The Home Office has announced an upcoming significant increase in passport fees starting next month. The proposed plan includes an 8% hike in UK passport prices, potentially pushing the cost for adults over £100 for the first time. Child and pensioner passport fees will also see an increase, with the changes scheduled to take effect on April 8.
According to the Home Office, the fee adjustments aim to shift towards a self-sustaining system funded by users rather than relying heavily on general taxation. These fee hikes are pending Parliamentary approval.
The new fees are intended to cover the expenses of processing passport applications, providing consular support abroad, handling lost or stolen passports, and facilitating the processing of British citizens at UK borders. Effective from April 8, the standard online application fee for an adult UK passport will jump from £94.50 to £102. Postal applications for adults may rise from £107 to £115.50.
For child passport applications, the standard online fee could increase from £61.50 to £66.50, while postal applications for children might go up from £74 to £80. British nationals born on or before September 2, 1929, are eligible for a free 32-page concessionary passport if they hold any British nationality at the time of application.
Although the passport itself is free for eligible individuals, there may be delivery charges for returning the passport or sending supporting documents. While it is advisable to apply for a new or replacement passport well in advance, a next-day premium service is available in the UK, with fees potentially rising from £222 to £239.50 from April 8.
Applicants applying for a UK passport online from overseas could face fee increases from £108 to £116.50 for adults and from £70 to £75.50 for children. Similarly, paper applications from overseas may see a rise from £120.50 to £130 for adults and from £82.50 to £89 for children.
The last increase in UK passport fees occurred on April 10, 2025, with adult passport fees rising from £88.50 to £94.50. Prior increases were seen in April 2024 and February 2023, marking the first fee hike in five years in the 2023 surge.
To avoid delays, individuals in need of a new passport are advised to apply well ahead of time, as the renewal process can take up to three weeks or longer during peak travel periods in the UK. For more details or to apply for a new or replacement UK passport, visit the government website.
