Ahead of the Easter and summer holiday rush, travellers are being urged to check their passports. This comes as passport fees are set to rise on Thursday, April 10, 2025, putting the spotlight on the essential travel document.

The Home Office has announced that, from this date, the following changes will occur:

• the fee for a standard online application made from within the UK will rise from £88.50 to £94.50 for adults and £57.50 to £61.50 for children
• postal applications will increase from £100 to £107 for adults and £69 to £74 for children
• the fee for a Premium Service (1 day) application made from within in the UK will rise from £207.50 to £222 for adults and £176.50 to £189 for children
• the fee for a standard online application when applying from overseas for a UK passport will rise from £101 to £108 for adults and £65.50 to £70 for children
• overseas standard paper applications will increase from £112.50 to £120.50 for adults and £77 to £82.50 for children

The department explained that the fee hike "will help the Home Office to continue to move towards a system that meets its costs through those who use it, reducing reliance on funding from general taxation. The government does not make any profit from the cost of passport applications. The fees contribute to the cost of processing passport applications, consular support overseas, including for lost or stolen passports, and the cost of processing British citizens at UK borders".

With these impending changes, Tom Lyon, director at Compare the Market, has highlighted several important passport-related points that travellers might not always consider.

Tom advised: "With passport fees set to rise this week, it's only becoming more important to ensure that you are covered in the event that your passport is lost or stolen whilst on holiday. Fortunately, most travel insurance policies offer cover for lost and stolen passports when travelling abroad.

"This could include the cost of a replacement passport, an emergency travel document, new flights and extra accommodation if you have to extend your stay. It's important to shop around and compare the different travel insurance deals available which could help you find a great deal with the necessary cover. If you get it sorted as soon as you book your trip, you're also covered against the holiday getting cancelled too.

"Before planning a trip abroad, you should also check the expiry date on your passport. Most countries require at least six months' validity on a passport for entry to be granted. If it has expired, you should not begin making travel arrangements until you have received a new passport. If you need to renew, you can send a paper application form to the Post Office or apply online, which is usually faster."