Passport Fees

[tara20]

Is there a difference between a UK and other EU passport ? Mine needs renewing and will cost 119 pounds.(185 Euros) How is that justified?

[CheekyChops]

Where do you live? I'm in the UK and mine didn't cost that much 6 mths ago!

[kempie]

Each country will set the fee for its passport as a reflection of the cost of production, security measures etc. and will vary throughout Europe. However the price you quote looks suspiciously like that for the renewal of a UK passport whilst resident in another country via a local consular office (currently �119 or �185 as opposed to �66).

http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=O penMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=100702 9391332#PassportNewCost

[dzug]

It's (supposed to be) justified as representing the amount it costs (in terms of staff, accommodation, etc) to process your application. You are not allowed to be subsidised by the tax payer.

[buildersmate]

Yes, Dzug, but Government departments (even ones set up as Agencies or Trading Funds) have never been at the sharp end in the efficiency stakes.

[tara20]

I live in Austria. My Austrian passport (dual nationality), is being renewed right now, is also biometric and costs 69 Euros. I believe the UK fee went up at the beginning of April, just my luck! Is it really cheaper in UK? Last time (ten years ago) I paid Ithink 44 pounds which was the same in the UK at the time.

[kempie]

10 years ago the cost of a standard UK passport obtained within the UK (i.e. not from a consular office) was �18.

[tara20]

I applied for my Austrian passport on Friday (no form necessary, just old passport and photo). Signature taken to be scanned into the new one, which arrived by post (registered) on Wednesday!
No hassle.That�s the way it should be, isn`t it?