Passport costs to increase in October; renew now if you've less than a year remaining

baronbaldwin

kitaj wrote: »

All countries are paying the price of terrorism fear, which is the bit I really object to....as a previous poster said passports and ID cards wouldn't have stopped any of the terrorist attacks here or in the US. We really should be protesting at the huge amount of surveillance we are all subjected to and not get sidetracked by the cost of a passport, which is a symptom of the increased surveillance costs and not simply a 'stealth tax'.

I'll throw this in as well: I hold dual nationality, British and Israeli. My Israeli passport cost me about £10!

Israel has an ID card system as well but no more complex than a fancy Driving Licence ID. No biometrix, no inserted finger prints, no barcodes.

thor

crayon wrote: »

Consular premium? What a joke! Anybody who has been in trouble abroad would tell you they were of very little assistance whatsoever.....

so they do need the extra dosh then!

CFC

thor wrote: »

so they do need the extra dosh then!

No, it's goverment policy that constrains what the consulates actually do for British subjects, which is quite little.

And the extra money won't be going to them....the costs of the ID card scheme have spiralled up by another billion pounds, as noted in the recently publishes six month report. Which has been quietly hidden, as is the way of spin, by being released this week when most media time has been taken up giving a valedictory salute to Blair and a welcome mat to Brown. Neat, eh?

kitaj

Hmmm Baronbaldwin - that's an interesting one. Israel probably has the greatest security threat in the world - mind you it does have an inflation rate of about a million percent because of the cost of its forces.....I also know that when you enter Israel every individual is questioned by the authorities for about 10 minutes and that security measures on leaving and entering Israel have always taken twice as long as everywhere else - wonder how all that's paid for ......?

Alfie_E

The USA provides Israel with a significant amount of financial support.

baronbaldwin

They have a very high tax rate. Still what's preferable: a high tax rate yet reasonable prices for necessary services (passports, etc) or moderately high taxes plus high prices on necessary services?

And Alfie's right the US does sub a lot financially but don't we sub europe a lot too?

Andy_L

baronbaldwin wrote: »

They have a very high tax rate. Still what's preferable: a high tax rate yet reasonable prices for necessary services (passports, etc) or moderately high taxes plus high prices on necessary services?

Overall there's no difference but ones an easier policy to get elected on

kitaj

baronbaldwin wrote: »

They have a very high tax rate. Still what's preferable: a high tax rate yet reasonable prices for necessary services (passports, etc) or moderately high taxes plus high prices on necessary services?

And Alfie's right the US does sub a lot financially but don't we sub europe a lot too?

And here we are back in the circular argument - do you want lower taxes or better services....of course everyone wants both so it's usually a compromise of charging on the services that the better off people can afford (eg passports).

as for subbing Europe - well I think the answer to that is.....no. However every European country does subsidise farmers for not producing anything.....

gsdjj

I have just got married and thought I would do the "right" thing and get my name changed on the passport. I bought my new passport ONLY IN January this year. I am stunned that they want ANOTHER £66 just to change my name on it. In this day of fraud and bombings you would think they would like to know just who IS on the passport. I am now going to travel around the world under my old name. Hopefully If I book in my maiden name it shouldnt be a problem! Stunned!

gsdjj

Further to my above. Isnt this whole thing sexist??? It clearly descriminates against women!!