Brits can get a passport free if they’re born on or before a certain date, even after renewal costs were hiked last month. With the start of summer now just weeks away, many Britons will be eyeing up a continental getaway. Rules introduced after Brexit mean that nationals travelling to the EU must ensure their passports were issued less than 10 years before they enter a country in the bloc.
The travel document must also be valid for three months after the planned departure date from that nation. Renewing your passport doesn’t come cheap, and prices recently went up. From Wednesday, April 8, the fee for a standard online application made from within the UK jumped from £94.50 to £102 for adults.
The price of new passports and renewals has also gone up for children’s passports, postal applications, the premium service, online applications from overseas, and overseas standard applications.
The Government said the fee hike will “help the Home Office to continue to move towards a system that meets its costs through those who use it, reducing reliance on funding from general taxation”.
However, not everyone is subject to renewal fees. In fact, some don’t have to pay for getting a passport full stop. People born on or before September 2, 1929, are eligible for a Concessionary Passport, for which they aren’t charged.
The waiver was announced by the British Government in May 2004 as part of measures to recognise the contributions of British nationals to the war effort.
From October 2004, 10-year concessionary passports were offered to people old enough to have taken part in World Wars 1 and 2.
Anyone eligible for the passport now would be at least 96 years old. To get it you need to hold any British nationality at the time of application.
Individuals can qualify whether they’re naturalised or registered as British nationals.
The waiver applies to standard 32-page passports, with applicants also not charged secure delivery fees to return the new passport or supporting documents to an address in the UK or abroad.
Customers must pay for other or additional services, the UK Government website explains. “For example, they have to pay the full fee for a Frequent traveller passport or the service level element of the Premium and Fast track services” (though not the full price).
Eligible applicants also do not have to pay the Post Office Check and Send fee for using these services. Additionally, if eligible customers pay the Check and Send fee in error, they can get a refund from the Post Office.
You can find out more on the GOV.UK website.