The government has announced a major change which will impact people applying for a UK passport.
The move, the first of its kind in half a decade, means everyone applying for a passport will be subject to increased application fees from next month. The proposals, which the Home Office said are subject to Parliamentary scrutiny, will see the fee for a standard online application made from within the UK rise from £75.50 to £82.50 for adults and from £49 to £53.50 for children.
It will also push up the cost of postal applications, from £85 to £93 for adults and £58.50 to £64 for children. Meanwhile priority service fees are 'being aligned so customers will pay the same.'
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The increased fees will begin on February 2 2023. The new fees will help the Home Office 'move towards a system that meets its costs through those who use it, reducing reliance on funding from general taxation,' the government has said.
It also clarified that the government does not make any profit from the cost of passport applications. The fees will also contribute to the cost of processing passport applications, consular support overseas, including for lost or stolen passports, and the cost of processing British citizens at UK borders.
The increase will also help enable the government to continue improving its services. The new fees include those newly applying or renewing their passport.
Since January last year, more than 95% of standard applications were processed within 10 weeks, HM Passport Office said. Customers are still being advised that they should apply in good time before travelling.
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