Travelers File Lawsuit Against US State Department Over Passport Processing Fees

A class action lawsuit has been filed against the U.S. State Department over its controversial $60 fee to expedite passport processing.

According to Reuters, an Oakland, California resident is behind the latest push to refund Americans the alleged “excessive” and “arbitrary” fee.

Passport processing times have been a problem since the COVID-19 pandemic more than four years ago and while they are improving, the plaintiffs argue the fee is unfair given that routine processing is supposed to take only four to six weeks and expedited processing takes two to three weeks.

Applicants are already paying $100 or more for passports or renewals.

Angered travelers are seeking the “return or refund of all expedited passport processing fees unlawfully and arbitrarily charged during the class period,” according to the suit.

The demand for U.S. passports has only increased over the past decade—with more than 24 million people applying last year. The cost has also climbed.

“The State Department has never provided a sufficient justification for setting the expedited passport processing fee at $60,” states the lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court, Northern District of California.