The Punjab cabinet has approved a major revision in the fee structure for issuing domicile certificates, introducing a 175 percent increase along with a shift toward a fully digital system. Under the new setup, the total fee has been raised from Rs200 to Rs550.
This revised amount includes a Rs200 base fee, Rs300 for affidavit processing, and Rs50 as a service charge. Out of the total fee, Rs500 will go to the government treasury, while Rs50 will be allocated to the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) for managing digital services and system operations.
Alongside the fee revision, the government has launched a fully automated digital platform for domicile issuance. This system allows citizens to apply online, pay fees through the e-Pay Punjab system, and receive their domicile certificate directly at their home through courier delivery.
The new automated domicile management system is designed to streamline verification and data processing, significantly reducing issuance time to just 2 to 3 days. Officials say this will improve efficiency and minimize manual delays in the process.
In addition to the core charges, applicants will also bear extra costs, including Rs60 for courier delivery, Rs40 for security paper, and Rs50 for data hosting, SMS alerts, and system maintenance. According to PITB estimates, the average processing cost per domicile application stands at Rs27.55, while the overall system maintenance requires substantial annual funding.
The government believes that digitizing the domicile process will improve transparency, speed, and convenience for citizens. Despite the increased fee, authorities argue that the enhanced system offers faster service delivery and reduces the need for physical visits to government offices.
Also Read: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Introduces E-Domicile System for Seamless Certificate Acquisition
