Beat The United States And Japan, Lebanese And Syrian Passports Become The Most Expensive In The World

Illustration. (Pixabay/JoshuaWoroniecki)

JAKARTA - The cost of passports used for international travel abroad, is one of the objects of questions for prospective travelers, with the cost of making the first and the renewal usually different.

Interestingly, the most expensive passport in the world is not the strongest passport, and vice versa. It is known that the strongest passports are usually based on the acceptance of visa-free travel, to the ease of obtaining dual citizenship and personal freedom.

For example, according to the Daily Sabah on May 16, a British passport is known to cost around 95 US dollars. According to a CNN report, prices for adult passports with a 10-year validity range from $100 to $160 on average.

On the other hand, a United States passport costs 165 US dollars for the first time. The passport renewal fee is $130. While in Switzerland, the price of making a passport there is around 150 US dollars.

Meanwhile, passport prices in Japan and New Zealand are around $125 or equivalent to 16,000 Japanese yen and 191 New Zealand dollars, respectively.

Separately in Mexico, a country in the southern part of North America, the cost of making a passport reaches 170 US dollars. In 2021, Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard announced an electronic passport that stores holder information on a chip.

Passport illustration. (Pixabay/jackmac34)

As for the passport of Liechtenstein, a Western European kingdom located between Switzerland and Austria, it costs around US$260. It is one of the smallest countries in the world but requires a large budget.

Cuban passports, which facilitate international travel, differ from those on the list. The new passport, which costs 2,500 Cuban pesos (about US$105), is valid for six years, but must be renewed every two years. Each renewal process means 500 pesos in addition to the first edition. If the process is extended to 10 years, the cost of a Cuban passport is 6,500 pesos.

To renew their passports, Australians have to pay 308 Australian dollars or the equivalent of 220 US dollars. If they live overseas, the total cost rises to A$336 due to the additional overseas processing fee.

What about Turkey? In Turkey, a fee of 96.11 US dollars has to be paid for a passport of 4-10 years.

Of particular interest is the Syrian passport. Although a little less powerful in terms of 'opening the gate' of other countries, this country's passport is one of the most expensive in the world. Syrian expats can expect to pay $300 for a new passport, which is valid for six years. Holding a Syrian passport for 10 years costs roughly $600.

So, which country has the most expensive passport in the world? Lebanon is the answer. Located on the coastline of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Lebanese passports top the list at around $795, for citizens to renew their passports. Interestingly, expats pay $200 less than locals.