Major passport warning as prices to increase from TODAY

BRITS who need a new passport are encouraged to apply today unless they wish to pay more.

Passport applications will be made from Thursday – for the first time in five years.

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Standard online applications will go from £75.50 to £82.50, an increase of £7.

New children’s passes will also be increased from £49 to £53.50.

This means a family of four could be forced to pay an extra £23 if they have to update all their passports – paying £272 instead of £249.

Applying to the post office in person is more expensive than online, but the prices are also increasing.

This will go from £85 now to £93 and £58.50 to £64 for children.

Standard paper applications abroad will be increased from £95.50 to £104.50 for adults and £65.50 to £71.50 for children

The Home Office says the new fees will help “work towards a system that recovers its costs from those who use it”.

If you have less than six months on your passport you should apply now,

Bounce founder Cody Candee said: “Not only are processing times currently around 10 weeks, but as post-pandemic travel is back on the agenda for many, the Home Office is forecasting another massive year for extensions.”

It is unlikely that someone who has planned a half term vacation in February will get their passport back when they need a new one.

If you applied yesterday, you may not get it back until the first week of April.

Home Secretary Matthew Rycroft spoke to MPs last month and said they need to be “ready for next year to be even busier” when it comes to passport renewals.

Rycroft added: “Now would be a very good time for anyone listening [to renew their passports]’ and warned that there could be ‘an extra million’ applications than normal in the first half of next year alone.

And while it seems obvious to go to the government’s website for renewal, there are some fake websites out there to catch you.

Cody warned: “These sites are trying to charge users £20-100 on top of the official passport fee by offering additional ‘validation’ services.”

Here’s how to get a quick passport renewal.

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