Overpriced Australian Passport $277 AUD !!!

xiuhan83 on 02/10/2017 - 21:18
Last edited 03/10/2017 - 22:23 by 2 other users

Hi does anyone think the Australian passport is way overpriced for whats its worth?

Sure you can argue its one of the most powerful passport in the world however if you like to compare a passport from Germany which can get me to more countries visa free and it only cost 60 euros.

and to be honest it is not the most powerful passport compared to the west european countries where they have more visa free countries also apparently their the visa fee to get into certain countries are also cheaper for different passport holder.

example to go to uzbekistan an Australian have to pay 75 usd where a japanese only pay 15usd.

so is there any way we can lodge a complain to lower the overprice passport

Travel

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Comments

    • JimmyF on 06/10/2017 - 00:39
      -1

      yeah the gov is racking it in….. not

  • [Deactivated] on 04/10/2017 - 18:11
    +1

    In my country, a passport is worth almost 2 weeks of minimum wage and almost 3 days lost.

    How does the Australia compare to this ?

  • highdealer on 04/10/2017 - 18:55
    +2

    $277 is pretty cheap considering some immigrant pay up to $100000 for one of those.

    • ozdesi on 13/02/2018 - 22:10

      username checks out

  • Geryatric on 04/10/2017 - 19:07
    +2

    $27.70 / year?

  • KaTst3R on 04/10/2017 - 20:08

    I still dont understand why does Aussies need to apply for a visa to enter China. Most other developed country passports can get visa on arrival. That is bs.

    • El Grande on 05/10/2017 - 00:58

      Because China makes $$$ everytime you apply. They have already made $500 from me.

    • JimmyF on 06/10/2017 - 00:40

      Ask China….. Australia doesn't set the rules

      • Eeples on 07/10/2017 - 00:12

        Well it kind of does…..

        Some countries look to see if their nationals need a visa (and how much it costs) to visit Australia and simply reciprocate.

        But mostly it is by arrangement between the countries….

        Unless a country is despo and just decides ……like Indonesia and Bali having no visa fee now for Australians. Finally!!
        (Indonesia isn’t even on Australia’s ETA list…. and so need a visa and pay a fee; for Indonesian tourists).

        • JimmyF on 07/10/2017 - 12:46

          So what does Australia charge people coming from China then?

        • Franconian on 13/02/2018 - 22:09

          @JimmyF:

          Currently a visitor visa to Australia costs AUD $140.00. Increasing every year.

        • JimmyF on 13/02/2018 - 22:17

          @Franconian: So about what China charges aussies for a double entry visa then

        • Franconian on 14/02/2018 - 08:10

          @JimmyF:
          Correct, but the actual China visa is only about $60.00 the rest goes to the visa processing centre as fees.

        • JimmyF on 14/02/2018 - 08:15

          @Franconian: same same though isn't it? At the end of the day, both charge people entering, about $140 AUD. Regardless.

        • shadowangel on 13/05/2018 - 21:01

          @Franconian:
          + Bio scan and it's also getting harder and harder to get.
          It's mental how hard it is, I use an agent, so 500-1k just in fees there alone. Hotels and accommodation to see agent and get the BIO scan, then you pay for this as well.
          I just spent close to 1k to try and get my partner here on a tourist visa.

  • PuppieWayne on 04/10/2017 - 20:47

    Had the displeasure of having to visit the immigration department today. What a useless bunch of people.
    Had to renew my VISA while I was oversea so everything was done via soft copy; I changed ISP and sadly, lost my emails.
    Went to see if I can get a hardcopy and more than happy to pay for it. - NOPE; I have to request it via their online portal.
    No problem, since the ISP was not very stable, I change ISP and thus my email is now different, can I get the form so I can submit my change of email? - Nope.
    Ok ok, no problem, once I filled in the form, just to speed thing along, what's the best email I can email the form to? - Can't
    Can I come by and drop it off? - No, you need to mail it to us.

    • lgacb08 on 07/10/2017 - 12:24
      +1

      In this time and age, an email is part of your digital identity and it is very unwise to hook up your identity with isp email

  • pantsparty on 04/10/2017 - 20:51
    +2

    $27 a year doesn’t seem too ridiculous to me. If you don’t like paying for the passport wait to you see the cost of a holiday!

  • [Deactivated] on 04/10/2017 - 21:39
    +1

    Having Australian passport means you should be prepared to defend Australia and give your life in case of War.

    • moonleaf on 04/10/2017 - 22:53

      Many only interested in the convenience of having an Australian passport especially their HOME passport is not powerful.

      https://www.passportindex.org/byRank.php

    • El Grande on 05/10/2017 - 00:56

      Where does it say that? All it says on mine is that the Queen of England is cool with me traveling.

      • [Deactivated] on 05/10/2017 - 19:39

        https://www.border.gov.au/Citizenship/Documents/your-right-y…

        Australian citizens have an obligation to:
        • obey the law;
        • defend Australia should the need arise; and
        • vote in federal and state or territory elections, and in referenda.

        These migrants think they can just say the oath and enjoy the passport.

        If China invades, the fresh migrants citizens will be on the front lines, unless they already ran away back to their home countries.

        • El Grande on 06/10/2017 - 01:09

          That is part of citizenship application. Passport has nothing to do with that. Passport is like a permission letter from your government that you can go see other countries.

          Most people from other countries have dual citizenship. My mate in school who was English had been in Australia for 4-5 generations still had a British passport. Most Chinese have Chinese passports along with Australian. Indians have OCI which basically means no visa required if have Indian ancestry (one of the parents or grand parents needs to be proven as Indian citizen or OCI at time of application).

          If China comes for us where do you want to go and fight? Its not like we have a border. Its more of open wide and prepare to take it in the ***.

        • dufflover on 06/10/2017 - 08:50

          If China invades, the fresh migrants citizens will be on the front lines, unless they already ran away back to their home countries.

          pfft, don't you mean already behind enemy lines en masse already invaded? Add in all those mainlander students there's an army right there :P

        • [Deactivated] on 06/10/2017 - 18:51

          @dufflover: they invaded with their suitcases full of cash, https://www.domain.com.au/news/chinese-money-seeps-through-t…

          bought Australian farms, properties, bargain websites, energy and utilities companies, maybe soon the ALP and the Libs, whole shebang.

  • Geryatric on 04/10/2017 - 21:52

    $407 if you want a couple of extra pages

  • gummibear on 04/10/2017 - 22:07
    +1

    Is this a troll post? OP, posts a questions, gets responses and then doesn't interact with any comments.

    • dingdong3000 on 05/10/2017 - 19:50

      Perhaps he/she has given up Australian passport and gone back home already.

  • CandyMan on 04/10/2017 - 22:08
    +3

    Its called Australia tax
    Even amazon, apple, and microsoft tax you for being Australian.

    Its because we're the lucky country, and we're the envy of the world

  • ieatcrackers on 04/10/2017 - 22:30
    +1

    I applied for a new passport recently and needed to pay for priority processing. It was my own fault for leaving it late, so I accepted the fees since I really had no other option if I wanted to travel. What annoyed me the most was not the $460 (277+183) for the passport, but the $1.50 Australia Post wanted to charge for photocopying my birth certificate!!

    • grabngo on 07/10/2017 - 07:34

      Did it state on the form that u needed to take copies to the interview?

  • megaclix on 05/10/2017 - 00:28
    +4

    Anyone else find it extremely ironic that people, i.e. registered users on OzBargain, are sticking up for for Government agencies/bodies that are charging for essential services that are amongst the highest prices in the world?

    No wonder, with this attitude, that our politicians don't give a shit! They only have to pretend to give a shit.

    What about those who have a family of 4 or 5, or more. Or are you just thinking about yourself?

    • dbun1 on 05/10/2017 - 03:18

      Is a passport an essential service now?

      When it comes to things like water, electricity and gas, sure, I will have a say in trying to reduce prices, but for a passport that you choose to buy because you want to travel….geez.

      If you can’t afford a passport then there are plenty of holiday destinations within Australia that you can take advantage of.

      • fullmetal on 05/10/2017 - 11:03
        +2

        Domestic travel is more costly than international travel.

      • lgacb08 on 07/10/2017 - 12:32

        Well it's may be not but its price seems to in line with other essential services such as licence and registration. Giving the government excuses to raise the cost of any of these services is synonym to agreeing to their inefficient governance from the federal to the local level

  • El Grande on 05/10/2017 - 00:49
    +2

    Have you tried price matching at your nearest Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade office? Try giving them a call and asking for a price beat. Don't forget cashrewards.

    I am sure there would be a refugee somewhere in the world willing to give an arm and a leg for an Australian Passport.

  • [Deactivated] on 05/10/2017 - 09:56
    -1

    Well to be fair, its not the "most" powerful passport among high-income nations. By switching over I'm actually "downgrading" in terms of visa-free score. I'd do it again in a heart beat though.

    For those complaining about the price hike in early 2000s. Australia implemented the biometric passport in 2005 and there is a lot more technology involved so that would partly justify the cost.

  • FrenchFrie on 05/10/2017 - 13:33
    +10

    As my username states, I'm French, and as much as I love Australia where I've been living for the past year, a lot of Australians have their heads in their butts, and/or don't like to be told Australia have flaws (as every country). I've been told to go back to France for talking about Australia's government and some dodgy laws. I do believe criticism is good though so I'll give you my two cents on the matter, take it or leave it. In my year travelling and working in the country I've met a lot of people, citizens of Australia, others with permanent residency, backpakers… And let me tell you, your Gorvenment's pockets are FULL. There are taxes out there that you wouldn't even believe existed, pretty much everything you do, eat, drink, is taxed at such an astonishing amount that when you try to do the maths, you feel dizzy. I want to apply for a partership visa because I've met someone here and want to give our relationship a chance (that person doesn't want to come to France). Base price of the visa : 7000 dollars. I do need to translate documents with approved translator, do medical tests ect so I'm in for at least 10000 dollars. I'm 25. Sponsorship visa : 9800 dollars. other fees will apply.
    Now the other way around. If my partenr would follow me back to France and while we're not married, he would have two visa options : Student visa which is 58€ (84 dollars) or a visa that allows him to stay one year and is renewable. Initial cost of 260€ (376 dollars) and renewable every year until married for 106€ (153€)
    What explains the difference ? Australia's administration is one of the slowest I've ever seen if not the slowest (to take your money they are pretty quick though). There is no free health care and you NEED to have your own insurance. You pay rego to be allowed to drive but the insurance on your car is only compulsory, other insurance needed. Backpackers like me don't get tax back and are taxed 65% of our superannuation. List of rip offs we're all experiencing here is long, but I don't want you to get me wrong : I LOVE this country, sometimes more than my own. It just feels like everything is business down under. The fact that it applies for government as well really tickles me, and I think that it should tickles everyone of you too. Australia's great but keep your eyes opened.

    • mskeggs on 05/10/2017 - 18:38

      I agree the visa costs are absurd, but the explanation is very simple.
      You can't vote, so you are a free target.
      If you pay less of these fees, me and my countrymen have to make it up with extra taxes elsewhere.
      There seems no shortage of people paying the fees, so it looks to a politician a free source of cash.

      Your broader point about the corporatisation of government services is well made, but it is so ingrained now I don't think there is any way to reverse it.

      • R-Man on 06/10/2017 - 10:50

        If you pay less of these fees, me and my countrymen have to make it up with extra taxes elsewhere.
        There seems no shortage of people paying the fees, so it looks to a politician a free source of cash.

        Could you elaborate on this a bit more? $7000 or more is really excessive and the actual cost of labour, printing and maintenance etc couldn't really cost that much.

        Suppose we reduce French's visa fee and still cover the actual costs - why would the $7000 figure need to be recouped in extra taxes elsewhere?

        • mskeggs on 06/10/2017 - 11:09

          why would the $7000 figure need to be recouped in extra taxes elsewhere?

          Because our government has a bank account called consolidated revenue. All the incoming money goes there, then they pay all the bills.
          At the moment, we are borrowing money from the bond market to cover our excess expenses, so if we reduce the income by $7000 we need to raise it elsewhere or borrow more.
          In recent times (since Howard sold off Telstra, really) we have been spending more than we collect in taxes. Note this was during the mining boom when our economy was better than pretty much ever before. You can see the figures ballooning here:
          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_government_debt

          Is it an issue? Probably not a big one yet, but every time we make a decision to borrow more our national budget deteriorates a bit further.

    • PaperplaneXXX on 06/10/2017 - 12:24

      you shall stay in AU
      ) we need more hot French/ European people here))

    • kanad on 09/10/2017 - 20:58

      This is just market based economy in action. There is enough demand for these visas that people will pay for it and possibly the price pays for the service. Australian govt. policy is more market economy based than Europe. The cheap visas in France most probably doesn't pay anywhere near the cost of service and is subsidised by other French tax payers. I am sure the student paying 58€ for visa spends more for their travel and can also pay double 116€, perhaps president Macron should look at easy ways to raise revenue.

  • dono2 on 05/10/2017 - 13:35

    It's taxed heavily, so it's a tax on the more well off

  • DiscoJango on 05/10/2017 - 13:44
    +1

    Guys! Im shocked at the current australian drivers license. It only lets me drive at a maximum speed of 110kph. In germany they can go unlimited on the autobarn!!! And then pilots licese lets them go at like 900kph. Wtf were they thinking with the drivers license. Think ill ask for a refund

    • [Deactivated] on 05/10/2017 - 20:03
      +1

      It is not the drivers licence which restricts your speed.

  • Davo1111 on 05/10/2017 - 14:37

    haters going to hate. I think it should be half that. Quadruple the price though if you do something stupid overseas that comes to the attention of our aussie embassies

  • dbun1 on 05/10/2017 - 16:43
    +2

    I think the passport is too cheap - hasn't stopped the bogans making it over to Bali, or the stupid from trying to traffic drugs.

    • Davo1111 on 06/10/2017 - 11:02
      +1

      that's more of a flight cost issue, than a passport issue

  • FatBlanket on 05/10/2017 - 20:02

    Yes it's overpriced but most of us can afford it so there'll be few complaints.

    • [Deactivated] on 05/10/2017 - 20:12
      +2

      That's a shitty attitude. You should be ashamed to call yourself an Ozbargainer.

      • FatBlanket on 07/10/2017 - 08:02
        -2

        It's not an attitude it's a fact

  • gmatht on 07/10/2017 - 10:55

    Heh, that markup is nothing for Australia. Wait till you want to buy a house. You will need a stamp. No probs, you can buy stamps for like a dollar on eBay, right? Ha!

  • bghunter on 08/10/2017 - 15:13

    I am pretty sure there are thousands of people who would be willing to pay thousands of dollars to get Australian passport.

  • rollingthunder12 on 08/10/2017 - 16:23

    can we claim TRS on passports?

  • justdigi on 10/05/2018 - 18:00

    I just paid 290€ to renew my EU one, so it could be worse!

    • Franconian on 13/05/2018 - 23:27

      But only because you did it at an overseas consulate didn't you? I am sure an Aussie passport is even more expensive than AUD $282.00 if obtained at an overseas consulate.

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