Australian passport fees are going to increase by 3.5%, starting January 1, 2025, with the cost of a standard 10-year adult passport rising from $398 to $412.
The cost of a 5-year child passport will rise to $208, and a replacement passport will cost $259. This price hike got lots of condemnation from the opposition, who have alleged that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese launched “another tax grab from Australians” with the coming of the new year.
The price of a standard 10-year Australian passport, formerly the most expensive globally, will increase by $14 to $412 in the new year, noting a $104 increase since the Labor government took office in 2022.
On the other hand, the price of five-year passports for children and seniors aged 75 and over will increase from $201 to $208, and the cost for a replacement passport will go up from $250 to $259.
This price hike comes in accordance with the 15% increase implemented on July 1, 2024, and it is part of the annual indexation required by law. This fee hike has made Australian passports the most costly in the world. Earlier, Mexican passports held the top spot at $346.
The 15% rise in application fees, which came into effect on July 1, was manifested to generate $924.5 million in revenue and $529 million in profit.
Opposition spokesperson Simon Birmingham condemned the rise, saying, “It’s unsurprising the Albanese government is ringing in the new year with another tax grab from Australians.” He added, “Labor is on track to be raking in nearly $1 billion annually from taxpayers just through their past three blatant price rises on Australian passports.”
Birmingham further stated, “Many Australians scrimp and save to afford a special holiday to Bali or Fiji, only to find the cost of a passport is similar to the cost of an airfare.”
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade elucidated that the annual price adjustment is related to the Consumer Price Index. They recommended the increase is needed to enhance the passport’s quality and security features, which allow visa-free travel to over 180 countries.
They further said, “The Australian passport is respected internationally as a high-quality travel document. It has a high level of technological sophistication, backed by rigorous anti-fraud measures, which ensures its integrity. This is a key reason why Australian passport holders receive visa-free access to over 180 countries.”
