I got my first passport when I was fifteen and going on a school trip to England and France. This means I spent the following 10 passportyears flashing a picture of me in braces and with hair styling fresh from basketball practice.

When it was due for renewal I snickered when I realized that renewing my passport actually cost me more than applying for one originally. By this time, they stopped letting you smile in your picture and I couldn’t show off the fruit of my years of orthodontic labor.

As of yesterday, passport fees have gone up once again. An adult will be charged $135 (up from $100) to get a passport. A minor’s passport is $105 (up from $85). For renewals, an adult will be charged $110 (up from $75).

The State Department says the increase in fees are to cover the costs of production of the physical book itself as well as implementing new technology, operating expanded processing facilities and providing aid and emergency services to U.S. citizens overseas.

Will the higher fees deter you from traveling abroad?

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