New fee for US passport applicants

Effective March 8, 2005, a new passport security surcharge of $12 will be collected from all passport applicants.

Also effective on March 8, 2005, the fee to search Department of State files to verify an applicant’s U.S. citizenship, based on previous, fully valid passport issuance, will increase from $45 to $60. The search is typically conducted in urgent travel situations, when an applicant cannot provide other acceptable proof of citizenship, such as a previously issued passport, a certified birth certificate or a naturalization certificate. In part, the increase is the result of the cost to automate this search process, which has also greatly increased its timeliness for customers.

The security surcharge, on the other hand, was authorized by the Fiscal Year 2005 Omnibus Appropriations Act (Public Law 108-447). The final schedule of fees was published in the Federal Register on Feb. 2, 2005.

For first-time applicants, this surcharge will be added to the regular passport fees of $55 (age 16 and older) and $40 (under age 16) in addition to the $30 execution fee, making total cost for routine service $97 for a 10-year passport for those age 16 and older and $82 for a five-year passport for those under age 16. For applicants renewing their passports, the surcharge will be added to the regular passport fee of $55 making total cost for routine service $67. These fees and the surcharge are non-refundable. If expedited service is requested, there is an additional charge of $60 per application (note that expedited service does not include return by overnight delivery).

The security surcharge will fund multiple security enhancements to the U.S. passport and issuance process. The passport will be redesigned and will contain security features including a biometric identifier. The surcharge will also cover the cost of upgrading passport delivery from first class mail to Priority Mail.

For more information on passports, visit the Passport Office’s website at travel.state.gov or call the National Passport Information Center at (toll-free) 1-877-487-2778; TDD/TTY: 1-888-874-7793, Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm, Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays.

For general questions, e-mail http://travel.state.gov/passport/about_contact_npic_email.html.

For status checks on pending applications, e-mail http://travel.state.gov/passport/about_contact_npic_statusemail.html

For more information on how to obtain copies of passport records, visit http://travel.state.gov/passport/other_copies.html.