S. Passport fees going up

[n2mm]

That's pretty shocking! What was her explanation? What sort of payment did she want to accept?



If you look on the website, you can see the part where he could go to a notary and sign the forms giving her permission. That could be done at a bank; banks often have notaries, and fees are often waived if you bank there. So he could go in on a lunch break with an appt set up to make sure the notary is there, then your daughter could take those forms in.

Wanted to say, we also could not pay the fee with cash and they only took a check when we got ours a couple of years ago.

Also, we too thought of the notary issue, but are looking at some libraries that have evening hours by appt. My SonIL just started the police academy and don't think they are allowed to leave the compound for lunch. No chance of him missing any time, even if it's an hour. Hopefully she can get an evening appt. or a Saturday appointment at the local PO. I've been telling her for months to get this done, now it's coming back to bite her on the butt.

 

[cole6179]

Wanted to say, we also could not pay the fee with cash and they only took a check when we got ours a couple of years ago.

Also, we too thought of the notary issue, but are looking at some libraries that have evening hours by appt. My SonIL just started the police academy and don't think they are allowed to leave the compound for lunch. No chance of him missing any time, even if it's an hour. Hopefully she can get an evening appt. or a Saturday appointment at the local PO. I've been telling her for months to get this done, now it's coming back to bite her on the butt.

Have you checked your local post office? Ours are open until 7pm and open until 3 on Saturdays. We plan on going to apply this week when my dh gets off work. Ours also do not require an appt.

www.usps.com/passport/

 

[Iri920]

Ugh, now I'm really mad I forgot to do this before DH left for a work trip. He also forgot to give me a power of attorney so I can't go get them done.

 

[bumbershoot]

Ugh, now I'm really mad I forgot to do this before DH left for a work trip. He also forgot to give me a power of attorney so I can't go get them done.

My hubby's on a work trip too. Gets back on the 7th. Am hoping his boss lets him stay home on Monday so we can go and get DS a passport!

 

[branv]

Oh, thank you so much! I had to get a renewal this year and was just going to put it off until later, but I'll get right on it.

Here's a question which perhaps is too random for anyone to know: when I got married, I had an amendment made to my passport that hyphenated my maiden name and my married name. I never use it that way in real life, but for some reason did it that way thinking it would be easier in regards to using it for identification. Now I find it's a big pain in the rear (had 2 separate issues with finding my ressies with DCL between passport name vs. ressie name) and pointless. If I want to do my renewal using JUST my married name, can I just do the renewal app using it and removing the hyphenation, or will this require a whole new application or need to provide my marriage license again? Have a confused anyone thoroughly yet?

 

[erin.w]

We are able to renew early, correct? My fiance is applying for the first time and I am renewing. I would rather have ours expire at the same time and would renew about 9 months early. Thanks!

 

[Drew Sailbum]

That's pretty shocking! What was her explanation? What sort of payment did she want to accept?

I know what she won't accept:
1) Bank cashier's check, drawn on a US account, made out to the Department of State
2) Exact change in US dollars
3) Exact change in Cayman Islands dollars (ie local currency here)
4) credit or debit cards.

I gave up. I contacted the embassy directly. I contacted my Senator. No help and no reply, respectively.

I'm running out of time to get my renewal so I went for the courier handling my emergency application in the States. If I don't have a valid passport in my hands then I have to leave the country (and my job) until it is done.

Lesson for life. Get it done early. Start a year before it expires. You never know what hassels you might encounter.

 

[apnep]

The increase is $35.00 for the passport fee. The $25.00 fee stays the same. $110.00 for the passport. For a total of $135.00.

I think the price of the passport is kind of ridiculous. I thought it was expensive when I got mine a few years ago but for them to raise it another $35 is just a rip.

Angela

 

[tekoa]

I think the price of the passport is kind of ridiculous. I thought it was expensive when I got mine a few years ago but for them to raise it another $35 is just a rip.

Angela

Bear in mind that the passport is good for 10 years. So I really don't think it is that bad when you spread the cost over the years.

 

[Blue.Fairy2]

I thought adults were $100 already?? I better hurry then, we keep putting it off so this will make me get our applications in on Monday then!

I did too, that is why I had been putting it off, need to get DS one and me a renewal, mine has expired.

 

[Donnask8pro]

What are the costs for renewel for a minor?

 

[Donnask8pro]

The proposed schedule of fees for passport application services is as follows:

Total Cost: $135 for a first-time U.S. Passport Book for adults (age 16 and over)
Total Cost: $110 for U.S. Passport Book renewal (age 16 and over only)
Total Cost: $105 for a U.S. Passport Book for minors (under age 16)
Total Cost: $55 for a first-time U.S. Passport Card for adults (age 16 and over)
Total Cost: $30 for a U.S. Passport Card for adults (age 16 and over) who currently hold a fully valid U.S. Passport
Total Cost: $40 for a U.S. Passport Card for minors (under age 16)
Total Cost: $82 for additional visa pages
The fee for expedited service will remain $60.

These are the new prices? What about renewel? What are the old ones in comparison? Or did I miss it in a previous post? I tried to read them all. Thanks...

 

[apnep]

Bear in mind that the passport is good for 10 years.

Yes, I know, I know, but I still think it is expensive. Especially when you are getting 5. That's alotta $$. I wonder how the price compares in other countries...just curious.

Ang

 

[andrews_dad]

We are going on a disney cruise in 2011. Should I run out and get us all passports?

YES!!! Adult passports are valid for 10 years, 5 for kids.

 

[librarygal]

We are able to renew early, correct? My fiance is applying for the first time and I am renewing. I would rather have ours expire at the same time and would renew about 9 months early. Thanks!

Yes, you can renew early. In fact, many countries will not except a passport with less than six months validity.

You think the passport fees are bad. It is going to cost me $130 for a Chinese visa and we are only spending five nights in China.

 

[pilesoflaundry]

Crud our's are due for renewal this year and now I don't know if I want to pay that much. We haven't used them more than once in the last 10 years anyway except as an alternate ID.

 

[thebeesknees]

Thanks for posting this, OP. We were going to get passports for DH and youngest DS later this year, anyway (the rest of us have them already), so I went ahead and printed everything out and will make the appointments this week before the rate increase.

 

[cvjw]

I went to my local post office today to get a copy of the renewal forms before the price changes, and asked the mail worker when the prices were increasing. They had no idea they were! She basically looked at me like I was crazy! You can renew adult passports by mail, multiple renewals can be in the same envelope, separate checks. Child renewals still have to be done in person. Ours are expired by a year, but we are going to go ahead and renew before the fee increase. Thanks for the heads up to the first poster!

 

[Drew Sailbum]

...

You think the passport fees are bad. It is going to cost me $130 for a Chinese visa and we are only spending five nights in China.

And care to guess what the US charges Chinese citizens for a visa? US$131.

The applicant for a US visa must travel for an in person appointment at an embassy or select Consular agency. That can add hundreds in related travel costs. They cannot just mail in the application or have someone else (travel agent or courier company agent) go on their behalf.

China, just like many other countries which require a visa of US citizens, sets the visa fee to be the same that the US charges its citizens. That's reciprocity. If they wanted to make it compeltely reciprocal, the application for a Chinese visa would require you to travel to Washington DC or other Consulate office for an in person appointment. China lets you have an agent do this on your behalf. The US does not permit the same for Chinese citizens applying for US visas.

 

[n2mm]

I went to my local post office today to get a copy of the renewal forms before the price changes, and asked the mail worker when the prices were increasing. They had no idea they were! She basically looked at me like I was crazy! You can renew adult passports by mail, multiple renewals can be in the same envelope, separate checks. Child renewals still have to be done in person. Ours are expired by a year, but we are going to go ahead and renew before the fee increase. Thanks for the heads up to the first poster!

My daughter called the library to make an appointment, but the agent does come in until Wednesday. She was told they can be mailed together and also told she didn't have to write separate checks. The person at the PO may not know about it, as their seems to be a designated person to do the swearing and process the paperwork.