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Passport Fees Increase - U.S. Citizens
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Ajarn Miguk



Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Posts: 227
Location: TDY As Assigned

PostPosted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 8:30 pm    Post subject: Passport Fees Increase - U.S. Citizens Reply with quote

Read closely.

Some of the increases are very dramatic:Evil or Very Mad

http://travel.state.gov/passport/fees/fees_5079.html
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eclectic



Joined: 09 Nov 2006
Posts: 1122

PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 1:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That is preposterous and typical of the New fascist USA. How can it pay for its illegal and asinine "wars" all over the globe ? Guess this is a new fundraiser.
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struelle



Joined: 16 May 2003
Posts: 2372
Location: Shanghai

PostPosted: Sun Jul 25, 2010 7:44 am    Post subject: Re: Passport Fees Increase - U.S. Citizens Reply with quote

To add insult to injury, I've also seen visa fees increasing for US citizens, which are relatively higher than for citizens of other countries (in China for example). However, this practice seems to have tapered off as of late.
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tttompatz



Joined: 06 Mar 2010
Posts: 1951
Location: Talibon, Bohol, Philippines

PostPosted: Sun Jul 25, 2010 12:07 pm    Post subject: Re: Passport Fees Increase - U.S. Citizens Reply with quote

struelle wrote:
To add insult to injury, I've also seen visa fees increasing for US citizens, which are relatively higher than for citizens of other countries (in China for example). However, this practice seems to have tapered off as of late.


Visa fees tend to be reciprocal.

It used to be $100 for Chinese to get a US visa.
China asked the same for US citizens getting a visa to China.

Then Uncle Sam ADDED the ESTA costs to the cost of a US entry visa and in a reciprocal manner the cost of a visa to China rose to match ($140).

When the prices of fees were set the cost of an entry visa to Canada was worth about US$35.
It does fluctuate a bit with the changing exchange rates but...
Canadians (and most others) pay US$35 for a visa to enter China.

Korea joined the visa waiver program in the States and now can get a visa on arrival for up to 90 days and behold, US citizens now get 90 days on arrival instead of the old 30.

Canadians granted Koreans 6 month visas on arrival - Korea grants Canadians 6 months on arrival.

Reap what you sow / sow what you reap.

Oh, and there is no relationship between the cost of a US passport or consular services for US citizens and the costs of a visa for foreign nationals to enter the US.

Your government is finally starting to work on a cost recovery basis for services rendered (by product of being broke and having multi-trillion dollar deficits).

.
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Captain_Fil



Joined: 06 Jan 2011
Posts: 604
Location: California - the land of fruits and nuts

PostPosted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 12:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm glad my passport was renewed 5 years ago.

I now have 5 years to save up money for the increase in fees.

Wink
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Denizen



Joined: 13 Nov 2009
Posts: 110
Location: Tohoku

PostPosted: Fri Apr 29, 2011 3:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Current US Passport Renewal Fees:

Adult Passport Book & Card $140 DS-82
Adult Passport Book $110 DS-82
Adult Passport Card $30 DS-82
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Captain_Fil



Joined: 06 Jan 2011
Posts: 604
Location: California - the land of fruits and nuts

PostPosted: Sun May 01, 2011 4:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

We should not be surprised.

The US government needs money. And lots of it.

Mad
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Qaaolchoura



Joined: 10 Oct 2008
Posts: 539
Location: 21 miles from the Syrian border

PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2011 4:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You know what really gets me. There are over 3 million Americans living abroad.

But unlike many citizens of European countries, who 1. don't have to pay income tax to the homeland, and 2. still get to vote, the US gets it bass-ackwards.

Unsurprisingly, then, the complaints of expats aren't nearly as important as the feelings the grumpy old people back in the States.

Which is also why we get to see infrastructure lapse while the government builds up debt. I'd better be really rich or really poor by the time the bill comes due, or I'm going to get pretty well screwed (together with the rest of of my generation).

-Q
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johnslat



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2011 5:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dear Qaaolchoura,

"But unlike many citizens of European countries, who 1. don't have to pay income tax to the homeland, and 2. still get to vote, the US gets it bass-ackwards."

This puzzles me - I'm a U.S. cirtizen and I worked overseas for over twenty years. I never had to pay any taxes and I was always able to vote
Question

Regards,
John
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fladude



Joined: 02 Feb 2009
Posts: 432

PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2011 10:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You can certainly still vote. Absentee voting is pretty easy. The paying taxes bit depends. You are supposed to still pay capital gains taxes and you are must pay income tax on income over a certain amount (around 90k). So if you earned more than that or made money through capital gains (which were not reinvested in a timely manner), then you would have to pay taxes.
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Qaaolchoura



Joined: 10 Oct 2008
Posts: 539
Location: 21 miles from the Syrian border

PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2011 3:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

johnslat wrote:
Dear Qaaolchoura,

"But unlike many citizens of European countries, who 1. don't have to pay income tax to the homeland, and 2. still get to vote, the US gets it bass-ackwards."

This puzzles me - I'm a U.S. cirtizen and I worked overseas for over twenty years. I never had to pay any taxes and I was always able to vote
Question

Regards,
John

Really? What state do you vote in, if you're resident of none?

Also, you don't have to pay income taxes? Are you sure? The IRS says that you're taxed exactly the same at home as abroad. The Economist says that we're the only major rich country that taxes its citizens abroad. I understand that there are some exemptions, but I have yet to figure them out. My coworkers (those I asked any rate) just pay their taxes in full.

-Q
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spiral78



Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash

PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2011 7:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have not lived in the US for nearly 15 years now, and have not paid taxes to any state in that time period.
I vote in national elections.

In this case, one votes as though one lives in the last state in which one held a legal address.

http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Americans_Abroad.shtml

Like John, I have never been required to pay any taxes to the US from abroad, as I have never made anything near the legal limit required (used to be 80,000/annum and is now up to 90,000+/-). I have always paid tax due to the country in which I worked in any given year.

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i2555ez.pdf
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Captain_Fil



Joined: 06 Jan 2011
Posts: 604
Location: California - the land of fruits and nuts

PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2011 7:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't have to pay US taxes?

I can't wait to live and work overseas!

Very Happy
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spiral78



Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash

PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2011 7:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Taxes are higher in many countries.
You still have to file in the US (see link above).

by the way, what's the nationality of your super-hero avatar, Cap?
Superman's renounced his: http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=88949
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Captain_Fil



Joined: 06 Jan 2011
Posts: 604
Location: California - the land of fruits and nuts

PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2011 7:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

spiral78 wrote:
Taxes are higher in many countries.
You still have to file in the US (see link above).

by the way, what's the nationality of your super-hero avatar, Cap?
Superman's renounced his: http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=88949


The Flash is American. Originally from Central City, USA.

What's the nationality of your avatar, spiral? I know it's from Kansas.

Cool
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