Multi-currency & travel: Passport and visa costs: the travel fees to budget for
Passport and visa costs are easy to forget until a trip is booked, and rushing them can double the price. In a worked example, a family of four pays 520 in passport and visa fees, or 920 with fast-track renewals.
By Wealtie Team · 3 min read
Key takeaways
- Passport and visa costs belong in your trip budget from the start.
- Renewing early avoids fast-track fees that can double the cost.
- Many countries now need an online travel authorisation, even for short visits.
- Apply only through official government websites to avoid inflated fees.
What are passport and visa costs?
Before you can travel abroad, you may need a valid passport and, depending on where you're going, a visa or travel authorisation. Each comes with a fee, and the total can be surprisingly high for a family. Passport and visa costs are easy to overlook because they don't come up every year, but leaving them until after you've booked can mean paying extra for faster service.
Typical costs include:
- Passports: new passports and renewals, often cheaper for children
- Fast-track services: extra fees for urgent processing
- Visas: permission to enter a country, sometimes needed in advance
- Travel authorisations: online approvals many countries now require for short visits
- Photos and postage: passport photos, couriers and document copies
How much can travel documents cost a family?
Here's a worked example for a family of two adults and two children, in round numbers that work in any currency:
| Item | Standard | Fast-track |
|---|---|---|
| Two adult passports | 200 | 400 |
| Two child passports | 120 | 320 |
| Four visas or authorisations | 200 | 200 |
| Total | 520 | 920 |
Renewing on time costs 520. Leaving it until a few weeks before the trip and paying for fast-track service adds 400, bringing the total to 920. Fees vary a lot between countries, so check your own government's prices, but the pattern of paying more for speed is common.
How do you avoid paying extra for passports?
Check expiry dates now
Look at every passport in your household and note the expiry dates in your calendar. Children's passports often last fewer years than adults'.
Check the validity rules
Many countries require your passport to be valid for several months beyond your travel dates, and some need blank pages. A passport that hasn't expired can still be refused if it's too close to the end date.
Renew well ahead
Standard processing can take weeks, and longer before busy holiday seasons. Renewing months ahead avoids fast-track fees.
Spread the cost
A passport that lasts ten years costs a small amount per year. Setting a little aside in a sinking fund for renewals means the bill doesn't land on top of holiday costs.
How do visas and travel authorisations work?
Check entry rules early
Entry requirements depend on your nationality and where you're going. Check your government's travel advice and the destination's official website before booking.
Online travel authorisations
Many countries now ask visitors who don't need a full visa to apply online before travelling. These are usually quick and cheaper than visas, but you'll need one for every traveller, including children.
Visas on arrival and in advance
Some countries issue visas at the border for a fee, while others require an application weeks in advance. Plan accordingly, and budget for any appointments or travel to an embassy.
How do you avoid visa scams?
Unofficial websites often look like government sites and charge far more for the same application. Apply through official government websites, check the web address carefully and be wary of sites that appear first in search results as adverts. How to avoid money scams covers other warning signs.
Where do document costs fit in a trip budget?
Add passport and visa costs as their own line when you plan a trip, alongside flights and accommodation. For a family holiday, they can be a noticeable share of the total, especially in a year when passports need renewing. How to budget for a trip abroad covers building a complete trip budget, and how to save money on a family holiday has more ways to bring the total down.
If you're moving abroad rather than visiting, residence visas and permits can cost much more. How to make a moving abroad budget covers those costs.
Keep copies of your documents too. A photo of each passport and visa stored securely on your phone or in your email makes it much easier, and often cheaper, to replace them if they're lost or stolen abroad. Some travellers also carry a printed copy separately from the originals.
If you travel often, it can be worth looking at longer-validity options where your country offers them, or at schemes that speed up border checks for frequent visitors. Weigh the fee against how often you'll use it before signing up.
A quick check of every family member's documents at the start of each year, alongside other annual admin, is an easy habit that prevents last-minute panic and the extra fees that come with it.
How can Wealtie help you plan for travel fees?
Log passport and visa fees in a travel expense category and include them in your trip budget. Adding a reminder for renewal years, and saving a small amount towards them each month, keeps these occasional costs from catching you out.
Questions people ask
For a family of four, a worked example came to 520 on standard renewals and visas, or 920 with fast-track passport fees.
Renew several months before travel. Standard processing can take weeks, and many countries need your passport valid beyond your trip.
Yes, in most cases. Each traveller usually needs their own visa or authorisation, including babies and children.
Apply only through official government websites. Unofficial sites often look official but charge much higher fees for the same application.
This article is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Your situation is your own; check the numbers that apply to you before you act on them.
