周一，护照价格正式上涨，而此时美国人正处于他们到处都能看到更高的价格。
美国国务院宣布，从周一开始，一本护照的价格将上涨20美元，并通过推特表示，增加的费用“对于确保我们继续制作世界上最安全的旅行和身份证件之一是必要的。”
美国国务院在后续推文中补充称，此次费用上调适用于所有护照，包括延期。
珍妮·凯恩/美联社档案
美国护照的封面展示在俄勒冈州的蒂加德。，2021年12月11日。
加上新的费用，首次成人护照的费用为165美元，包括130美元的申请费和35美元的接受费。更新一本成人护照的价格现在总计130美元。16岁以下未成年人护照的价格现在是135美元(包括100美元的申请费和35美元的接受费)。国务院网站上有新收费的详细分类网站。
在寻求护照出国旅行的人的价格上涨之际，有报道称，整个新冠肺炎疫情都出现了漫长的等待办理过程。美国国务院目前表示，例行处理护照申请需要大约8至11周，快速处理(额外收费60美元)需要大约5至7周。该机构敦促旅行者“提前计划并尽早申请”，如果他们知道他们需要护照来进行即将到来的旅行计划。
除了更高的护照费用，疫情时代的旅行者还报告了一系列其他问题，因为新的变种和疫情继续扰乱旅游业。就在这一周，不止2000个航班被取消自平安夜以来，由于最近新冠肺炎人数激增，导致船员短缺。
Applying for a US passport is now more expensive
The price of a passport officially went up on Monday, at a time when Americans areseeing higher prices seemingly everywhere they look.
The State Department announced that the price for a passport book will increase by $20 starting on Monday, saying via Twitter that the increased fee "is necessary to ensure we continue to produce one of the most secure travel and identity documents in the world."
The fee increase applies to all passports, including renewals, the State Department added in a follow-up tweet.
With the new fee, the cost of a first-time adult passport book comes out to $165, comprising of a $130 application fee and a $35 acceptance fee. The price for renewing an adult passport book now totals $130. The price for a minor passport book for those under age 16 is now $135 (consisting of a $100 application fee and a $35 acceptance fee). A detailed breakdown of the new charges is available on the State Department'swebsite.
The price increases for those seeking a passport to travel internationally also comes amid reports of long waits for processing that have emerged throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The State Department currently states that routine processing of passport application takes some eight to 11 weeks and expedited processing (for an additional fee of $60) is taking about five to seven weeks. The agency urges travelers to "plan ahead and apply early" if they know they need a passport for upcoming travel plans.
In addition to higher passport fees, pandemic-era travelers have also reported a slew of other issues as new variants and outbreaks continue to disrupt the travel industry. Just this week, more than2,000 flights have been canceledsince Christmas Eve as the recent COVID-19 surge has resulted in crew shortages.
