Starting tomorrow: these things will become more expensive!
July in Austria witnesses a shocking start in terms of prices, as a new series of government measures come into effect, leading to significant increases in various official fees. These increases are a result of compensating for inflation rates since the last comprehensive fee adjustment in 2011, resulting in an overall increase of 48.2%.
Starting from July 1, the cost of issuing a passport has increased from €75.90 to €112, while the fee for obtaining a driver's license has risen from €60.50 to €90.00. The cost of the new personal ID card is now €91.00 instead of €61.50 previously.
Costs have also increased regarding name changes or applying for citizenship. The fee for changing a name has become €567.00 after being €382.60, while applying for citizenship now costs €163 instead of €125.60. The fee for a firearm possession card has risen from €74.40 to €110, and the firearm passport from €118.40 to €175. Consular fees have also been adjusted.
The fees for the electronic health insurance card (E-Card) have also increased from €13.80 to €25, and the vehicle registration fee has risen to €178, while the cost of marriage has become €74 after being €50. It is worth noting that court fees have increased since April, making divorce proceedings more expensive. Even smoking has not escaped the price hikes. Philip Morris announced that it will raise the prices of most of its brands by ten cents per pack starting in July, a move that was also followed by Japan Tobacco International (JTI), which raised the prices of some of its brands by the same percentage.
Students and workers will also have to pay more for train tickets, as Verkehrsverbund Ost-Region (VOR) has raised prices in the regional area, which particularly includes Niederösterreich and Burgenland, by an average of 3% due to rising costs and the consumer price index. In August, the prices of the Klima-Ticket will also increase, with its price becoming 1,300 euros instead of 1,095 euros.