Australian passports to increase in price from January 1, 2025

The world’s most expensive passport is set to go up in price once again, with the Coalition accusing Labor of a “backdoor tax grab”.

Australians looking to renew or get a new passport will have to pay even more money for the crucial travel document from January 1, with the government accused of making a “backdoor tax grab”.

The cost of a standard 10-year Australia passport, which are the costliest in the world, is set to increase by $14 to $412 in the new year, with prices increasing by $104 since Labor won government in 2022.

While the annual indexation is required under legislation, this is on top of the 15 per cent hike which came into effect on July 1, 2024.

Costs for five-year passports, for children and seniors over 75 years of age will increase from $201 to $208, while a replacement passport will be upped from $250 to $259.

The application fees to renew or get a new passport will be increased from January 1. Picture: NewsWire/ Nicholas Eagar

The Coalition’s foreign affairs spokesperson Simon Birmingham lashed the move as a “over the top revenue raising,” which will make the cost of an overseas holiday even more expensive amid a cost-of-living crisis.

“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,” he said

“Under Labor, Australians are paying record sums for the privilege of a passport that should be a basic entitlement not an expensive luxury.

“What the Albanese Government labelled as a “modest” increase to passport fees can now clearly be seen for the backdoor tax grab that is it.”

In documents tendered to parliament earlier this year, the 15 per cent application fee increase implemented from July 1 was estimated to make $924.5m in revenue, and $529m in profit.

Senator Birmingham accused the government of “ringing in the new year with another tax grab”.

“Rather than responsible cost recovery, the Albanese Government is engaging in gross profiteering through the pushing up of passport fees, charging significantly more than the cost of production,” he said.

“This over the top revenue raising on a government issued document is just another demonstration of how Australians are being made to pay for Labor’s out of control spending.”

The Coalition’s spokesperson for foreign affairs Senator Simon Birmingham accused the government of ‘over the top revenue raising’. Picture: NewsWire/ Martin Ollman

Assistant Foreign Minister Tim Watts said the indexation requirements had “been the case under successive governments over many years,” and defended the July price rise.

“The Albanese government understands Australians are doing it tough, and we are working every day to take pressure off families – all while Peter Dutton has opposed every one of our cost of living relief measures,” he said.

“Last year the government announced a one off rise in the price of passports to support priority initiatives, including efforts to ensure that Australia can stay ahead of the game in addressing rapidly evolving and more sophisticated threats to identity security.”

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said the annual indexation were a requirement under legislation and said that Aussie passports were some of the best globally.

“The Australian passport is respected internationally as a high-quality travel document,” they said.

“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.”

On the global stage, Australian passports are the world’s fifth most powerful passports, with visa-free access to 189 countries, according to the 2024 Henley Passport Index.