Senators: Feds Overcharge For Passports

State Dept. May Have Collected $111M More In Fees Than Costs; Base Price Is $97

(AP) 
"We've had a passport mess in this country," Dorgan said. "Now we find out the same State Department ... has been double-charging with respect to the fee for applying for the passport. This is not acceptable."

Linda Kocher of Wahpeton, N.D., paid twice for three passports this year - the second payment was necessary when the original passports failed to arrive as she was ready to vacation in Mexico.

"You think they're not trying to make any money off me. That's baloney," she said.

The GAO said the State Department and the Postal Service - which are permitted to keep any profits - benefited from a dramatic surge in the numbers of passports issued, rising from 7 million in 2002, including renewals, to more than 18 million over the past year.

The senators estimated the government overcharged travelers $112.7 million during 2002, when just 7 million passports were issued.

The government uses some of its profits to provide free passports to relatives of dead soldiers traveling overseas to attend funeral services. But the senators said it was "inconceivable" all the government's profits were used for those purposes, and they asked Rice for a detailed accounting of where the money went.

More Americans are required to have passports because of new anti-terrorism laws. The State Department has said it expects to issue as many as 23 million passports next year and 30 million more in 2010.

Since January, for the first time, travelers visiting Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda by air have needed passports - or proof they applied for passports. The requirement will take effect for land and sea travelers before June 2009.

Since many Americans travel often to these areas, including regular cross-border travel to Canada and Mexico, the State Department plans to introduce a new $45 Western Hemisphere passport card next spring.

The fee for accepting the applications would drop from $30 to $25 for the card and traditional passport books, under a State Department proposal.

The State Department told congressional investigators its cost for accepting applications at its offices in 2005 had risen to $24.36, virtually the same as the proposed new $25 fee. But consular officials could not describe how they calculated that estimate, investigators said.

The Postal Service initially told the GAO, in April 2006, its cost for accepting applications had jumped to $19. But later the mail service revised its cost estimate upward to $32.86 - adding overhead costs not associated with passport processing - making its cost appear to be higher than the $25 fee it would collect.

"It is unclear whether USPS's estimate accurately reflects its costs," the GAO said.

[keithle1]

Why do you want to visit another country anyway?
USA not have enough stuff to see & do?

[Krazcarl]

I''m stupid never knew how much a passport cost thought around ten bucks someone stated you need a passport to canada unless that''s a new development never did from maine. As you see I need to get out more.

[signof4]

OMG! That Bush/Chaney are getting rich off of war, oil, and now - PASSPORT gouging!!!! Thank God Senators Schemer and Doogan are hot on the case!!! :)
Losers!

[oscarez]

"it collected at least $111.4 million more in passport fees than its stated costs"

Does any one, besides me, feel like we are in a time-warp? Give billions to Iraq and screw the American people for passports. Will Bush ever end!!!

[teliza1]

Not only are the fees exhorbitant, but you can''t use a passport to go to Europe if it is within 6 months of expiration. So, it really lasts 6 months less than you think! Maybe it no longer matters because we can''t go anywhere now because the dollar is so weak against every other currency, even the Canadian dollar.

[signof4]

If the 11% approval congress weren''t SHORTENING the work week (remember the most transparent, above board congress in history((Nancy)) they might be able to look in to it! LOL

They''ll just have to let Chuck Schemer and Byron Doogan remain on the case.

[antoniof123]

Posted by republic1776
it cost me $90 for a passport in 1997.
Has nothing to do with Bush.

10 year US passport cost me $60 in 1997. I cant stop laughing that you overpaid. (HINT) It had everything to do with the worst Congress in US history that was destroying America from within from 1995-2006.

Posted by danstoned at 11:16 AM : Nov 02, 2007

I can''t stop laughing either and if you look at the post just after yours someone believed this clown who said they paid $90. God I wish if they were going to lie they would do it someplace were others who have an IQ of more than 5 would not be able to read it.

[dtopol]

Instead of charging high fees for U.S. Citizens, why don''t we just charge really high fees for others coming into this county (right after we build fences to protect our borders) who never seem to then leave it.

[antoniof123]

Brought to you by the family value party of god lower taxes smaller government.

My God has this group done anything right in the last 7 plus years?

Please someone tell me just the fact to back it up too.

[signof4]

OMG! That Bush/Chaney are getting rich off of war, oil, and now - PASSPOORT gouging!!!! Thank God Senators Schemer and Dugan are hot on the case!!!

[mediamomma]

It seems to me that if we are forced to get passports to go back and forth to Canada (I myself am in a border state), that they should reduce the price of passports so it is affordable to the average American citizen. Single parents who want to take their kids on a trip to Park Safari in Canada cannot afford to buy themselves a passport along with one for each of their kids. This country is being driven right into the ground by our government and we are letting it happen. And we the people are paying the price. Yet we sit here and gripe about it in these posts but who has the guts to stand up and try to stop this? When is someone going to say enough is enough? Isn''t it about time we take back our country and run it as it was supposed to be run according to the original constitution?

[oleander8]

"care less due to economic situations I''''ll be hanging at the house if you can afford overseas travel you can afford a passport if not stay at home theres plenty of places to visit in the USA,"
[Posted by crzmeat]

Not all overseas travel is vacation related. Even if you can afford a gallon of milk - no one has the right to charge you for 2 gallons.

[newsjunky5]

Wasn''t one of our complaints against the old USSR the restriction of free travel? Now we restrict it here in the U.S.A. with high fees. And those "of the people." people can make a few bucks at the same time.

[jetranger7]

OK,OK,OK, CBS NEWS, the Money -$$$$- was being Diverted along with ALL the "GOLD" from under the World Trade Center, and US-TAX Payer money, to a SECRET Location that the American Public doesn''t know anything about, like all the rest of the GOLD also from Saddam Husseins stash as well,, that location is very Secret,, you know, I wouldn''t tell you about where its at in Crawford Texas, if you forced me to, I won''t give up where its at in Crawford Texas, I won''t tell !!

[Krazcarl]

care less due to economic situations I''ll be hanging at the house if you can afford overseas travel you can afford a passport if not stay at home theres plenty of places to visit in the USA,

[likeitis5050]

IOWEIGN Apparently the issue is moot altogether...

it cost me $90 for a passport in 1997.
Has nothing to do with Bush.

-----------

Posted by republic1776

So perhaps we''re just dealing with alarmists...period.

[danstoned]

Posted by republic1776
it cost me $90 for a passport in 1997.
Has nothing to do with Bush.

10 year US passport cost me $60 in 1997. I cant stop laughing that you overpaid. (HINT) It had everything to do with the worst Congress in US history that was destroying America from within from 1995-2006.

[ioweign]

Will we see a correction in the situation anytime soon? Not unless Pelosi and Reid pull the sticks out of their a..s..s.es and do something actually beneficial for everyone and not just for themselves and those who think exactly like them...no more no less.

Posted by likeitis5050 at 10:51 AM : Nov 02, 2007

This took place back in 2002 - where was the oversight then - when Congress could have nipped it in the bud !!

[condumism]

Posted by toldyouso21
so now SS is declared "insolvent" and in trouble and they do not return the Billions they stole.

Please post US your source of information (dissinformation?). YOU do not qualify as a legitimate source.

[republic1776]

it cost me $90 for a passport in 1997.
Has nothing to do with Bush.