It costs €10 more to renew a passport from April to August, since the Passports Office took measures to shorten the queues and waiting times.

Passport renewals for adults over 16 costs €70 from January to March and September to December but increases to €80 from April to August.

A spokeswoman for the Passports Office, which falls under the remit of Identity Malta, refuted claims that the price was increased to dishearten people wanting to renew their passport on days when government employees work half day or that the price increase would fund overtime payments for such workers.

She said the changes in the price were announced in the Budget and aimed at incentivising citizens not to leave renewals to the summer.

She said the reasoning was to shorten queues and waiting times at the office. “The fee was slightly increased for the peak summer months and discounted for between January and March as well as September to December. Identity Malta is pleased that this pricing strategy is giving the expected results.”