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Passport and Other Consular Fees Will Reflect Big Changes Tuesday
New Passport book fees (via Travel.State.Gov)
If you're planning on traveling outside the United States you'll need your passport, and if you need to get one or renew the one you've got, be advised that passport book and card fees will be going up this week. Effective Tuesday, July 13th, a basic passport will cost $135, which is a $35 increase from the current fee.
In addition to passport fee hikes, there are other travel, document, and citizenship-related fee changes that will go into effect on Tuesday. Some consular fees, including applications for certain classes of visa and kinds of judicial processing, will increase dramatically--doubling, and even tripling in cost. There are some fees, however, that are going down, including some consular hourly rates for services rendered.
Also contained within the new consular fees is something that, until now, has been completely free of charge: Renouncing your US Citizenship. As of Tuesday, it will cost you $450 to officially declare you are no longer a US citizen.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
