New U.S. Passport Fees
Published: Friday, July 23, 2010 1:00 pm
Effective July 13th, 2010, there are new passport fees for the U.S. Passport Book, the U.S. Passport Card and other passport services.
The fees for applying for a passport are not just used to cover the costs of producing the documents, but to also offset the costs of emergency services for U.S. citizens around the world. For example, when Americans are overseas when a natural disaster strikes, the funds are used to assist those who have been injured and to transport them back home. These fees also provide support to the families of American people who have died overseas.
The increase in passport fees enables the United States to keep up with technology and to protect the document from fraud.
Recently, the demand for passports has increased an average 15 million per year. By the end of 2010, 23 agencies will provide emergency passports to the general public, and three high-volume application processing centers and two large-scale document printing centers will help meet the increase in demand. Such improvements will make traveling easier for U.S. citizens.
For adults, the U.S. passport book and card are valid for 10 years. For children younger than age 16, the documents are valid for five years. Passports are not just used for travel anymore. They now also serve as proof of U.S. citizenship to be used for identification for important purposes such as work authorization.
