gvdIAD

Looks like the Department of State is proposing a regulation that, if implemented, will result in some substantial increases in US passport fees (and a few minor reductions).

For example, State is proposing to increase the fee for a passport book application (including renewals) from $55 to $70; the fee for passport book security from $20 to $40; and the fee for obtaining additional visa pages from $0 to $82.

The proposed regulation spells out all of the fee changes. There's a written comment period until March 11, 2010. According to the Notice:

"Interested parties may submit comments by any of the
following methods:

Persons with access to the Internet may view this notice
and submit comments by going to the regulations.gov Web site at: http:/
/www.regulations.gov/index.cfm.

Mail (paper, disk, or CD-ROM): U.S. Department of State,
Office of the Executive Director, Bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S.
Department of State, Suite H1001, 2401 E Street NW., Washington, DC
20520.

E-mail: [email protected]. You must include the RIN (1400-
AC58) in the subject line of your message."

Mr. Bean

$82 for extra pages? Seems... excessive. Who is planning to write to them?

And what is "passport book security"?

sbm12

Making extra pages more expensive than a renewal is just plain stupid. Charging for it at all is unfortunate, though I can see why they would do so.

sbm12

My reading of the document suggests that you are paying $70 for the application only. Getting the book itself (or the card, I suppose) is an additional charge. So they are basically increasing the cost of getting the book by $20 to cover the fact that they put the RFID in it.

I haven't finished reading it yet, but this might be my favorite new fee:
They really don't want folks leaving.

Mr. Bean

actually, it technically isn't, if I understand it correctly:

So, a passport renewal will actually cost $70+$40 = $110 (vs. $55+$20 = $75 previously?). Add extra pages and you're looking at a cost of $192. Plus the rather excessive (IMO) express mail they require you use (so add about $20 more).

gvdIAD

I don't buy their explanation of an $82 fee for adding pages; that's what really got my attention. I'm definitely going to comment, focusing on just a few of the price increases I find most egregious, and questioning the basis of their cost calculations.

And I agree with sbm12 that the Renunciation Fee is completely crazy.

uncertaintraveler

Passports should be free to all citizens.

fairviewroad

Agreed, especially now that they are more or less required if one wishes to leave the country and then return.

On the other hand, making passports free would IMHO lead us down the path of requiring citizens to carry documentation at all times. ("Because after all, it's FREE!")

So I'm kind of torn. The cost is not prohibitive when averaged out over the life of the passport, but for a family that just wants to go see the Ontario side of Niagara Falls (for example), you're looking at a significant expense.

uncertaintraveler

That's debatable. Social Security cards (and even their replacements, up to a certain limit) are free, and they aren't required to be carried at all times.

GUWonder

Nor are they even required to be had by all US persons.

crhptic

I totally don't buy much of the reasoning in this document. Just for starters from a 3 minute skim, the supposed "costs" to the government are specifically mentioned as being the costs for FIRST TIME applicants. Presumably the cost of renewals is much lower as fewer documents have to be processed and verified. So, why not charge renewals less?

MSPeconomist

I suspect that the charge for extra pages doesn't apply when you request more pages in the original passport book at the time of application. I think it applies only if you later send the passport book back to ask that more pages be added because you have used all of your original pages.

I did this once and only paid some expedited handling fee. It was cheaper and much faster than applying to renew the passport. Since my passport then was within a couple years of expiring I thought about just renewing it early, but the processing backlogs at that time meant that I could not have received my renewed passport in time. The modified passport had lettered pages taped into the middle of the book and a very official entry specifying that it had been officially modified in this manner; the taped pages almost looked like a do-it-yourself project. The next time, I requested more pages in the beginning.

Does anyone know about potential changes to passport card fees?

crhptic

Social Security cards don't contain a picture and are a flimsy piece of paper with few security features. Requiring them to be carried wouldn't do much to advance the "papers please" society.

GUWonder

If they allowed for people to order a passport with multiple sections of additional pages at time of new or renewal passport application, then the cost would not be $82 ..... not even 5% of that amount.

crhptic

According to the proposal, the adult fee would go from $20 to $30 and the youth fee from $10 to $15.