Any way to get around passport renewal fees?

dmg24

Meadows wrote: »

Probably around the time they had the right to enter the UK with out payment!

There is absolutely no right to do so, we just choose not to charge.

lucylucky

Yet another "rip-off" thread which is not.

dzug1

tiff wrote: »

Americans enter the UK without payment, dont they?

If they need a visa they pay.

And fees can easily be hidden - in many parts of the world - in airport charges. As was the visa waiver to enter the US priior to ESTA.

SUESMITH_2

if you afford to go abroad, you can afford to pay for a passport - sorry!

the cost you pay helps fund the wages of the passport staff who process your application, pay for office space and rates etc. - its not all profit, and despite david cameron wanting us to be part of the big society i doubt anyone would or could do this job on a voluntary basis

tiff

Yes it is actually (in reply to the its not a rip off comment) a massive increase in passport costs in the last how many years, plus a charge to enter a country. I just paid £177 for 3 passports (2 of them for children, only last 5 years) plus 2 Esta charges as the kids passports werent back when the Esta charge came in.

lucylucky

tiff wrote: »

Yes it is actually (in reply to the its not a rip off comment) a massive increase in passport costs in the last how many years, plus a charge to enter a country. I just paid £177 for 3 passports (2 of them for children, only last 5 years) plus 2 Esta charges as the kids passports werent back when the Esta charge came in.

When I renewed a passport a few weeks ago the price I paid was the price advertised. So no "rip-off" took place.

No one is forced to have a passport so there is no "rip-off";)

dmg24

tiff wrote: »

Yes it is actually (in reply to the its not a rip off comment) a massive increase in passport costs in the last how many years, plus a charge to enter a country. I just paid £177 for 3 passports (2 of them for children, only last 5 years) plus 2 Esta charges as the kids passports werent back when the Esta charge came in.

So why is it a rip off? Your £177 covers a total of twenty years travel, less than £10 a year. That would not even cover an airport transfer. Are you sure you can afford to travel overseas?

tiff

Its a rip off because the increase in prices is out of proportion. Yes I can afford it, doesnt mean it right or fair. Dont be so patronising.

whatmichaelsays

tiff wrote: »

Americans enter the UK without payment, dont they?

We don't charge them to get in, but we do charge them £120 air passenger duty to get out.

whatmichaelsays

tiff wrote: »

Yes it is actually (in reply to the its not a rip off comment) a massive increase in passport costs in the last how many years, plus a charge to enter a country. I just paid £177 for 3 passports (2 of them for children, only last 5 years) plus 2 Esta charges as the kids passports werent back when the Esta charge came in.

It's not a "rip-off" because you chose to accept those charges. If you don't want to pay for an ESTA, you are more than entitled not to, provided of course that you have no intention of entering the US on the visa waiver programme. Perhaps you'd prefer the UK not to subscribe to the VWP? I'm sure that you'd be much happier paying £100+ for a visa from the US Embassy.

At the end of the day, the system of border controls and the increased technology behind passport control has to be managed and administered. Surely it is only fair that the people who utilise those services are the ones who pay for it?