By Staff Reorter
Abu Dhabi: Indian passport, visa and attestation services across the United Arab Emirates will be temporarily suspended for five days as Indian diplomatic missions transition to a new outsourced service provider.
The Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi announced that Al Hind Tours and Travel LLC will officially assume responsibility for passport, visa and attestation services throughout the UAE from July 1, 2026.
As part of the handover process, the current service providers — BLS International, which manages passport and visa services, and SGIVS Global, responsible for attestation services — will stop accepting new applications after business hours on June 25.
Consequently, routine appointments for passport, visa and attestation services will be unavailable from June 26 to June 30, resulting in a five-day interruption of regular consular services.
However, the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai will continue to offer emergency passport, visa and attestation services during the transition period to ensure urgent cases are accommodated.
Applicants requiring immediate assistance can contact Indian missions through the toll-free helpline 800 INDIA (800 46342), WhatsApp at +971 54 309 0571, or via email at [email protected].
New Appointment Portal
The Indian Embassy confirmed that Al Hind Tours and Travel will launch a new online appointment system on July 1, coinciding with the official commencement of its consular service operations.
Indian nationals in the UAE have been advised to rely only on official updates issued through the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai.
Sixteen New Service Centres Across the UAE
Earlier reports revealed that Al Hind Tours and Travel will operate 16 consular service centres across all seven emirates.
In Abu Dhabi, six centres will be located in Al Khalidiya, Al Reem Island, Musaffah, Madinat Zayed, Ghayathi and Al Ain.
Dubai will host two centres in Bur Dubai and Dubai Investment Park (DIP), while Sharjah will have centres in Al Majaz and Rolla.
Additional centres will be established in Ajman (Al Jurf), Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain, Khor Fakkan (Corniche), Kalba, and Ras Al Khaimah, significantly expanding access to Indian consular services throughout the UAE.
The transition marks a major change in the delivery of Indian consular services in the UAE, with authorities assuring the Indian community that emergency support will remain available throughout the handover period.
Source: Gulf News
