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Paris 15:01, 16 May 2012
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What does a passport fee cover?
Fees vary, depending on the type of passport you require.
Fees are set in Sterling but are paid in currencies accepted at different locations and ARE SUBJECT TO CURRENCY FLUCTUATIONS.
You CANNOT pay for your passport application in Sterling. To find out the fees from your country, please see the How to apply page and click on the country you are applying from.
Refund policy
Passport fees are non-refundable. The fee is charged for administering and examining an application, not just for the passport itself.
Since 1 April 2008, both the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (for overseas passport applications) and the Identity and Passport Service (UK applications) have charged customers for administering a passport application, rather than for issuing a passport. This means that fees for passport applications made in the UK and overseas are non-refundable in the event that the application is unsuccessful or withdrawn. It applies to all forms of passport applications.
This is independent of whether the application is successful or not. This may mean that your fee is not refunded if we find that you are not eligible for a UK passport. Our refund policy is advertised clearly in waiting rooms and on this website.
What the fee covers
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is responsible for issuing passports to British nationals abroad. The passport fees charged by the FCO are calculated on the basis of the cost of staff, accommodation and overheads involved proportionate to the average time taken worldwide to perform the service. The calculations are carefully scrutinised by the Treasury, approved by the Privy Council and laid before Parliament. Fees are set in London in Sterling.
The FCO does not make a profit. Passport fees cover the costs of providing passport services. Part of the fee is the ‘the consular premium’ and covers the costs of providing consular help to British nationals who find themselves in difficulty while overseas.