Yahoo Finance Aussie passports to become ‘most expensive in the world’ after this date
Aussies are being urged to apply for their passports now before prices increase by 15 per cent on July 1.
Australian passports will become the “most expensive in the world” after a fresh round of price hikes come into effect in July. Travellers are being urged to apply for their new passports now to avoid the extra charges.
This is the second time passport prices will be going up this year, after a standard adult passport increased from $325 to $346 in January when standard indexation was applied. From July 1, prices will increase to $398 - a price hike of about 15 per cent or $50.
Shadow foreign affairs minister Simon Birmingham said the increase meant Australians would be paying for the “world’s most expensive passport”.
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“Independent analysis found that after the January price hike, Australian passports were the second most expensive in the world, just behind Mexico,” Birmingham said.
“Anthony Albanese’s new 15 per cent passport tax will make the Australian passport the most expensive in the world at $398, ahead of Mexico at $346 and the United States at a comparatively modest $252 AUD.”
Birmingham called the move a “backdoor tax grab” and claimed it would cost taxpayers an extra $349 million.
He noted this was despite the Australian National Audit Office finding passport processing fees were 56 per cent lower than pre-pandemic levels.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers previously said the “one-off increase” was to ensure “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”.
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Aussies urged to act now
Finder travel expert Gary Ross Hunter has urged Aussies to renew their passport now to avoid the upcoming price hike.
"If you’re planning to go on an international trip within the next 12 months and your passport is up for renewal, it’s best to get a new one before July 1 so you can avoid the extra fee," Hunter told Yahoo Finance.
It’s not the only major change coming for Aussie passports. From July 1, Aussies will have more options to fast-track their passports.
Announced in the budget, travellers will be able to pay $100 to have their application processed within five business days. This will be an extra option to the existing $252 fast-track option which takes two days.
Australia has one of the most powerful passports in the world, according to the Henley Passport Index, coming in at number 6. An Aussie passport gives visa-free access to 189 out of 227 destinations worldwide.
The world’s most powerful passports are still significantly cheaper than Australia’s, with Singapore costing just $78.
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