The provincial cabinet of Punjab has approved a major increase in the fee for obtaining a domicile certificate, raising it by 175 percent as part of a move toward a fully digital and paperless system.
Under the new structure, the total fee has gone up from Rs. 200 to Rs. 550. This includes Rs. 200 as the base fee, Rs. 300 for the e-affidavit, and Rs. 50 as a service charge.
The Punjab Information Technology Board will keep the Rs. 50 service fee, while the remaining Rs. 500 will go to the government treasury. The fee for the e-affidavit has also been increased from Rs. 100 to Rs. 300, and applicants will now pay all charges together.
The government has decided that all payments will be made only through e-Pay Punjab, ending manual payment methods and shifting the entire process to a digital system developed by PITB.
Officials say this new system will reduce paperwork and make the process easier through an online platform. Citizens will be able to apply through a website or mobile app and receive their domicile certificate at home through courier service.
A digital verification system similar to NADRA is also being introduced, and authorities expect that the processing time will be reduced to two to three days.
The updated system includes additional operational costs such as Rs. 60 for courier delivery, Rs. 40 for security paper, and around Rs. 50 for data hosting, SMS alerts, and system maintenance per application.
According to PITB, the average cost per application is Rs. 27.55, while the yearly cost of running the system is expected to reach several crores of rupees.
Despite the focus on digital convenience, the increase in fees has been criticized, with many saying that raising the cost from Rs. 200 to Rs. 550 will put extra financial pressure on citizens, especially during a time of inflation.
