British passport price change
British passport price change
Oct 14th 2008, 10:34 pm
#2
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,190
Re: British passport price change
Well a price cut is allways welcome, but why is the US cost so much more than the UK £72 even at 2:1 would only be $144.
I am sure there is a logical explanation.
I am sure there is a logical explanation.
Oct 14th 2008, 11:56 pm
#3
Retired
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 34,649
Re: British passport price change
Due to lack of economies of scale - fewer numbers and more offices - it is more expensive to issue passports outside the United Kingdom.
In its wisdom, the British government does not do anything to "equalise" the charge across home and overseas applicants. Many other countries do. Instead, British citizens overseas bear the full excess cost of the passport issuing operations overseas.
Oct 15th 2008, 12:24 am
#5
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 15,019
Re: British passport price change
Oct 16th 2008, 4:54 am
#6
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: Maitland, FL
Posts: 137
Re: British passport price change
The change was made to the 'Consular rate of exchange' in the USA and will have an effect on all consular fees, charged our local currency. These fees are set by London and distributed in GBP Sterling annually.
We generally only advertise the passport prices as those are what most people talk about.
Regards
Cranley
Oct 16th 2008, 6:09 am
#7
Peace onion
Joined: Jul 2006
Location: Denver
Posts: 5,686
Re: British passport price change
The Leader is a good man. I am safe.
Oct 16th 2008, 5:56 pm
#8
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 187
Re: British passport price change
Because passports issued outside the United Kingdom are the responsibility of the Foreign Office rather than the Home Office.
Due to lack of economies of scale - fewer numbers and more offices - it is more expensive to issue passports outside the United Kingdom.
In its wisdom, the British government does not do anything to "equalise" the charge across home and overseas applicants. Many other countries do. Instead, British citizens overseas bear the full excess cost of the passport issuing operations overseas.
Due to lack of economies of scale - fewer numbers and more offices - it is more expensive to issue passports outside the United Kingdom.
In its wisdom, the British government does not do anything to "equalise" the charge across home and overseas applicants. Many other countries do. Instead, British citizens overseas bear the full excess cost of the passport issuing operations overseas.
Oct 16th 2008, 6:14 pm
#9
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: British passport price change
One could argue that, on balance, the UK government's approach is the correct one. The alternative would be to raise all passport fees to cover the additional costs of overseas operations, thus asking UK residents to foot the bill for services that are almost exclusively used by expatriates. Why should they ?
Oct 16th 2008, 6:32 pm
#10
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Location: Avon Lake, OH
Posts: 5,270
Oct 19th 2008, 2:10 am
#11
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 2,212
Re: British passport price change
is there any chance of it going down more? The kids need theirs renewed pretty soon, dont know whether to hang on a little longer or take it now?
Oct 19th 2008, 3:02 am
#12
Retired
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 34,649
Re: British passport price change
If the pound tanks further against the U.S. dollar it might, but you should also expect the basic fee to be increased soon (British public finance deficit is increasing rapidly).
