New Passport application fees for the U.S. Passport Book, the U.S. Passport Card, and other passport services went into effect today, Tuesday, July 13, 2010.
 

The first-time purchase of a passport book will cost $135, up from $100 for those 16 years old and up, and will cost $105, up from $85, for minors under 16 years old. The cost to renew passports and for passport cards - which can be used for travel to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean - have increased as well.
Click Here to visit Travel.State.Gov for more information.

According to Travel.State.Gov, a Service of the Bureau of Consular Affairs, the demand for passports has increased to an average of 15 million per year over the last few years.

Passport application fees are not only used to cover the costs of producing a U.S. Passport Book or Passport Card. Passport fees also cover the costs of providing emergency services for American citizens overseas in crisis situations, enable the Agency to keep up with technology and implement fraud prevention initiatives to protect the United States passport, and also fund the expansion of passport infrastructure and services.