HOW TO RENEW YOUR PASSPORT FOR CHEAP AS GOVERNMENT BUMPS UP APPLICATION PRICE

A handy service lets you renew your passport without risking extra costs that can be easy to accidentally accrue.

Last week the Passport Office upped the price of getting hold of a new travel document. It now costs £88.50 to get, renew or replace your passport if you apply online, up from £82.50, or £100 for a postal application, up from £93.

The price of a child's passport online application has risen £4 to £57.50, and £5 to £69 when done through the post. The cost of applying for a passport from overseas or if you need one in a hurry has also gone up, but it remains free to get a new document if you're born on or before 2 September, 1929.

Although it is not possible to bring the cost of a passport application below the Passport Office's quoted prices, there are ways to make sure that it doesn't creep up any higher - something which is surprisingly easy to let happen if you're not careful.

Passports with errors such as spelling mistakes or serious issues with the photo may not be usable. Rectifying the mistakes - unless they are made by the Passport Office - costs money and also adds time to the process.

Happily, the Post Office has a service which keeps the chances of getting something wrong as low as possible. The organisation has decided not to up its fees for the in-branch service.

A spokesperson from the Post Office said: “In light of the Government’s decision to increase passport application fees, the Post Office is pleased to reassure customers that its Post Office Check & Send fee, which last increased in 2018, will remain unchanged. This applies to both the Paper and Digital Check & Send services.

“More than half a million people each year already trust the Post Office to handle their passport application in-branch, accessing invaluable support from Postmasters to ensure the accuracy of their applications when applying or renewing their passport."

Postmasters across the UK provide customers with a Check & Send service, to ensure passport applications are complete and correct before being sent off.

The Post Office’s Digital Check & Send service helps customers to submit a digital application, including a photograph of the customer and the digital submission of their application. Any supporting documents are sent to His Majesty’s Passport Office, all included as part of the fee.

The fee for the Digital Check & Send service is £104.50, which is £16 more than if you do it yourself online. However, for that price customers get a photo taken, the peace of mind that their application will not get sent back, and the documents sent off Special Delivery. The paper Check & Send service costs £116 but does not include the price of a photo.

“Nearly half of consumers aware of the service value the peace of mind offered by Check & Send because it ensures they can complete their applications right first time, which can be really important when planning for holidays abroad," the Post Office spokesperson continued.

“Post Office also offers choice for customers who prefer to complete the application by paper or via a digital service which allows for customers to have their transactions processed even quicker. Post Offices also give customers the option to pay in cash, helping those looking to budget their spending, which nearly a quarter of customers (23%) give as a reason to visit their local Post Office branch.”

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2024-04-16T09:48:16Z dg43tfdfdgfd