Brits are rushing to get Irish passports after UK ones go up in price

The cost of the online application is jumping 7%.

This comes as the cost of applying online for your passport in the UK is rising 7% tomorrow, to £94.50/€109.30.

Yikes!

The price of the application has risen more than 25% over the past 2 years with the Home Office insisting they are not profiting from the price hike.

"The new fees will help the Home Office to continue to move towards a system that meets its costs through those who use it, reducing reliance on funding from general taxation," the government said announcing the rise.

The cost funds passport control and border officers, as well as supports consular support overseas, including lost or stolen passports.

The Irish passport was recently deemed the most powerful in the world, and now eligible Brits are hoping to get their hands on one for just €75/£62.

Other than being an Irish citizen, you are eligible for an Irish passport:

• If you were born in Ireland in or after 2005 and your parents aren't British or Irish citizens, your right to an Irish passport depends on how long your parents lived in Ireland and their residency rights.
• If one of your grandparents was born on the island of Ireland, you may be eligible to claim 'Irish citizenship by descent'
• If one of your parents was an Irish citizen when you were born, but you were born elsewhere, you may be able to claim citizenship under Foreign Birth Registration.

In another bonus for Brits, an Irish passport will rid them of those long queues when travelling through Europe.

Before the climb in price, the UK passport was already among Europe's most expensive, edged out. by Italy (€112.19), Denmark (€115.66) and Switzerland (€142.27).