Countries With The Most Expensive Passports

A passport is an important document issued by a government certifying the identity and nationality of the holder for the purpose of international travel. The document contains the basic information of the person including their name, place of birth, and other identifying information. Countries allow entry to the holder of a passport of other countries but requiring one to hold a visa. Passports are government properties and can be revoked at any time. Each country has its sets of rule for the issue of passports including a requirement for an interview and additional identification documents. Applicants are also required to pay some fees. Different countries charge different application fees ranging from as low as $15 to over $250. The increased terrorist activities have raised border security checks including restrictions on passport applications. Some of the countries with the most expensive passports include;

The Passport Of Turkey

Turkish passport is issued to the citizens by the Passport Act. The passport is issued by the Turkish police or by the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey. The increasing public demand for the passport has made the Turkish passport one of the most expensive in the world. It costs about $251 or 95 hours of minimum wage for a 10-year passport which include a mandatory booklet fee. The government also charges an additional $4 from Turkish passport holders every single time they leave the country. However, ship and aircraft crew and those who hold dual citizenship are exempted from the additional fee.

The Australian Passport

An Australian passport is issued under the Australian Passport Act 2005. The passports are issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, both in the country and overseas. An Australian passport is among the most expensive in the world. A ten-year validity passport for people aged above 16 years cost $206 while frequent travelers are required to pay $305. Additional charges include priority fee and overseas surcharge fees both for children and adults. The Australian passport does not entitle, in itself, entitle the holder to enter another country. The holder must, therefore, comply with the visa requirements of the country they are visiting.

Passport Of Switzerland

Swiss passport is issued to the Swiss citizens to facilitate their international travels. The new passports contain 40 pages instead of the previous 32 pages. Swiss passport is exclusively biometric while travel to the US is visa-free. Swiss passport costs $159 for a 10-year passport ranking it among the most expensive passports in the world. The passport is printed in four different languages; German, French, Italian, and Romansch. English is also used.

Other Expensive Passports

Mexican passports cost slightly less than the Swiss passport. Passport applicants in Mexico are required to pay $155 or 266 hours of a minimum wage to get the passport. The United States’ passport cost $135 or 19 hours of minimum wage. The Italian passport also cost $135. Holders of passports in Canada, Japan, and New Zealand are required to part with $133, $115, and $115 respectively. The British passport, which is the most valuable passport in the world according to GoEuro, costs $110. Holders of the British passport can visit about 174 countries visa-free. The cheapest passport in the world can be obtained in the United Arab Emirates at only $14 or two hours of minimum wage work.