Travel expert reveals how to save money when applying for your passport

Renewing your passport is getting more expensive, with the price going up next week.

Travel experts have outlined some ways you can ensure you don’t pay more for your passport than you have to.

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1. Make sure your passport is valid before booking your holiday

Some countries require you to have at least six months in your passport.

Some vacationers have already been caught by this rule.

Whoever arrives at the airport not only gets a boarding ban and has to shell out new flights, but also has to pay for an emergency passport.

This can cost around £142 for a quick renewal – a much more expensive option than the standard.

2. Check how many pages are left

Many countries also require you to leave at least one page blank in your passport, which can be a problem for people who have stamps everywhere.

Turkey and Italy require at least one page to be blank, while South Africa requires two.

Bounce founder Cody Candee stated, “If you run out of blank passport pages, you must renew your passport before the renewal date.

“Be sure to check the requirements of your chosen destination before you travel so you don’t get caught.

3. Avoid fake websites

While it may seem obvious to go to the government website for renewal, there are some fake websites that you can catch.

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

When applying for a new passport, be wary of these types of websites and make sure you only use trusted sources.

“For example, the Post Office’s Check & Send service provides in-depth guidance on how to apply for passports from specially trained postmasters.”

4. Apply early

If you’re running out on your passport and should be renewing it in the next few months, you might want to do it sooner rather than later.

The cost of renewing your passport will rise next week – the first price hike in five years.

Cody said: “If you are valid for less than six months, we recommend that you apply for a new passport immediately.

“Not only are processing times currently around ten weeks, but as travel becomes an option for many again post-pandemic, the Home Office is forecasting another massive year for extensions.”

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