If you’re jet-setting somewhere exotic or simply want another form of ID, a passport is always a good thing to have. What isn’t, however, is the fees associated with getting the document sorted.
Whether you’re applying for a passport for the first time or you’re a seasoned traveller, it’s always key to ensure that your documentation is up to date before you travel.
While prices for a new passport may vary, some lucky Brits can avoid the fees—here’s the full list of those eligible.
British passports can cost nearly £200, depending on your urgency and how you apply—paper and online methods have different costs.
However, some people are able to avoid these fees altogether; it all depends on their date of birth. In order to obtain a British passport or renew your old one for free, you must have been born either on or before September 2, 1929.
You can also use the Post Office Check and Send service for free, and you’ll receive secure delivery for free. However, despite the passport being free for you if you were born on or before September 2, 1929, you will still need to pay if you need a passport urgently.
There are a lot of hidden fees associated with obtaining a passport, so we lay them out below.
- Standard 34-page passport (apply online) – adults £88.50, children £57.50
- Standard 34-page passport (apply by post) – adults £100, children £69
- Frequent traveller passport (apply online) – adults £100.50, children £69.50
- Frequent traveller passport (apply by post) – adults £112, children £81
No matter how you apply for either passport, you can expect to pay an additional £78 to get it within a one-week turnaround.
Since leaving the EU, passport laws have changed rapidly, and it may be that you’ll need to renew your passport sooner than you thought. UK passport holders used to be able to carry up to nine months left on an old passport over to a new one.
However, following Brexit, most EU countries no longer accept British passports that were issued more than 10 years before the travel date. This is known as the “10-year rule.”
Checking the dates around your next holiday could save you from getting stranded and the costs associated with getting a new passport in a quick turnaround. To enter those countries now, your UK passport must:
- have been issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the EU country (the “date of issue”)
- be valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave (the “date of expiry”)
You will be refused entry if your passport does not meet these requirements.
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/travel-tourism/uk-passport-free-state-pensioners-31088736
