Australian passport fees are set to increase by 3.5%, starting January 1, 2025, with the cost of a standard 10-year adult passport rising to $412 from $398. The price of a 5-year child passport will jump to $208, and a replacement passport will now cost $259. This price hike has drawn criticism from the opposition, who have accused Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of launching “another tax grab from Australians” in the new year.
The price hike
The price of a standard 10-year Australian passport, already the most expensive globally, will rise by $14 to $412 in the new year, marking a $104 increase since the Labor government took office in 2022, according to news.com.au.
Meanwhile, the cost of five-year passports for children and seniors aged 75 and over will rise from $201 to $208, and the price for a replacement passport will go up from $250 to $259.
Earlier price hike in July
This price hike comes in addition to the 15% increase implemented on July 1, 2024, and is part of the annual indexation required by law. This fee hike had made Australian passports the most expensive globally. Before this, Mexican passports held the top spot at $346.
According to documents submitted to parliament earlier this year, the 15% increase in application fees, which took effect on July 1, was projected to generate $924.5 million in revenue and $529 million in profit, as reported by news.com.au.
‘Govt ringing in new year with another tax grab’
Opposition spokesperson Simon Birmingham criticised the increase, saying, as quoted by 9 News, “It’s unsurprising the Albanese government is ringing in the new year with another tax grab from Australians.” He added, “Labor are 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 noted, “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.”
Government defends price increase
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade explained the annual price adjustment is linked to the Consumer Price Index. They defended the cost, stressing the passport’s quality and security features, which allow visa-free travel to over 180 countries.
“The Australian passport is respected internationally as a high-quality travel document,” they said, as quoted by News 9. “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,” they added.
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