For a brand-new, never-used passport book, the U.S. government wants $165. That’s for adults 16 and older. It feels like the price of a nice dinner for two—except this dinner lets you leave the country. The fee is actually two parts: $130 for the application, plus a $35 “execution fee” for the nice person at the post office who checks your photo. You can’t skip this; it’s a mandatory tax on your wanderlust.
If you only want a passport card (which works for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean), it’s just $65. But it’s a flimsy card that won’t fit in a stamp-collecting album. Most people go for the book. The card is a quirky souvenir, not a real travel tool.
