Global Passport Fees 2023
Global Passport Fees 2023
Breaking News
Turkish newspapers report a 122% increase in Turkish passport fees. A 10-year passport is now at a whopping $202 in 2023, which makes the Turkish passport, compared to the average national income, THE MOST EXPENSIVE PASSPORT (after below mentioned DRC).
Passports are a necessity in today’s global world, and so are the fees someone has to pay for a travel document. In the best case, you pay this fee only every ten years, as this is the maximum validity of a modern standard passport today. However, countries are still issuing booklets for much less than ten years.
Passport fees should be related to the average income of its citizens. EU countries usually charge between 1.x% and 3.x% for a passport compared to the average MONTHLY income. Exceptions are Italy, Serbia, or Romania, topping the 4%. A few countries charge less than 1%. Others go up to 24%!
There is an extreme case in Africa where the figure goes up to 285%!
I’m German, and our average income is €3230. Imagine if we Germans had to pay €9348 for a passport!
But that’s the case in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where a passport costs you the equivalent of $185 at an average income of only $65/month. Two readers of my website even commented that a DRC passport is now $250, making the Congolese passport one of the most expensive in the world for its citizens.
The DRC is among the five poorest nations in the world. In 2021, nearly 64 % of Congolese, just under 60 million people, lived on less than $2.15 a day. Global Passport Fees 2023
Rather expensive passports are those from Liechtenstein, Australia, and Venezuela. While Argentina, Vietnam, Belarus, China, India, Hong Kong, and Thailand charge citizens the lowest fees. Bulgaria has the cheapest passport in the European Union, and Belarus is the cheapest in Europe.
Remark: Lebanon was earlier mentioned as the most expensive passport, but that was only the case when issued abroad ($300-$600). The fee for a Lebanese passport with ten years of validity was set on Sep 27, 2022, to $52.
Passports are big business. The global e-passport market will be valued at USD 21 billion in 2020. The forecast period of 2022-2027 is expected to reach a value of approximately USD 74 billion by 2026.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Doc 9303 also recommends a new passport design to maintain document security and integrity every few years. Below are the International Air Transport Association (IATA) trends from 2019 to 2040. Global Passport Fees 2023
People need passports, but at what costs?
Should a passport office profit, and should your embassy charge you a higher fee abroad?
If the fees of a passport are within the earlier mentioned range of 1% to 4%, then it’s fine with me. How does a passport office justify higher costs? Did they negotiate just a bad purchasing contract? Governments like to brag about having the “most advanced” and “most secure” travel document every time a passport is updated (which is always good timing to increase the fees).Global Passport Fees 2023
Several countries managed to keep the costs for a new passport unchanged or slightly higher. Even if the current passport was significantly updated with state-of-the-art technology and security. Passport pricing is also a political issue. Global Passport Fees 2023
Why countries charge significantly more for a passport at their embassies or consulates is a riddle for me. While German embassies charge up to €141 compared to €60 at home, United States passports cost the same worldwide as at home – $130.
As a reader wrote, obtaining a Cuban passport abroad, e.g., in the USA, is extremely expensive. “The Cuban passport is valid for six years, its price is over $450 now, and every two years, we have to pay an extra entry extension of over $200, which makes the Cuban passport most likely the most expensive consular passport! Which adds up to around $900 in 6 years.”
The same seems true for the Syrian passport, which is just $12 at home but more than $300 abroad.
Citizen services should not profit, but they should cover their costs. Citizen service is a state obligation without extorting its citizens. By the way, China lowered its passport fees significantly in mid-2019, and the Chinese passport is one of the cheapest travel documents in the world at only $18!
The new iconic Belgian passport with a homage to the comic culture (so cool!) remains at the same price. The same is valid for the latest updated Singapore passport.
More than 150 out of 196 countries use ePassports
All data are in $USD and for a standard adult passport. Fees can be significantly higher abroad at consulates/embassies!
The passport fees worldwide are based initially on an old British Passport Office list. It is interesting to see how passport prices have increased over a decade. If possible, data comes from readers and web sources (passport office). However, the list and its data are incomplete, but I will update them whenever I can.
| Country | Fee | Validity | eMRTD | % of Average Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andorra | 49 | 10 | y | |
| Argentina | 10 | 9 | y | 1.3 |
| Australia | 230 | 10 | y | 4.8 |
| Austria | 80 | 10 | y | 1.8 |
| Belarus | 12 | 10 | n | 1.0 |
| Belgium | 73 | 7 | y | 1.7 |
| Bolivia | 82 | 6 | y | |
| Brazil | 45 | 10 | y | 7.0 |
| Brunei | 43 | 5 | y | 1.7 |
| Bulgaria | 22 | 10 | y | 1.7 |
| Cambodia | 100 | 10 | y | 7.6 |
| Canada | 125 | 10 | y | 3.1 |
| Chile | 84 | 10 | y | |
| China | 18 | 10 | y | 1.8 |
| Colombia | 47 | 10 | y | |
| Congo | 185 | 10 | y | |
| Costa Rica | 72 | 6 | y | 7.0 |
| Croatia | 55 | 10 | y | 3.8 |
| Cuba | 100 | 6 | n | |
| Cyprus | 60 | 10 | y | 2.2 |
| Czech Rep. | 27 | 10 | y | 1.6 |
| Denmark | 97 | 10 | y | 1.7 |
| Dominican Republic | 32 | 6 | n | |
| Ecuador | 90 | 6 | y | 18.1 |
| Egypt | 45 | 7 | y | 7.7 |
| El Salvador | 25 | 5 | n | |
| Estonia | 47 | 10 | y | 2.7 |
| Finland | 63 | 5 | y | 1.4 |
| France | 102 | 10 | y | 2.8 |
| Germany | 66 | 10 | y | 1.8 |
| Greece | 100 | 5 | y | 6.0 |
| Hong Kong | 32 | 10 | y | 0.7 |
| Hungary | 50 | 10 | y | 3.4 |
| Iceland | 70 | 10 | y | 1.3 |
| India | 23 | 10 | n | 5.9 |
| Indonesia | 23 | 10 | y | |
| Iran | 10 | 5 | y | 3.4 |
| Ireland | 80 | 10 | y | 1.3 |
| Israel | 86 | 10 | y | 2.0 |
| Italy | 135 | 10 | y | 4.5 |
| Japan | 115 | 10 | y | 3.2 |
| Kazakhstan | 54 | 10 | y | |
| Korea (South) | 50 | 10 | y | |
| Latvia | 29 | 10 | y | 2.1 |
| Lebanon | 50 | 10 | y | |
| Liechtenstein | 264 | 10 | y | |
| Lithuania | 50 | 10 | y | |
| Luxembourg | 60 | 5 | y | 0.8 |
| Lybia | 39 | 8 | n | |
| Malawi | 100 | 10 | y | |
| Malaysia | 47 | 5 | y | 5.3 |
| Malta | 70 | 10 | y | |
| Mexico | 170 | 10 | n | 21.3 |
| Monaco | 94 | 10 | y | |
| Morocco | 50 | 5 | y | 16.6 |
| Netherlands | 78 | 10 | y | 1.7 |
| New Zealand | 128 | 10 | y | 3.4 |
| Nigeria | 41 | 10 | y | 23.7 |
| Norway | 65 | 10 | y | 0.9 |
| Panama | 100 | 5 | y | |
| Paraguay | 40 | 5 | n | |
| Peru | 30 | 5 | y | |
| Philippines | 20 | 10 | y | 6.6 |
| Poland | 35 | 10 | y | 2.5 |
| Portugal | 74 | 5 | y | 3.7 |
| Romania | 65 | 10 | y | 5.5 |
| Russia | 70 | 10 | y | 7.9 |
| San Marino | 105 | 10 | y | |
| Serbia | 36 | 10 | y | 5.1 |
| Singapore | 59 | 10 | y | 1.1 |
| Slovakia | 35 | 10 | y | 2.4 |
| Slovenia | 53 | 10 | y | 3.0 |
| Somalia | 140 | 5 | y | |
| South Africa | 33 | 10 | n | 6.0 |
| South Korea | 45 | 10 | y | 1.5 |
| Spain | 33 | 10 | y | 1.3 |
| Sri Lanka | 19 | 10 | n | 5.7 |
| Sweden | 45 | 5 | y | 0.9 |
| Switzerland | 140 | 10 | y | 2.2 |
| Syria | 12 | 6 | n | |
| Thailand | 43 | 10 | y | 7.3 |
| Trinidad & Tobago | 20 | 10 | n | |
| Tunisia | 20 | 5 | n | |
| Turkey | 202 | 10 | y | 24.5 |
| UK | 100 | 10 | y | 2.7 |
| Uruguay | 85 | 10 | y | |
| USA | 130 | 10 | y | 2.2 |
| Venezuela | 200 | 10 | y | |
| Vietnam | 10 | 10 | n | 3.3 |
| Zimbabwe | 100 | 10 | y | |
| Pakistan | 54 | 10 | y | |
| Myanmar | 12 | 5 | n |
Readers might still remember the British Visitor Passport (BVP), a travel document used within Europe; one could get it instantly at the post office – for £1.50 (1971).
In Cambodia, the passport fees are three times higher at $100 than in the neighboring country, Thailand, at only $33. The Thai passport was improved several times but is still at a moderate level of 1500 THB ($43). The new generation of Thai eMRTD is now valid for ten years. The New Zealand passport was in 2010 at $100 and 2019 at $128.
Australia was $145 (2010) but today at $308. Germany $66 – same fees since 2010, even after a complete redesign in 2017. Until the end of 1999, Austria was $38 and increased in Jan 2000 to $76.
Today the Austrian passport costs $84. Passports are constantly getting more expensive as the security printing industry/government argues they always need safer documents to fight the forgers.
Some countries like Denmark or Malaysia would charge you an extra fee (penalty) for your new passport if you lost your old one. I think that is justified.
Many countries were facing massive delays in issuing new passports in 2022. Social media was full of complaints about angry citizens, especially from the UK, Australia, Canada, and other countries. Today, the situation seems to be improved.
Hello dear Tom, thanks for the work. Turkey was the champion of 2015 as the MOST expensive in the world.
Our government wanted to reacquire that title by increasing the fees by 122.5% in 2023.
Now that I am a Turkish citizen so pls update 2023 Turkish fees which are:
3800 TRY= 202 USD for 10-year passport.
Monthly minimum wage is 8500 TRY. Daily income is 283 TRY=15 USD. You do the math.
Thank you.
Thank you very much for the information. I did a quick double-check and confirm. The article and list are updated! Cheers, Tom
The cost of Philippine passport for citizens is only USD 20.00.
The USD 60.00 cost in your list is for passports issued in diplomatic posts.
Thanks for the heads up, Russ. Updated.
I am a citizen of Lebanon, living in Beirut. You should update the cost of the Lebanese passport after the country faced a severe financial crisis ) so the USD 330 was at a USD 1 was LBP 1500. Now the 1 USD is LBP 27000 in the black market. The cost of a passport now is around USD 75 and for now, there is no passport issuance, as the country has run out of booklets !!
Thanks for the info!
Dear Sirs, the passport price of IRAN, mentioned on your website, is not correct. It is stated that the passport price is 30 USD while the actual price is less than 10 USD and it is around 9 USD.
Thank you Hosein, updated.
Hey, just renewed my Norwegian passport in London and paid £122 (incl postage of £7) which is $166, not $50 as stated in your list… 😉
The fees abroad can be significantly higher. The values in the table are the regular domestic passport fees.
Hello Tom,
The Nigerian standard passport has two versions: 5 yrs / 32 pages ($41), 5 yrs / 64 pages ($55), there should have been a 10 yr validity passport but I don’t know if it was approved. I don’t know of anyone who got their passport at the official prices, there were always “processing fees” that doubled the prices.
Thanks, Guy for your input. Much appreciated. I always use the data for the standard documents. I heard about the processing fees. It happens in other countries too. Cheers, Tom
Danish passport is 145 dollars and double if you loose your old one.
Please update.
Phillip, that’s interesting and I think justified to pay more if you lose your passport. I know Malaysia does the same. Thanks, Tom
venezuela passport will now last for 10 yr
Thank you, Pablo. Updated!
Dominican Rep. Cost USD 32 last 6 yr
Not electrónic
Panama $100 plus $3 of birth certificate
Last for 5 yr and has a chip
Thx again
Argentinian passport is 10USD = 1.500ARS.
1USD = 150ARS
Thank you for the update!
The Syrian passport costs more than 325 $ (normal basis) and more than 825 $ (urgent basis) if you’re abroad. It’ll be valid for 2 years only if you didn’t do the military service while for 6 years for women, children and males older than 18 years and did the service. The passport can’t be renewed, must apply for new one after expiration in both cases 2 and 6 years. It takes 20+ days for routine service (normal basis) and 3+ days for expedited service (urgent basis) to produce the passport abroad.
Thank you for your valuable input! Best regards, Tom
There are two options for obtaining Sri Lankan Passports.
Urgent basis (could be obtained within a day) costs approximately $81 (LKR 15000)
Normal basis (spend approximately two weeks) costs $19 (LKR 3500)
Thanks for your input. Much appreciated. Best regards, Tom
Hi Tom,
The Belgian passport is valid for 6 years, NOT 10 !
Thx Guy. According this link its 7 years. https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en/services/services_abroad/belgian_passport. 10 years is incorrect.
This is directed to the author. The Cuban passport is valid for 6 years, now it’s price is over $450 and every two years we have to pay an extra entry extension of over $200. Which adds up to around $900 in 6 years.
Thank you, Aniel. This is the price ABROAD in AMERICA for Cubans. The passport in the country is much cheaper. However, still relatively expensive compared to the average income in Cuba. Cheers, Tom
Daniel is right, abroad in America, Europe, and elsewhere is $450 to make a passport as a first-timer, or $410 for renewal, with 2 validity stickers of $220 for a total of $950. In Cuba is $150 and the 2 validity stickers of $100, making this passport worth inside Cuba $350 for residents, with a median monthly salary equivalent to $40, the Most expensive password in the world. Think let’s compare it to a US passport, or any 10 years equivalent passport: $450+220+220+410+220= $1620
Appreciate your feedback. Thanks, Tom
Passport issuing fee in Belarus is from 1 to 3 b.a. (base amount) depending on how long are you willing to wait: 1 month = 1 b.a., 15 days = 2 b.a., and 7 days = 3 b.a. The base amount is variable and changed by the Council of Ministers from time to time, at the moment 1 b.a. equals 27 BYN (new belarusian ruble). At today’s exchange rate this is less than 12 USD and possible one of cheapest passport in the world. And yes, this is a passport for traveling, Belarus doesn’t separate internal ID.
Thanks for your input, added! Cheers, Tom
Chinese passport fee has gone down to 120CNY(18USD) each.
http://www.china-embassy.org/chn/lszj/hzlxz/t1677573.htm
That’s quite interesting that CN is reducing the fees for passports while other countries constantly go up. Thanks.
Zimbabwe has different fees. If you are a Zimbabwean living in the diaspora, your passport renewal fees are a staggering US$318 while for a Zimbabwean living in Zimbabwe, passport fees are US$50 – which is still high considering an unemployment rate of over 90% in the country.
Thank you for your input. I also find these news https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5QRCDTjlCI
Australia is $298.00 as of January 2020
Thanks, considered already as the fees in my table are USD!
The Venezuela Passport is around 200$ nowadays
Thank you, Ric. Updated.
And 280$ if you’re outside of Venezuela.
Yes, consular services are always more expensive, with some exceptions – the USA. Citizens pay worldwide the same fees as at home.
Libyan Passport costs $39.23 with official governmental exchange ($12.97 with black market’s exchange of today, and it’s valid for 8 years.
Well, that’s interesting. Thank you. Cheers, Tom
El Salvador Passport is $25 and valid for 6 years. The same booklet is renewable for an additional 6 year period but you must pay $25 again and take a new picture.
Thank you, Juan. However, the validity is 5 years, not 6 years. Cheers, Tom
Venezuelan passport as today in USD is like 150$
Thank you. Added.
A Bruneian passport costs $43, and it is valid for 5 years
Thank you for sharing this information, John. Much appreciated. Cheers, Tom
A Congo DR passport is $250 in congo and $310 when you do it at an embassy abroad, and is valid gor only 5 years
Wow, $250 is quite a price for a passport in your country. Thanks for sharing, Mary Jane.
Congolese passport is 250$ for 5 years.
So it is the MOST expensive
A Chilean passport costs USD 132 (with today’s exchange rate) and is valid for five years.
Thank you, added! Cheers Tom
Cuban passport for Cubans abroad is $400.00 if you go in person to the Cuban embassy in DC, otherwise the agency you go eill charge aproxemately $450.00 making a Cuban passport without competition the most expensive in the world.
Thank you Michael!
Ecuador passport is USD 90
Chile one Is US$ 127 (normal one)
Perú USD 28
Bolivia USD 82
Paraguay USD 31 (without legalizations of govt) 51 with legalizations (mandatory in Asunción)
Uruguay first time USD 85
Uruguay renovation USD 57
Colombia USD 47 In Bogotá
Source: passport issuer agencies webs of each country abóve mentioned
Greeting from Buenos Aires city Argentina
The Argentina one cost $10 i dont put cos you already have it!
Love your page.
Thanks for your input and love my website. Updated!
Tom just to add the validity of a Paraguayan passport Is 5 yrs and the Bolivia one is 6 yrs. The Policía Nacional of Paraguay passport issues in Asunción. for now does not have a chip in the near future they will have a biometric passport the Paraguayan diplomatic passport are biométric I don’t know the reason for this
Very well, thx again. Tom