Archive for the ‘Passport’ Category
Effective July 13th, the U.S. State Department will impose new fees for passport products and services. Here is a list of the scheduled changes:
| Product / Service | Current Fee | New Fee |
| Adult Passport Book (First Time) | $100 | $135 |
| Minor Passport Book (First Time) | $85 | $105 |
| Adult Passport Book Renewal | $75 | $110 |
| Minor Passport Book Renewal | $60 | $80 |
| Adult Passport Card (First Time) | $45 | $55 |
| Minor Passport Card (First Time) | $35 | $40 |
| Adult Passport Card Renewal | $20 | $30 |
| Minor Passport Card Renewal | $10 | $15 |
As stated in our previous passport post, the fees are not just used to process passports but also to assist American citizens in emergency situations overseas. The money is also allocated to invest in fraud protection and expand passport infrastructure and services. More information can be found on the State Department Passports site, or contact a Sodha Travel rep with any questions.
As you have probably heard in the news, the U.S. Department of State is proposing an increase in passport fees. The proposed schedule is as follows:
$135 for a first-time U.S. Passport Book for adults (age 16 and over)
$110 for U.S. Passport Book renewal (age 16 and over only)
$105 for a U.S. Passport Book for minors (under age 16)
$55 for a first-time U.S. Passport Card for adults (age 16 and over)
$30 for a U.S. Passport Card for adults (age 16 and over) who currently hold a fully valid U.S. Passport
$40 for a U.S. Passport Card for minors (under age 16)
$82 for additional visa pages
*The fee for expedited passport service will remain $60.
The State Department has stated in press releases and on their website that the fees are not just used to process passports but also to assist American citizens in emergency situations overseas. The money is also allocated to invest in fraud protection and expand passport infrastructure and services.
These fees are a significant increase from the present. (A current new adult passport is $100; Renewal is $75; Additional visa pages are free.) If you have been considering obtaining or renewing your passport, it is recommended to do so as soon as possible. No formal date has been released by the State Department on when these changes will be implemented.
Due to the abuse and misuse of the tourist visa, there have been recent changes to the amount of allowable entries into India. There should now be a gap of at least two months between two separate visits to India. A tourist visa is granted to foreigners who do not have a residence or occupation in India and whose sole objective in visiting the country is recreation, tourism, or visiting family and friends. No other activity is permissible and the visa cannot be extended. Also note: the two-month gap is only applicable to tourist visas and not business, employment, student, medical, or other visa categories.
For tourist visa holders who wish to visit India within two months of their last visit, a letter is requires that shows 1)the urgency of the visit, as it pertains to recreation and 2)the visit is not due to business, research, employment, etc. Regardless of the visa duration, a foreigner may only stay in India for a maximum of 180 days (6 months) on each visit.
For detailed information regarding the changes, please visit Travisa Outsourcing or contact our office directly.