Together with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, I am announcing that the Privy Council has been asked to approve changes to passport fees at their meeting tomorrow by amending the Consular Fees (No. 2) Order 2009, which gives authority for a change in passport fees. The change will take effect on 3 September 2009.

The fees for passport applications made in the UK are as follows; the fee for a standard adult 32 page passport will increase from £72 to £77.50 while the fee for an adult 48 page passport will increase from £85 to £90.50. The fee for a passport for a child will increase from £46 to £49.00. The fee for an adult using the guaranteed one week counter service for a standard 32 page passport will increase from £97 to £112.50, for a 48 page from £105 to £120.50 and for a child from £81 to £96.50. The fee for an adult using the guaranteed same day service for a standard 32 page passport will increase from £114 to £129.50, for a 48 page passport from £123 to £138.50 and for a child from £94 to £109.50. The standard adult passport will continue to be issued for free to applicants born on or before 2 September 1929.

The fees for overseas passport applications made to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are as follows; the fee for a standard adult 32 page passport will increase from £124 to £124.50. The fee for a passport for a child will increase from £79 to £79.50. The fee for an adult 48 page passport will increase from £150 to £150.50.

These fees have been set following a comprehensive review with HM Treasury of costs to ensure that the fee for each type of passport service fully reflects the production costs accrued by that service and bears its share of the cost of consular assistance services.

The rise will ensure the Identity and Passport Service and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is able to continue to deliver the service its customers have come to expect and to deliver security enhancements to passports.