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-Editorial
Traveling will soon be a bit more expensive for people who need to apply for or renew their passports. Starting on Dec. 27, a US passport book fee will increase up by $20 for all customers.
“The increased fee is necessary to ensure we continue to produce one of the most secure travel and identity documents in the world,” according to the State Department. A first-time or replacement adult passport will cost $165, while passport renewals will cost $130. Travelers under 16 will pay $135.
The Department of State said in a press release that they are committed to processing passport applications as expeditiously as possible. Reducing the volume of pending passport applications, shortening processing times, and increasing agency counter services remain top priorities.
The State Department updated their public information to reflect that routine processing of a passport application now takes 8-11 weeks, and expedited processing (for an additional $60) takes 5-7 weeks.
“These new processing times reflect a return to the way we defined our processing times before the pandemic. Our processing times now begin the day we receive your application at a passport agency or center, not on the day you mail your application or apply for a passport at a local acceptance facility. We are no longer using door-to-door timeframes to calculate our estimated routine and expedited service times. Mail times vary across the country,” the State Department said.