The UK Passport Fees Are Set To Increase Soon

As announced by the UK government, on Thursday 2 February 2023, the cost of the British passport will increase, meaning those new applicants and ones due for renewal will take on an additional cost which was an unexpected announcement made this year.

What will the new costs be?

The cost for applicants over the age of 16 applying for a new passport online will be £82.50 from 2 February. The fee for those under the age of 16 will be £64. This is the new fee for those applying from within the UK. The increase in price is said to fund improvements in the government's system of processing passports, expediting the process and for employing more staff.

The press statement released by the Home Office on Thursday 12 January 2023 mentioned, “The Government does not make any profit from the cost of passport applications.” When the article was published by the Home Office, the government notes that new applicants should allow 10 weeks to receive their new passport after applying. If you need a passport urgently, you can pay to have your application fast-tracked from within the UK only.

It is not mentioned, however, how much the fee will increase for applications made outside of the UK. At the present, the fee for an adult application is £105.86 and the fee for a child application is £75.86 – it is expected to increase by the same amount, roughly £7 - £8 more.

Is the British passport still sought-after?

The British passport is still one of the most powerful in the world, coming in at number 6 on the 2023 rankings of the world's most powerful passports even after Brexit. To see if you qualify or for more information, contact First Move Immigration today, your trusted U.K and Ireland immigration and visa specialists.