Any way to get around passport renewal fees?

Nigbob

Of course most European citizens don't have to have a passport for travel within Europe as the majority of Europe are signatories to the Schengen agreement, allowing (more or less) free movement between most European Countries. I'm waiting for a political party to suggest that the UK signs up too, and for the ensuing reaction from the Daily Mail...

Inactive

This charge will seem like a drop in the ocean, once we all get to know what Osborne and Cameron have planned later today.

Enterprise_1701C

If you wait too long you will have to pay more!

spiro

This is from a report produced in 2005:

Table 1: Least and Most Expensive Passports (Cost in US Dollars)
Most Expensive Ten Countries
Turkey 333.57
Lebanon 200.00
Chad 156.40
Norway 152.34
Democratic Republic of Congo 150.00
Denmark 145.67
Bosnia-Herzegovina 143.72
Croatia 129.73
Australia 115.22
United States 97.00

Least Expensive Ten Countries
Armenia 0.00
Swaziland 4.74
Luxembourg 4.83
Botswana 5.34
Kenya 5.37
Ghana 5.45
Guyana 6.30
Czech Republic 8.04
Philippines 8.95
El Salvador 9.14

Table 2: Countries where a passport costs 5% or more of annual per capita income
Country % pcGNI
Democratic Republic of Congo 125.0
Chad 60.2
Burundi 50.9
Rwanda 41.5
Ethiopia 31.1
Nepal 26.3
Niger 19.8
Central African Republic 17.7
Tanzania 13.4
Tajikistan 13.4
Burkina Faso 12.7
Lao PDR 11.8
Cameroon 11.4
Nigeria 10.0
Turkey 8.9
Mauritania 8.7
Benin 8.6
Republic of Congo 8.5
Bosnia and Herzegovina 7.0
Bolivia 6.7
The Gambia 6.0
Papua New Guinea 5.3
Bangladesh 5.2

pcGNI = annual per capita Gross National Income

babyfruitella

I dont think a standard renewal is a rip off when you've had your 10 years, but what I do find a rip off is having to pay the full renewal fee to change your name when you marry. I had 7 years left on my passport! I'd have carried on travelling on my maiden name, but apparently thats illegal, & my travel insurance is through my bank which is obviously in my married name, & I assume the 2 should probably match.

But to the OP, if you wanna go abroad then you dont really have an option but to pay the money. What exactly are you hoping they'll do?!?!

lucylucky

babyfruitella wrote: »

I dont think a standard renewal is a rip off when you've had your 10 years, but what I do find a rip off is having to pay the full renewal fee to change your name when you marry. I had 7 years left on my passport! I'd have carried on travelling on my maiden name, but apparently thats illegal, & my travel insurance is through my bank which is obviously in my married name, & I assume the 2 should probably match.

But to the OP, if you wanna go abroad then you dont really have an option but to pay the money. What exactly are you hoping they'll do?!?!

No - not illegal. If you still use your maiden name then there is no requirement to change your passport.

babyfruitella

lucylucky wrote: »

No - not illegal. If you still use your maiden name then there is no requirement to change your passport.

No I mean illegal if all your other documentation is in your married name (as mine is)

getmore4less

babyfruitella wrote: »

No I mean illegal if all your other documentation is in your married name (as mine is)

AFAIK It is perfectly legal to be known by more than one name.


In fact when you die it is one of the questions asked by the registrar and probate service.

The only document you need for travel is the passport, so as long as you book travel in that name you should be fine to travel.

In your case you would have to get the travel insurer to agree the cover based on travel in your maiden name but that should not be a problem or may not even be needed since the insurance is personal cover and you are the same person.


Cannot think of anything else, got any reference to something that says it is illegal.

In many cases things are not illegal just some practical hurdles to overcome.

I think you may have wasted the fees.

Equaliser123

Inactive wrote: »

This charge will seem like a drop in the ocean, once we all get to know what Osborne and Cameron have planned later today.

Hopefully the plan will be to get us out of the enormous deficit left behind by the incompetent previous government...

Inactive

Equaliser123 wrote: »

Hopefully the plan will be to get us out of the enormous deficit left behind by the incompetent previous government...

....and straight back in to a huge recession.

Of course none of this will bother the likes of millionaire Osborne etc.