How Much Does a Passport Cost?
If you are going to be traveling anywhere outside of the United States, a passport is required. It is rumored that passports will be necessary even for travel within the United States sometime in the future. Passports are government-issued pieces of photo-identification and can only be obtained through government approved facilities, such as the post office or secretary of state.
How much is it?
- First-time adult applicants will have to pay a $25 execution fee as well as a $140 application fee. This cost is for a passport book and passport card. (According to travel.gov, the passport card allows you “to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry and is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book. The passport card cannot be used for international travel by air.)
- First-time adult applicants who only wish to have a passport book will only pay a $110 application fee in addition to the $25 execution fee.
- First-time adult applicants who only want a passport card can do so for a $30 charge on top of the $25 execution fee.
- First-time minor applicants will have to pay a $25 execution fee as well as $95 for passport book and card, $80 for only a passport book, or $15 for only a passport card.
- All renewal fees are the same as the initial fees, minus the $25 execution fee.
- All first-time passports must be applied for in person. Renewals can be done online and through the mail.
What is going to be included?
- A blue passport cover with the United States government seal is sent with your passport.
- The passport book will be stored inside this cover.
- A passport card (if purchased), about the size and shape of a credit card, will be sent as well.
What are the extra costs?
- All passport applications must be accompanied by a 2″x2″ head shot photo. This passport photo can be taken at the post office or secretary of state. Check with your local office for requirements. This passport photo usually costs about $15.
- If you need your passport in a shorter amount of time than 8 weeks (the average time it takes to get a passport), you will be charged extra. Expedited service will cost $60 and overnight shipping of your passport book will cost $15.
- Adding pages to your passport book will cost an extra $82.
- Passport applicants must have a copy of their birth certificate and a current government-issued piece of photo-identification. If you cannot provide this information, a $150 file search fee will be charged in order to confirm your citizenship.
Tips to know:
- If you’re going to be traveling within the next two weeks, an expedited passport can be obtained. While there is no guarantee that the passport will arrive, you’ll have to prove that you’re leaving the country within two weeks. You will also have to prove why you need it within 2 weeks. If it’s because of an emergency, there’s a good chance that you can get it. If you want it because you’re going on vacation, it will more than likely be denied.
- Going to a local, regional passport agency is going to make the process a lot smoother than mailing your passport information is. To find a local passport office within your state, you can find more locations located at Travel.State.gov.
- Third party expediting services may sound appealing, but what you’re going to find out is that it’s going to be a lot easier to do the job yourself. Most services will do everything that you can do on your own such as mailing out the required material.
How can I save money?
- Although the fees are set by the government and cannot be negotiated or put “on sale”, applying for your passport a few months in advance will get you the cheapest price possible.
How much did you spend?