Weblog entry #151 for simonw
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#151
Cost of UK Passport
Posted by simonw on Sun 4 Mar 2007 at 18:48
NO2ID are running a "renew your passport campaign" to get people renewed before the new biometric ID technology comes in. Given the current cost is 66GBP and this will rise to more than 91GBP shortly, it seems likely many people may find it worthwhile.
http://www.renewforfreedom.org/
This National Audit Office report criticized the current administration for mismanagement of the passport computer system, and reported the price would have to rise.
http://www.nao.org.uk/pn/9899812.htm
Much of the subsequent price rise is paying back the cost of the last government passport technology cock-up. However somehow the price never fell again, so presumably the actual price rise under reflects the costs of the new biometric scheme.
Last time I got a passport, it cost less than 18GBP. I'm now facing a renewal fee of 66GBP, and the cost is still rising.
The recent history of UK passport pricing can be found here;
http://www.murky.org/blg/2006/08/11/uk-passport-prices-to-rise/
The current EU style passports can be read electronically, and I've only ever been to two airports that were equipped to take advantage of this technology (one was in America!), I expect other money spent on passport technology to be wasted in similar fashion, because most places that inspect the passport won't have the technology to inspect all that clever information.
If the current 20% a year inflation in passport cost since 1998 continues, by the time I reach the current retirement age, a passport renewal will cost 11,000 GBP, and by the time I reach my nominal life expectancy, only the super rich will be able to afford to renew a passport.
I suspect it may be cheaper to take dual European citizenship, and get a passport from a different European country. Anyone tried this?
http://www.renewforfreedom.org/
This National Audit Office report criticized the current administration for mismanagement of the passport computer system, and reported the price would have to rise.
http://www.nao.org.uk/pn/9899812.htm
Much of the subsequent price rise is paying back the cost of the last government passport technology cock-up. However somehow the price never fell again, so presumably the actual price rise under reflects the costs of the new biometric scheme.
Last time I got a passport, it cost less than 18GBP. I'm now facing a renewal fee of 66GBP, and the cost is still rising.
The recent history of UK passport pricing can be found here;
http://www.murky.org/blg/2006/08/11/uk-passport-prices-to-rise/
The current EU style passports can be read electronically, and I've only ever been to two airports that were equipped to take advantage of this technology (one was in America!), I expect other money spent on passport technology to be wasted in similar fashion, because most places that inspect the passport won't have the technology to inspect all that clever information.
If the current 20% a year inflation in passport cost since 1998 continues, by the time I reach the current retirement age, a passport renewal will cost 11,000 GBP, and by the time I reach my nominal life expectancy, only the super rich will be able to afford to renew a passport.
I suspect it may be cheaper to take dual European citizenship, and get a passport from a different European country. Anyone tried this?
Comments on this Entry
"""If the current 20% a year inflation in passport cost since 1998 continues, by the time I reach the current retirement age, a passport renewal will cost 11,000 GBP, and by the time I reach my nominal life expectancy, only the super rich will be able to afford to renew a passport."""
I've no clue how old you are, but from what you state above, it's not all that bad, because by the time passports cost that much, only the super rich will be able to afford to travel overseas anyway ;-)
Cheers.
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