How Does it Cost to Get a US Passport?

It is a prerequisite for foreign nationals to have an international passport when going on a vacation to another country or crossing international borders. One of the most common questions people have when they apply for a passport is

“How much does a passport cost?”

Well, the answer to this question depends on the type of passport service you need to apply for, how quickly you need to get the application processed, and any additional services you might need. Therefore, the cost is an important factor when considering what passport service to select from. Just as each passport application differs from the other, their charges vary too.

Passport fees depend on how quickly you need your passport and the specific passport-type needed. If you want to shorten your processing time (expedited passport), a different price will be charged compared to when applying for a regular service (routine passport).

Furthermore, the United States Department of State standard processing times remains longer than usual. You can expect upwards of 8-11 weeks for routine processing. If travel needs require you to have your passport sooner, consider expediting your passport. Expediting a passport through a 3rd party hand courier can range from as fast as 1-2 weeks to as slow as 8 weeks or longer.

However, passport fees are subject to change, and keeping up with the cost of a passport can be a little daunting. Moreover, it is also important that check the current price before you start the application. Continue reading to learn more about how much a passport cost. This article summarizes all the possible expenses that you should take into consideration when obtaining a US passport.

How Much Does a Passport Cost?

Just as we mentioned earlier, the answer to this question depends on the type of passport service you need to apply for, how quickly you need your passport, and the specific passport-type needed. The US Department of State standard processing times is usually longer. It can range between 4-6 weeks at the earliest and 8-12 weeks longest.

However, there are options available if you want to shorten your processing time (expedited passport), a different price will be charged compared to when applying for a regular service (routine passport). Moreover, expediting a passport through a 3rd party hand courier can range from as fast as 1-2 weeks to as slow as 8 weeks or longer. Although we will still discuss more on this below.

There are also other additional services that you might need which are among the factors that determine how a passport costs. But, applicants often take into consideration only the required fees paid to the US government when calculating how much it will cost to get a US passport. Then, dismissing the additional costs that one might have to pay to get a passport.

What are the Types of Fees Required for a Passport?

The cost varies depending on the passport service you choose, but make sure you know what you are paying for in your application process. Moreover, below are the types of fees you may need to pay when applying for a passport.

General Passport Fees

General passport fees include fees that apply to most passport applications. They are as follows:

1. Acceptance Agent Fee

You will be required to not sign your application form when applying for a new passport, child passport, or applying for the replacement of a lost or stolen passport. You will be required to schedule an appointment at an Acceptance Agent Facility nearest to you. The acceptance agent (usually a post office or country clerk) will verify the identity of the applicant, witness signatures and review required documents. After that, you will be required to pay a fee to the agent for his service. The execution fee is$35 and is paid at the acceptance agent facility, usually the post office or county clerk.

2. Application Fee

This is the mandatory fee charged by the US government for the application process of passports. It is directly paid to the U.S. Department of State. However, the amount you pay depends on how old you are and whether you want a passport book, a card, or both.

Expedited Passport Services (Special Service Fees)

There are times that it might be necessary to get a passport faster than the usual processing time. Such as if you are traveling sooner, and cannot wait for 12-16 weeks, you may choose to make use of the expedited service.

Firstly, you will have to pay an additional $60 to expedite or accelerate the processing of a passport application. This will reduce the processing time by several weeks. The standard processing time for an expedited passport is 4-6 weeks through the post office. However, there are additional options if you need your passport even faster.

How Much Does it Cost to Get a Passport?

Moreover, the fees below apply to special cases. The following sections below will explain how much a passport costs for each circumstance or service that the United States Department of State and the Acceptance Agent facility will charge.

Applicants aged 16 or older and are applying for the first time

Applicants aged 16 and older are eligible for adult passports. They will need to pay two fees — an application fee and an acceptance fee. The list below shows the fees for applying for various kinds of passports.

Passport Book:

• Application fee: $130
• Acceptance (execution) fee: $35

Passport Card:

• Application fee: $30
• Acceptance (execution) fee: $35

Passport Book and Card:

• Application fee: $160
• Acceptance (execution) fee: $35

Applicants aged 16 or older renewing their passports

Adult applicants (16 and older) residing in the US applying for passport renewal must apply by mail. To renew your passport by mail, you must submit your application within 5 years of the expiry of your old passport. Moreover, you must still have your old passport in a usable, undamaged state. However, applicants aged 16-17 must apply in person using Form DS-11 because their previous passport was issued before they turned 16 years old. Meanwhile, the application fees for renewing an adult passport are as follows:

Passport Book:

• Application fee: $130

Passport Card:

• Application fee: $30

Passport Book and Card:

• Application fee: $160

Moreover, keep in mind that these fees only apply to adult applicants renewing their passports. However, if your previous passport was a child's passport, then it cannot be renewed. So, you will have to apply for a new adult passport.

Applicants changing or correcting their passport

When applying for a US passport, make sure that the biographical details in your passport must match your legal identity. Any misspellings or incorrect information can cause problems when, for instance, buying air tickets. Moreover, you may also need to change the details in your passport if you get married or change your legal name. Therefore, in this case, you need to apply for a new passport with applicable changes made.

Below are the fees for applying to make changes or corrections to your passport:

• Name Change: Same fees as passport renewal. Moreover, you can also use the free calculator to learn how much you owe. However, you may need to complete either Form DS-11, DS-82, or DS-5504, depending on your situation. Click here for details on which form you need to submit.
• Correct Data Error: $0 You do not have to pay if a processing or printing error causes information on your passport to be incorrect, or unreadable. You will also need to submit form DS-5504.

What are the Payment Methods for US Passport?

The United State Department of State accepts different forms of payment for the passport application fee. But the specific payment methods available depend on how and where you apply. Below is the list of accepted forms of payment methods for passport fees under various circumstances.

Applying in person at a passport acceptance facility (Post office, government office, library)

To pay for the application and special services such as expediting your application:

• Checks (personal, certified, cashier's, traveler's) or money orders payable to "U.S. Department of State"
• Credit and debit cards are not accepted.

However, ensure that you check with your acceptance facility to learn what form of payment they will accept before you apply.

Applying or renewing at a passport agency

You can pay using:

• Credit Cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover) and Debit Cards displaying the Visa or MasterCard logo
• Checks (personal, certified, cashiers, travelers), payable to "U.S. Department of State"
• Money orders (U.S. Postal, international, currency exchanges), payable to "U.S. Department of State"
• Cash (exact amount only- no change provided)
• Pre-paid credit card or gift card displaying the Visa or MasterCard logo

Renewing by mail

To pay for your renewal application and special services such as expediting your application:

• Checks (personal, certified, cashier's, traveler's) or money orders payable to "U.S. Department of State"

You cannot pay passport application fees online at the moment, regardless of where or how you submit your application.

Official Related Links You Need

You have the best Guide on Immigration, Education, and Employment details for you to Get more out of what you need to know, and it is all free of charge: 

Get More Guide - https://bit.ly/ABROAD-IMMIGRATION-CENTER

Immigration - https://bit.ly/IMMIGRATION-CENTER

Education - https://bit.ly/EDUCATION-CENTER

Employment - https://bit.ly/EMPLOYMENT-CENTER

US Immigration - https://bit.ly/US-IMMIGRATION

Bottom Line

In conclusion, the answer to the question we asked at the beginning of this article, "how much does a passport cost" still remains the same. It depends on the type of passport service you need to apply for, how quickly you need your passport, and the specific passport type needed. Moreover, how long it takes for a person to get a passport depends on the service you have chosen.

If you decide to apply for a routine passport, the processing time can be 12-16 weeks depending on the volume of applications. That's all on how much it costs to get a US passport. You can subscribe to our newsletter for updates on the latest posts. You can also check other similar articles like this.