Travel tip: If you need a new U. S. Passport, or Passport Card, get it now, before the price goes up.
Starting in April 2018, a passport will cost $10 more for all U.S. travelers, both adults and children.
That means adult passport books will now cost $145, up from $135, while passports for children and teens to age 16 will now cost $115, up from $105.
According to the Department of State, the $10 price increase is to cover rising administration costs, including mailing your new documents.
This is the first passport price increase since 2010, when the cost went up from $100 to $135, and comes at the same time another federal agency, the Department of the Interior, is considering boosting the cost of visiting National Parks this summer to as much as $80.
The price increase applies only to first-time applications.
The price increase does not apply to renewing your passport by mail.
You need a passport or travel card for all international travel. That includes boarding a cruise ship in a U. S. port that sails beyond U.S. territorial waters — and most of them do.
Even if you have no plans to disembark in Cancun, St. Thomas, or Vancouver, you’ll need a passport to board.
More reasons to apply for a passport now
Another reason to apply for – or renew – your passport before April 2 is that the busy season for applications starts in spring, and the longer you wait, the longer it will take to get your new travel document.
That delay could prevent you from entering a country that requires a passport to be valid for six months after arrival, a visa, or both.
There are expedited services if you need a passport right away, but they can add up to another $100 to the cost of your new U.S. Passport.
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