Blog Post: UK Passport Fees Set to Rise Again in 2025 – How Do They Compare Across Europe?

Regent Street

The UK government has announced yet another increase in passport application fees, effective April 10, 2025, as outlined in the official GOV.UK announcement. This move continues a trend of rising costs for British citizens seeking to renew or apply for passports, sparking discussions about affordability and how these fees stack up against other European nations. In this post, we’ll break down the new fees, explore their historical rise, compare them to passport costs across Europe, and examine the broader context of escalating Home Office fees.

New UK Passport Fees: What’s Changing?

Starting April 10, 2025, British passport applicants will face a 7% fee hike. Here’s a quick rundown of the changes:

• Standard online application (UK-based):

  • Adults: Rising from £88.50 to £94.50

  • Children: Up from £57.50 to £61.50

• Postal application (UK-based):

  • Adults: Increasing from £100 to £107

  • Children: From £69 to £74

• Overseas online application:

  • Adults: From £101 to £108

  • Children: From £65.50 to £70

The Home Office justifies this increase by stating it aligns with their goal of covering operational costs—such as processing applications, consular support abroad, and border management—without relying on general taxation. They emphasize that no profit is made from these fees, a claim echoed in their official statement.

But how does this latest hike fit into the broader picture of British passport costs, and how do they compare internationally?

A Brief History of British Passport Fee Increases

The cost of a British passport has been on a steady upward trajectory in recent years. Before 2018, fees remained relatively stable, with a standard adult online application costing £72.50—a figure that held for five years, as noted by The Independent. However, since then, increases have become more frequent:

• February 2023: A 9% rise pushed the adult online fee from £75.50 to £82.50.

• April 2024: Another 7% increase brought it to £88.50.

• April 2025: The upcoming 7% jump will take it to £94.50.

In just two years, this represents a cumulative increase of over 25%, far outpacing the UK’s inflation rate, which has hovered around 2-4% annually in recent times according to the Office for National Statistics. For families, the burden is even more pronounced—renewing passports for two adults and two children will now cost £312 online, up from £292 in 2024.

How Do UK Passport Fees Compare to Europe?

To put these figures in perspective, let’s compare the new UK fees to passport costs in other European countries (all based on standard 10-year adult passports unless stated otherwise):

• Germany: A German passport costs €70 (£60), significantly less than the UK’s £94.50, as per the German Federal Foreign Office.

• France: At €86 (£74), French passports are also cheaper, according to Service-Public.fr.

• Spain: Spanish citizens pay €30 (£26) for a 10-year passport, one of the lowest in Europe, per Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

• Norway: A passport costs NOK 750 (£55), as reported by UDI Norway, though this is for a five-year validity period.

• Sweden: At SEK 400 (£30) for five years, Sweden offers one of the most affordable options, per Swedish Police.

The UK’s £94.50 fee places it among the higher end of European passport costs, dwarfed only by outliers like Switzerland (£120) and outpaced by more budget-friendly options like Spain and Sweden. Notably, many European countries offer discounts for children, pensioners, or veterans—something the UK reserves only for those born before September 2, 1929, who can apply for free, as detailed on GOV.UK.

Why Are Home Office Fees Constantly Rising?

The passport fee hike is just one piece of a larger puzzle: the Home Office’s ongoing push to shift its funding model away from taxpayer support and toward user fees. This trend extends beyond passports to other immigration and citizenship services:

• Naturalisation: The fee to become a British citizen rose from £1,250 in 2020 to £1,580 in 2024, a 26% jump, per DavidsonMorris. Add biometric fees (£19.20) and language tests (£150+), and costs soar higher.

• Visa Applications: A Skilled Worker visa now costs £719 (up from £610 in 2020), excluding the Immigration Health Surcharge, according to GOV.UK visa fees.

• Settlement: Indefinite Leave to Remain fees climbed from £2,389 in 2020 to £2,885 in 2024, per Home Office updates.

Critics argue this “cost recovery” approach disproportionately burdens those interacting with the immigration system—travelers, immigrants, and citizens alike—while the Home Office maintains it’s necessary to sustain services. Yet, with passport processing times holding steady at three weeks for 99.7% of standard applications (per GOV.UK), questions linger about whether these hikes translate to tangible improvements.

What Does This Mean for UK Travelers and Immigrants?

For British citizens, the April 2025 increase is a call to action: apply before the deadline to lock in the current £88.50 rate. For immigrants pursuing citizenship, the rising costs of passports and naturalisation underscore the financial hurdles of settling in the UK. Compared to Europe, the UK’s fees are steep, but they reflect a broader policy shift that’s unlikely to reverse soon.

At Immigrationist.io, we’ll keep tracking these changes and their impact on your journey—whether you’re renewing a passport or navigating the British citizenship process. Stay informed, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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