REGULAR AND EXPEDITED US PASSPORT COSTS

U.S. Government Costs as of 2008 price increase:

REGULAR PROCESS:

A. Passport book ( 16 & up ) = $75 application fee + $25 to process = $100
B. Passport book (16, under ) = $60 application fee + $25 to process = $ 85

C. Passport card ( 16 & up ) = $20 application fee + $25 to process = $45
D. Passport card (16, under) = $10 application fee + $25 to process = $35

E. Passport book renew by mail, Form DS-82 (if applies) = $7575
F. Passport card renew by mail, Form DS-82 ( if applies ) = $20

EXPEDITED PROCESS:

A. Passport book expedited = $60 for each application + overnight delivery fees.
B. Passport card expedited = NOT eligible as of April 2008. See details here.

These fees do not include on-site photo fees (up to $15) (Not all government locations take photos). If you want a passport rushed through the government, there is a $60 fee + overnight delivery fees. REMEMBER if you need a birth certificate that can be a separate process and may be in another location. The costs vary per courthouse. When we went to a courthouse, the official birth certificate was printed out in minutes. This is unlike a few years ago, when we had to wait hours. If you need one mailed, that could take weeks. Here is the link to the passport fees on the U.S. Department of State's website: (http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/fees/fees_837.html).

Non-Government Costs: The non-government expedite services prices vary. Be sure and compare their prices to get your best deal. REMEMBER, a non-government expedite service used to be able to get a US passport in a few days and in some cases as little as 24 hrs. Consider contacting them to find out what their current turnaround time is now. BE AWARE when comparing prices of expedite services that some have an extra charge for using checks and money orders. BE AWARE that if you are requesting a US passport sooner than two weeks, there may be additional documents required to prove your travel itinerary. Check the procedures, prices, requirements and locations of the non-government expedite services before going to a government Acceptance Facility.

GOOD NEWS!
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BE AWARE some destinations requiring passports are competing with no-passport destinations by offering incentives and even refunds for the cost of a passport. Be sure to ask for these incentives.

SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
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BE AWARE: This history is worth noting to give insight into problems that have occurred in the system. Therefore it is best to apply many months before your travel date.

Our 2007 original advice: It is worth mentioning again that since these new US passport laws started January 23, 2007, requiring ALL travelers, even newborns, to have passports, it was reasonable to have concern that the government system could get bogged down therefore it could take longer than 6 weeks.

Update: Mar. 17, 2007: As we predicted, the system got severely overwhelmed, demand was unprecedented causing lengthy delays.

Jun. 21, 2007: The backlog worsened. The government was ramping up to meet the demand and the frustrations.

Sept. 2007: The government reported they were back on schedule.

This was another dilemma in 2007: (A) if you wanted to fly before the new Sep. 30 deadline, you must have already applied for a passport or submited an application immediately, then hoped the government was able to ramp up enough to get your application in their tracking system so you could get a proof of application that would enable you to fly. On 6/22/07 we noticed the government's own website had conflicting statements. One paragraph said for routine service it took 7-10 days to get tracked; another paragraph on the same page said it took 3-4 weeks!...or (B) did you take extra precaution by paying more to have it expedited which may, in turn, have bogged the system down even further?

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Just because you may send several family members applications at the same time, does not mean they stay together. Once they are received by the government, each passport is handled separately and mailed separately. It would be reasonable to be prepared encase they do not all arrive back in the same time frame you are expecting.

Quite a few travelers are probably going to be caught off guard or in a passport panic making it hard to get those last-minute cheap flights and last-minute getaways.

Since many travelers may find themselves with the no-passport blues, they may choose no-passport destinations.

If you are planning a wedding, it is hard to know if all of your guests will have timely passports so no-passport destinations may be the right choice. Whether for fun or a wedding or honeymoon, book early for cruises and U.S. territories as these destinations are expecting to be very busy.

This might be a good time to rent an RV and explore the U.S.

Does your pet need a passport? Coming.....

Thanks for coming and have a wonderful trip!

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Disclaimer:
We, Just2Imagine LLC, are giving our experience, opinion and insight. We are not a government agency or an authority. We will try to keep our information current, but ultimately it is your responsibility to check with the U.S. Department of State or any official authority. You should also check with the passport expedite services for their rules and requirements. By using this website you agree to accept all terms and statements. Use of any of our web site or any linked sites is strictly at your own risk, and we are removed from any liability from their use. Just2Imagine LLC has no control over the content of, and accepts no liability for, any linked sites which are provided for your convenience. The government is working hard to update their website, and so are we.

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