ISLAMABAD: The government of Pakistan has announced a steep increase in the fees for various types of stamp papers, including legal, educational, utility and property-related documents.
According to the new fee schedule, the minimum fee for an e-stamp paper has tripled from Rs.100 to Rs.300. The largest increase applies to divorce and Khula, where the fee has risen tenfold from Rs. 100 to Rs. 1,000.
Additionally, the fee for domicile certificates—required for school admissions and job applications—has risen from Rs100 to Rs500.
The fee for stamp papers required for domicile certificates, commonly used for school admissions and job applications, has increased from Rs.100 to Rs. 500.
Similarly, stamp papers needed for new electricity, gas and water connections now cost Rs.1,000, up from Rs.100 previously.
One of the most notable hikes is for the property sales agreement e-stamp paper, which has surged from Rs1,200 to Rs3,000.
Additionally, the fee for agreements unrelated to property transactions has been increased from Rs100 to Rs500.
Under the revised fee structure, for agreements up to Rs .500,000, the fee has increased from Rs 1,200 to Rs 3,000. For agreements ranging from Rs 500,000 to Rs.1 million, the fee has been raised to Rs 6,000.
While for agreements involving amounts over Rs.15 million, the fee has increased by Rs.20,000.
Moreover, the Power of Attorney e-stamp paper fee has also been increased from Rs 1,500 to Rs.1,800.
In addition, the government has introduced a new requirement mandating applicants to use a mobile phone SIM registered in their own name when obtaining e-stamp papers, a move officials say is aimed at improving verification and modernising the system.