Australian passport fees are the latest addition to the list of things that have gone up in price over the past year. Aussies hoping to travel overseas next year who are in need of a new or renewed passport will face higher prices according to a new financial outlook announced by the federal government this past week.
What are the new Australian passport fees?
Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced the new Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook for 2023-2024 on December 13, which includes a 15 per cent price hike on passports starting next financial year.
Starting July 1, 2024, Australians will pay $373.75 for a 10-year adult passport – a $50 increase from the previous price of $325.
The Treasurer noted that this is a “one-off increase” to Australian passport prices.
“This one-off increase is all about making sure that we can resource our passport systems and make them modern and fit for purpose… especially at a time where there are ongoing threats to people’s security and their identity,” Chalmers said at a press conference (via 9 News).
“What is a relatively modest change to passport fees … will mean the new cost of an ordinary Australian adult passport is still less than $40 a year over that 10-year period.”
This price hike leaves Australian passports as some of the most expensive in the world. In comparison, a New Zealand passport costs just NZD$206 and a standard UK passport costs 82.50 pounds (about $160AUD).
Australian airports make up just a handful of countries that have been updated to use biometric technology to process international arrivals, which will likely be the way of the future in terms of overseas travel.
All this is to say that if you don’t have a passport and expect you’ll need one soon, or your passport is due to expire in the next 12 months, now is the time to renew it before this new price takes effect on July 1, 2024.
Lead Image Credit: iStock
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