(Credit: Durham Dundee)

It may not be high on your agenda, but investing in a passport could not be more worthwhile. Perhaps you are concerned about the financial cost of applying for, or renewing, your passport. Perhaps you consider it to be a waste of money or are concerned that you won’t use it enough to get your money’s worth. With many needs and uses for a passport, other than for travel purposes, it is definitely worth the investment.

For travel purposes

Travel has become incredibly cheap in recent years. The price of flights and accommodation are often low, making holiday travel much more affordable. Imagine coming across a low cost trip of a lifetime, only to realise that you have no passport and are unable to go. If there is any chance that you will take a trip abroad in the near future, it will pay to invest in a passport. Wherever you are planning to travel to, it is worth noting down the details of the local passport office in case disaster strikes. For example, if you are travelling from Ireland, ensure you keep a copy of the Belfast passport office phone number with your travel documents.

As a key document

Aside from being an essential travel document, a passport has many other important purposes. It can be used to apply for other documents, such as a driver’s license or copy of your birth certificate. Applying for either of these without a passport is much more difficult. Lack of a passport could also affect you job opportunities, as more and more companies are now requesting that job candidates have a valid passport.

Saves time

Applying for a passport can take some time, so it is a good idea to start the process as soon as possible. This means that if you urgently require a passport in the future, you don’t have to worry about waiting for it to arrive. Although you may not be planning to travel abroad anytime soon, it is always a good idea to be prepared, especially if you have friends or family living or travelling overseas. In the case of a medical emergency, you may need to get on a plane quickly. However, without a valid passport this would be impossible. Investing in your passport in advance may seem like an unnecessary cost, but it will give you the peace of mind of knowing that if you need it, your passport is there.

Saves money in the long run

Although applying for a passport can seem expensive, if you leave it until the last minute the cost will rise. It is better to apply for your passport in advance and pay the normal price, instead of needing a passport urgently and having to pay extra expenses to get it slightly quicker. The cost of a regular adult passport is £72, or £81.25 if you would like the post office to check it for you before sending. Whereas the cost of a fast track passport comes with additional costs, ranging from £30 to £140.

In the long run, investing in your passport in advance will save you time, money and stress.

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