The cost of a passport is set to rise for the second time within 12 months to £66. At a time when the Home Office is apparently "not fit for purpose" and immigration policy is in tatters, the ordinary holidaymaker is going to be hit with the bill, just for the privilege of a bit of sun and sand.
Last November, the cost of a passport went up from £42 to £51, and now, in October it will rise again to £66. For anyone wondering that's a total rise of just over 50% in less than a year. Another neatly buried news story under the fanfare of the CSA's quasi-abolition.
2 comments:
Passport charges are going up because the new passports incorporate biometrics. We need then as our citizens won't be allowed into places like the USA without biometrics (it would completely stuff up businessmen travelling to the USA for instance, if we didn't comply).
In Tory world no doubt the additional features would be paid for by money falling from heaven. In the real world someone has to pay - either the tax payer in general, or the passport holder. Seems fairer to put the cost on the passport holder as not everyone travels and requires passports.
The rise in prices is unacceptable and if it is due to this technology then people should have the choice on whether their passport will incorporate biometrics. I don't go the US so I might say no.
Also, technology is bringing many additional features at lower cost (e.g. mobile telephones, PCs etc). There is no excuse for 50% price inflation.
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