A passport is one of the most important travel documents. Apart from verifying international travel, a passport also serves as proof of identification and nationality. Most governments issue their own passports which citizens can apply for – usually for a cost. This fee depends on the country and the validity period. Based on these fees, Compare The Market recently shared data regarding the cost of obtaining a passport, which can vary anywhere between Rs 19,000 and Rs 1,500 in 2024. 

Interestingly, Mexico has the most expensive passports in the world. The fee for a 10-year passport in Mexico costs around Rs 19,464, per the report. The country offers three kinds of passports, based on their validity, and they all appear on the top 10 most expensive passports list. Mexico’s six-year passport is the fourth most expensive, while its three-year passport is the ninth most expensive.

Australia has the second-most expensive passport, costing around Rs 19,023 and valid for 10 years. It is followed by the United States, which costs Rs 13,899 and has the same validity period. 

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On the other hand, the United Arab Emirates offers the cheapest passport worldwide, per the report. Getting a passport for UAE costs just Rs 1,492. The Indian passport, which costs Rs 1,523 for 10 years of validity, ranks as the second cheapest passport worldwide, as of April 2024.

Other countries with affordable passports include Hungary, Spain, Kenya and South Africa. 

Notably, according to the report, the Indian passport offers the best value in terms of ‘cost per year’. This is mainly because of the validity period as well as the fact that Indian residents have visa-free access to 58 countries across the globe. The Indian passport has also been ranked 82nd in the Henley Powerful Passport Index 2024.

Here’s the list of top 5 most expensive passports:

Mexico (10-year passport): Rs 19,481.75
Australia: Rs 19,023 (10-year validity)
United States: Rs 13,899 (10-year validity)
Mexico (6-year-passport): Rs 11,115
New Zealand: Rs 10,654 (10-year validity)

Top 5 cheapest passports:

United Arab Emirates: Rs 1,492 (5-year validity) 
India: Rs 1,523 (10-year validity)
Hungary: Rs 1,747 (5-year validity)
South Africa: Rs 2, 664 (10-year validity)
Kenya: Rs 2, 710 (10-year validity)