Thought this would be worthy as a deal post. If not, please report to move to forums.
If you haven't renewed your passport and don't have time to go to post office by tomorrow, you can avoid the passport fee increase on 1st July by submitting your online application and they will honour the old fee for 28 days from application. The fee has to be paid at an Australia post outlet.
There is no mention on website by I called them to confirm.
By which I mean: An expired passport is 'valid' for 2 years.
Good to know… bargain!
Write to your local MP and raise a concern about the ridiculous price of Australian passport.
Someone write up a concern letter using chat GPT and everyone send it all at once.
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State, Postcode]
[Email Address]
[Phone Number]
[Date]
The Honorable Members of the Australian Parliament
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Australia
Subject: Outrageous and Unjustifiable 15% Increase in Passport Fees
To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing to express my vehement opposition and profound dissatisfaction with the audacious and utterly unjustifiable decision to increase passport fees by an exorbitant 15% effective from July 1st. This outrageous hike, from $346 to $398, is nothing short of an egregious exploitation of Australian citizens and a blatant disregard for the financial hardships many of us are already facing.
It is beyond comprehension that the government, which is supposed to serve and protect its people, would impose such a burdensome increase without any reasonable justification or transparent explanation. This decision reeks of arrogance and an utter disconnect from the struggles of ordinary Australians.
The timing of this increase is particularly galling. We are currently in the midst of a severe cost of living crisis, with many families grappling with economic uncertainties, job losses, and skyrocketing prices on essential goods and services. In this context, your administration's choice to further burden us with inflated passport fees is a disgraceful and unconscionable act that demonstrates a complete lack of empathy and understanding of the realities faced by your constituents.
Moreover, the lack of transparency in how this decision was reached is appalling. There has been no adequate public consultation or opportunity for feedback, leaving us to feel that this decision was made behind closed doors, with no regard for the voices of the people it affects. This is not how a democratic government should operate.
I demand an immediate reconsideration of this decision and a full, transparent explanation of the reasoning behind this exorbitant increase. The Australian public deserves better than to be treated as a mere source of revenue for the government’s coffers.
If this unjustifiable increase is not reversed, rest assured that this issue will not be forgotten. I, along with countless other outraged Australians, will continue to raise our voices and hold our elected officials accountable for their actions. We deserve a government that acts in our best interests, not one that exploits us for financial gain.
I await your prompt response and expect swift action to address this serious concern.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]
Wow that’s a thick soup of adjectives and adverbs. Like, big time.
@GeneralSkunk: It contains an egregious, overwhelming amount of overflowing, colourful superlatives to get its lengthy, impassioned argument across?
Thanks. Mine expires in Feb next year. I’m on the fence but with the six months rule, it’s probably better to renew it now
I'm end of January. Definitely renewing now.
A little known fact that I've never heard talked about before is that passports for children are actually dearer than adult passports (in 2 ways)!
Current rates: Adults $346 (10 year expiry) v Child < 16 (5 year expiry)
1. PER DAY RATES:
* Adult 10 years $346//10/365 = 9.479 cents per day
* Child 5 years $175/5/365 = 9.589 cents per day
2. VALIDITY OF PASSPORT (most countries require the expiry date to be 6 months or more):
*Adults 10 years - 6 months = 9.5 years for $346
*Child 5 years - 6 months = 4.5 years x 2 = $350 (more than adult rate) but only 9 months validity (ie you pay more but get 6 months less)!
Just did it this afternoon. Absolute rip off anyway you look at it.
I renewed mine in July 2022 for $308 (plus $19.95 for new photos at the post office). Didn't realize it already went up $38, and they're increasing it again. Aussies, the world's biggest cash cows!
Digital products? Yeah it costs more to go under the ocean or something…
Adds markup of 30-50% on a bunch of 1s and 0s
i am surprised no one protest about this . we have the most expensive passports in the first world country and not even the most powerful and also they have less pages than other regular passports from other countries
My passport expires on 12th Jan 2025. Is it worth renewing before price rise for me?
Any planned international holiday? If you're not planning to travel till end of 2025 then you can save money by renewing closer to that date.
I think you need a minimum 6 months anyway. So you can't use yours at the moment.
It depends on which country/ies you are going to. Not all require 6 month validity.
YES. Many countries require your passport to be valid for over 6 months upon entry.
I submitted my checklist today at the Post Office becasue after I rang the Passport office, the person I got said the $346 fee is not guarantee if I loged the application after 1 July. YMMV.
If you don’t need it with in a year it’s better to leave it.
Yep!! The system overrides it with the new price even if you printed beforehand. Beware!
Thanks OP, I had forgotten that my passport expired last month.
My poor expensive passport was removed from DVS due to Optus data leaking and they haven't given any compensation.
luckily my kids have a passport from another country and don't need an expensive Australian passport
How is that? are you Aus citizen or dual citizen?
It was cheaper 1.5 years ago?
That's usually how it works
Games seems to be cheaper 1.5 years later :-)
bruh.. include new cost as well..
Does anyone have experience with using a different passport and showing proof of citizenship on return?
No experience doing this and it’s recommended you use an Australian passport to enter/exit Australia. Some airlines won’t let you get on a flight bound for Australia without an Australian passport or visa.
If your other passport has visa free travel with Australia, you might be okay here. The other issue would be potential delays with immigration upon return to Australia.
I’m yet to hear a compelling justification for the price of the Aussie passport. It’s not the most powerful and doesn’t have any additional security features separating it from EU/EAA, NZ or US equivalents. What exactly are we paying for?
Made sense to me as my current passport expires Feb 25 - next challenge cheap passport photos…
nice work, man - there is already a handy chat going.
Mine has expired so I feel like the time is now! Thanks OP
Passport renewed 8/23 X6 exits from Aus since then and none of the digital recognition lanes have worked on leaving Aus. Had to be directed to the manual queue. All recorded on the system. No offer of remedy given.
Ok can someone confirm something? We went to do our passports this week but found that the marriage certificate for my wife was only a commemorative one and not an official one with number which is now required. We have applied for one now but won't get it for a few weeks. Does applying online require these documents to be submitted at the time or do they need to be viewed at the post office to confirm? Trying to see if we can still get hers on at the existing price.
The application form explicitly states that you cannot use commemorative documentation. It has to be the real deal.
The docs need to be sighted. I couldn't complete mine online as their crap web site would not validate any of my ID's.
Just did it in person at Auspost. I think it worked out quicker!
Yeah we obviously didnt see this until it was pointed out when we went in. I dont get why the passport office cant check it themselves. Surely there is a database somewhere that holds poeples marriage certificate info. Guess its all about making a buck for someone.
So essentially you cant progress the online process without validating your ID and since we dont have an official marrigage certificate im guessing we wont get anywhere. I was trying to ascertain if you still had to sight your documents at the PO with the online application but guessing thats not the case.
since we dont have an official marrigage certificate
Nice way to milk all those centrelink benefits as a single mom/dad.
Not saying that you do but common theme in my suburb where everyone is single with kids and has a cash side hussle
@easternculture: We got married 20 years ago. No idea why we didnt get an official document. Wish we had. Think we even paid for this useless commemerative document at the time also. Do you get one by default now or does everyone have to apply for the real deal?
@hazzad: You have to apply for the marriage certificate, it's not mandatory as far as I'm aware
https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/apply-for-a-marri…
@easternculture: What a crock. Yeah i know you have to apply for it now, but was curious that now passports require it i would have thought it would be provided as part of the process now.
@hazzad: Nah, marriage certificate is just another revenue stream
Standard marriage certificate $65 or $95 for priority service
@easternculture: Yeah exactly. Oddly we submitted application last week and they wanted us to get the documents uploaded certified by JOTP. Then oddly last night they sent an email saying its been accepted and sent. Sadly it will be a few days late so think we will jsut wait until next year to apply. Assuming fees arent due to increase again before middle of next year.
Mine is expiring in October2024.
I am not planning to travel in 2 years time.
Current passport expiry is 31st October 2024.
If I renew in 2026, will the new expiry date to be in 2036 or 2034? Says I renew for 10 years.
2036
Thanks
I am a bit bemused at why 5yr passports (children, seniors) are around half the price of a 10yr adult passport with half the validity. The little book costs the same to produce, regardless of what expiry they print in it. Singapore recently changed their passports to 10yrs validity (used to be 5yrs), but maintained the price at S$70. Said that increasing the validity didn't change the cost to produce the passport. And you know what, it makes complete sense…
Take up a seat on transport for half price, same seat at the football…. what a rort.
Anyone with dual nationality try and depart and reenter using a foreign passport? In thinking when my Australian passport expires i wont bother renewing it and try and carry the expired Australian passport and citizenship certificate incase any issues re-entering.
Others have said that the airline may not let you board
I've done It before but exit, not enter Australia.
Just exit AU on foreign passport, enter X Country on Foreign passport.
Your flight is linked to your passport number.
If you book your flight back to Australia with your foreign passport, then it won't have a valid visa attached to it - so you won't be able to proceed with your booking.
Apparently, this is the second increase this year and I read somewhere we are one of the most expensive countries to get a passport in.
Regardless I applied to renew last Friday 21st June and paid at the PO. I was not in any rush so did not request or pay any extra for it to be processed quickly. I expected it to take at least 6 weeks so I was shocked when I got an email on Thursday advising my passport is on it's way to me.
Didn't arrive yet but that was much quicker than I expected especially since I thought there would be a backlog of applications given the price increase.
Just a heads up as the fast processing fee is also going up on 1st July.
I don't know if it matters but I am in NSW.
Even quicker than what they stated on their website. https://www.passports.gov.au/apply-or-renew
"60% of application are processed within 10 business days"
Yes, I could not believe it when I got the notification. I was so glad I was not in a rush and hadn't paid the extra fees for fast processing. Would have been a waste of money.
Tax is an art, like plucking a goose. Getting the most amount of feathers with the least amount of hiss. And the government needs lots of funds to bankroll all those sh1tty decisions they made particularly around the COVID period.
Theiving (profanity) Labor!
Highest taxing government ever!
I would prefer a 10 page passport that lasts for 32 years. I travel once every 5 years, if that.
I got a new passport just before covid, they should be giving a 2 year credit for the lockdown on travel
We are all in this together, wasn't that the covid moto
So you pay for this at the Post Office, and not online, correct?
Does anyone know if I can use the prepaid Vanilla VISA gift card at the post office for this?
Ill let you know next week. Have 2 ready to pay in the passport renewal folder.
Yes, just did. Select credit and just enter for the pin
4) Bring payment of $346.00
By 30/6 meaning before or including 30/6. i.e.you think i can do tomorrow?
11:59.59pm 30.6.24
Are there any increases planned next year or is this it for the time being? Given i in a position of having to wait for an offical marriage certificate, am i better off waiting until next year to get my wifes passport and getting an extra years use or are we expecting another increase with indexation next year?
I didn't realise that there was a price increase for passports.
Thought I would get them for the family but all Australia Post offices are closed on Sunday 30 June (ie tomorrow).
It's a big increase in cost!
Apply online.
My children have never had passports, and the website says that I cannot apply online for them.
Is anyone getting an error when trying to download the PDF?
Hoping someone can assist with the maths to see if it's worth renewing now or waiting.
Current passport expires 2nd July 2025. I am going to Japan end of the year but am flying out 2nd Jan 2025 so should be fine if they enforce the 6 month thing.
I've completed the renewal paperwork just in case, but is it worth renewing now or closer to the expiry next year?
Cheers!
Edit: So by using CVonC's example below, I would be losing around $27 if I waited and renewed next year at $398. Assuming it doesn't go up again by this time next year. Not sure it's worth it. Will wait and see how people go post 1st July and if Aus Post honours the price on the application or tries to override with the new price.
Hmm my one is expiring 31 Aug 2025. Paid $250 + $111 9 years ago for 2 day processing (according to a PDF I found on the interwebs). So if I renew now I'd lose $42.12 for 14 months left. $346 vs $398 = $52 saving. Hmmm can I be bothered to save $10?
For any confusion about what the passport fee is now, the Australian government website is showing $398.
has anyone applied on 1st July or today with $346 price?
I did complete application for my child on last Wednesday when the only shown fee schedule on Australian Passport website was the one with fee around $175. I completed the online part and yesterday when I went for final submission at Australia Post they charged me $201. This new increased fee schedule applicable from today 1st July was not on their website till 1st of July.
There was no mention of this new increased fee on Australian Passport website till yesterday. Wonder why!!
That's a shame, was thinking of taking my filled form from 28/06 and documents to Aus Post later this week and renewing for $346
Sounds like this might not work :(
If your filled up from says the fee amount as $346, they will honour it. Child application doesn't have it printed.
have u tried to do it?
Have you any confirmation of this? We went to do our family last week. My wife didnt have an offical marriage cert so we had to apply and it arrived yesterday but we still have her form filled out from last week.
I cant find anywhere on the adult form advising what the fee is! Why would they bother since they would have to dump all old forms for new ones when they raise prices. Maybe who you spoke to was referring to the online applications done before 1st of July?
I cant find anywhere on the adult form advising what the fee is!
It should be on the last page of the pdf if you saved it. If you didn't, the pdf is in your online account under view responses.
@CVonC: I dont have the PDF. I have the paper form. The person who i was replying to hasnt really confirmed what form they were referring to. Im assuming it was the online application as the paper form has no reference to fee.
@adamjackson: Yeah figured. We couldn't complete that since we didn't have the required information yet. All good. Will just leave it until next year and get an extra year which will equate to about the increased cost. Hopefully they don't jack up the fees again in the new year. Surely we'd know if they planned to. Plus $100 in 12 months already seems excessive. Another is just ridiculous.
I called up and they advised me.
I called up Passports office today and they advised that they will honour what is on the printed checklist. They said they received an internal memo to indicate to honour the old pricing if it's stated on the printed form.
I went to my local AusPost and they also honoured the price on the printed checklist too - which I paid $346. Thank you Bonnyrigg LPO!
that is very helpful receipt :)
thank you for sharing it
If the fee schedule applicable from 1st of July 2024 was not shown on Australian Passport website at the time of filling out application form online on Australian Passport website, they must not charge the new fee for those forms filled before 1st of July because they didn't provide information regarding the new fee applicable at the time of doing your application.
This is a rip off if they do as children applications do not have the fee written on the printed forms which are completed before 1st of July considering the fee applicable was what their website showed and not what is applicable after 1st of July and that was not updated or available.
Why the information was not made available for customers is a big question.
The price change has been pretty well documented for some time. First was in Jan and many who were planning on getting passports would have known this once was coming. It has been in the media.
Price was not documented on passport website till 1st of July. The website showed pricing applicable from Jan 2024 till last week with no mention of new fee or increase applicable from 1st July. Yes it was in the media before 1st July but why not on passport website??!! Why would they not honour all applications filled out before 1st of July with the fee applicable before such date if they didn't want to tell people of the new fee or telling them of the increase from 1st July?
Thet are honouring them. The price prints out on the form you completed. Please read back over the other comments for more information.
Not for under 18 applications. The price was not printed on the application, and they are not honouring them.
talking about adults
The good news is you only have to go back the 1/2 year.
The bad news is my car is currently being serviced.