Passport holders advised to take action or risk rising travel fees
UK passport holders have been urged to act now in April as a costly change is about to come into effect. Whether you're planning a holiday imminently or further down the line, it's crucial you take note if you want to avoid a heftier bill. A change coming into force from April 8 could have a significant impact on how much you'll be forking out to travel. Acting before this date could mean securing a cheaper rate for your next journey, which is welcome news at a time when the cost of living continues to bite. This comes as the holiday season gets well and truly underway with the arrival of spring. Brits have been advised to heed the warning as a major passport change is set to take effect this month. The advice was recently highlighted by Simi, known as Miss Personal Finance on TikTok, where she laid out everything people need to be aware of. She regularly shares a range of useful money saving tips with her online followers. In the video, Simi said: "From April 8, the cost of getting a passport in the UK is set to increase by 8%. This means that an adult online passport will be going over the value of £100 for the first time. "The UK Home Office stated that the increase of these costs is to reduce reliance on taxation funding, while covering the cost to produce the passports." Following the video, viewers commented that "everything is going up"; and travellers who need to renew their passports and fail to act promptly will find themselves facing steeper fees when it comes to travelling abroad. According to the UK Government website, there are several key points to be aware of. These are: The price for a standard online application made from within the UK will rise from £94.50 to £102 for adults and from £61.50 to £66.50 for children As well as this, postal applications will rise from £107 to £115.50 for adults and from £74 to £80 for children The fee for a premium service (one day) application made from within the UK will jump from £222 to £239.50 There will also be changes to prices for overseas applications which are detailed on the website Why is it happening? The government website outlines a number of reasons behind the rise in fees. It states: "The new fees will help the Home Office to continue to move towards a system that meets its costs through those who use it, reducing reliance on funding from general taxation. "The government does not make any profit from the cost of passport applications. The fees contribute to the cost of processing passport applications, consular support overseas, including for lost or stolen passports and the cost of processing British citizens at UK borders." Those looking to renew their passport have been advised to apply well in advance of any planned travel. This can be done online. In 2025, in cases where no further information was required, it's reported 99.7% of standard applications from the UK were processed within three weeks or less.
