State Department To Hike Passport, Visa Fees

By Jay Boehmer

JUNE 29, 2010 -- The U.S. State Department on July 13 will raise the price for visas, passports and other consular services—some by more than $300—to reflect what the department determined is the true cost to provide such services.

For an adult passport, the State Department will begin charging $110—$35 more than the current price—plus a $25 execution fee, which is not retained by the department. Meanwhile, the cost for some visas will jump by even greater amount. For example, an employment-based immigrant visa will cost $720 under the new pricing scheme, compared with the previous $355.

The department's Bureau of Consular Affairs in June 2009 completed a study to assess the full cost to the government to process and issue visas and passports, calling it "the most detailed and exhaustive ever conducted by the Department of State." Following that study, the department "established the true cost of providing these consular services, which by law must be recovered through collection of fees," the State Department said this week.

Steve -

A huge THANK YOU for posting this. While my passport doesn't expire until 2014, with this kind of a price increase, I may be better served getting a new one right now. That, and my wife needs a passport anyway, so I think now is the perfect time to act.

Luis

You are more than welcome - I was thinking along the same lines as you hence the reason I posted it!

Just another way for the gov't to strangle the private sector ... $110 for a $2 booklet with a photo in it.

I bet it never even OCCURRED to these people that the answer is to figure out how to do it for the existing price.

quote:

Originally posted by Russ Gould:
Just another way for the gov't to strangle the private sector ... $110 for a $2 booklet with a photo in it.

I bet it never even OCCURRED to these people that the answer is to figure out how to do it for the existing price.

Now come on Russ, you know they've had to add people to make the job numbers look better. Then you've got to cover that retirement package and of course you can't expect them to cover their own union dues. There's their healthcare package - that's now a civil right you know.

But your suggestion of making something work to a pre-existing price-point does show real initiative and entrepreneurial savvy. You should open a small business. The government needs more tax revenue.

(Hey Steve. Thanks for the info. 'Sorry for the rant.)