First, there was announcements that the British passport will be returning to the traditional blue and gold colours from October 2019. Now, following a new law passed in the Commons, those applying for or renewing a passport after March 27th 2018 will be faced with an increase in charges from £72.50 to £75.50 for online applications and £85.00 for postal applications.
Children’s passports are also due to increase from £46.00 to £49.00 online and £58.50 via the post.
The £12.50 increase for postal charges comes as an attempt to encourage people to use the online system, however with one in ten households in the UK not having access to the internet, the increase could mean some families will struggle to afford the additional cost needed for their summer holiday.
An adult passport will still be valid for ten years, and children (under the age of 16) for five.
Before booking a holiday abroad, check the passport expiry dates for every family member and if a renewal is due be sure to apply in plenty of time as it can take up to six weeks to process and application. It is worth noting, some countries require a passport to be valid for six months from the date of entry and failure to abide by this rule could result in authorities refusing you entry.
Although the majority of travel insurance policies do offer some cover for loss of passport when abroad, this cover can be limited to just the cost of the Emergency Travel Documents and the journey to collect them. However, a few policies will also include cover to buy a new passport when back in the UK and with the price increase it may be worth looking for a policy that does offer this extra cover – so you’re not left out of pocket.