*The passport fees have recently changed. As of April 2nd, 2018, the passport acceptance fee has gone up from $25 to $35.

 

According to Canada.com, Manitoba NDP MP Jim Maloway has been on a mission to lower passport application fees, not just for Canadians but also for US citizens. The idea is that lower passport application fees would enable more people on each side of the border to afford passports, which would encourage cross-border tourism.

Apparently, Maloway introduces his petition to lower passport fees about once a day. Every day, he reads the following resolutions issued by the Midwest Legislative Conference over the summer:

“RESOLVED that the Midwestern Legislative Conference calls on President Barack Obama and…[the Canadian Prime Minister] to immediately examine a reduced fee for passports to facilitate cross-border tourism; and be it further RESOLVED, that…[the Conference] encourage the governments to examine the idea of a limited-time two-for-one passport renewal or new application. To be a fair process, these passport fees have to be reduced on both sides of the border. Therefore, the petitioners call on the government to work with the American government to examine a mutual reduction in passport fees to facilitate tourism and, finally, promote a limited-time two-for-one passport renewal or new application fee on a mutual basis with the United States.”

You’ve got to admire the gentleman’s persistence, but unfortunately the US State Department seems to be moving in the opposite direction. Passport fees increased over the summer, plus fees were added for previously free services like adding pages. For example, applying for a new adult passport now costs $135 instead of $100. Submitting an adult passport application now costs $110 instead of $75.

Applying early can minimize your costs. You’ll need at least 6 to 8 weeks before your trip for normal passport processing. If you don’t have that long, you’ll be stuck paying an additional $60 fee on top of the normal application fees in order to get it three weeks’ time.

If you have less than 3 weeks, RushMyPassport is a convenient alternative. We’ll assist you with your application and then personally deliver it to the Department of State for processing in as little as 24 hours. Plus, when you consider the time and money that you’d have to spend to take off work and travel to a Regional Passport Agency, you may very well find that we are the most cost-effective alternative as well as the most convenient.

Let us help expedite your passport application today!