Selected Closed ICAC Centres in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah to Reopen for Eligible Applicants: Who Can Visit?
Dubai: Alhind has released a fresh service advisory following the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi’s announcement that four Indian Consular Application Centres (ICACs) in the UAE have been closed, clarifying that passport collection services will continue at three of the affected locations.
However, counters for submitting new applications will remain closed at all four centres.
The Indian Embassy announced on Wednesday through a post on X that four ICACs would stop operating from October 22, 2026. Despite the closures, passport, visa, attestation and other consular services will continue to be provided through 12 operational centres across the country.
Alhind Issues Updated Service Advisory
Alhind Tours and Travel, the temporary outsourced service provider for the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Indian Consulate in Dubai, confirmed that passport collection facilities will remain accessible at three of the closed centres.
These include Musaffah in Abu Dhabi, Dubai Investment Park (DIP) in Dubai and Al Majaz in Sharjah.
While applicants can collect their passports from these designated locations, the centres will no longer accept new applications.
“Applicants are kindly requested to plan their visits accordingly,” Alhind stated in its advisory.
In a separate announcement titled “Passport Collection Notice,” Alhind clarified the collection arrangements for applicants previously using the Al Reem Centre in Abu Dhabi.
“Please Note: Passports from Al Reem Centre will be available for collection at Al Danah Centre. Thank you for your cooperation,” the service provider announced.
Al Reem is the fourth ICAC affected by the closure.
Importantly, only applicants who selected the option to collect their passports in person need to visit the designated collection counters.
Those who opted for courier delivery do not need to visit the centres, as their passports will be delivered through the assigned courier service.
Will Centre Closures Lead to Longer Waiting Times?
Following the closure of four ICAC locations, Indian expatriates in the UAE will have access to 12 operational centres for consular services.
Dubai will now have just one functioning ICAC, located in Bur Dubai.
Sharjah will continue to have three centres, situated in Rolla, Kalba and Khor Fakkan.
Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi emirate will have four operational centres at Al Danah, Al Ain, Madinat Zayed and Ghayathi.
The remaining centres are located in Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah.
The reduction in service locations could result in higher visitor numbers at the remaining centres and potentially longer waiting periods for appointments.
Dubai and Sharjah may experience greater demand, given their substantial Indian expatriate populations.
With approximately 4.5 million Indian nationals residing across the UAE, applicants are advised to check the latest service arrangements and appointment availability before visiting an ICAC.
Although the closures may place additional pressure on the remaining centres, any actual changes to appointment waiting times will depend on demand and available service capacity.
Efforts are reportedly underway to streamline operations at the remaining Indian Consular Application Centres (ICACs), with an increase in visitors anticipated, particularly at the Bur Dubai and Rolla branches.
Some Applicants Turned Away at Closed Centre
During a visit to Alhind’s ICAC facility in Dubai Investment Park (DIP) on Thursday evening, Gulf News observed that the main office housing the application submission counters was closed.
However, the back office responsible for distributing passports returned by the Indian Consulate after processing remained operational.
Earlier in the day, several walk-in applicants were reportedly turned away. Among them were parents seeking to submit passport applications for newborn babies, a category that does not require advance appointments.
Appointment slots for the centres scheduled to close on Thursday had reportedly not been made available on Wednesday.
Consequently, those who arrived at the affected locations were mainly applicants eligible for walk-in services during designated hours.
Meanwhile, hundreds of processed passports were seen organised into bundles at the DIP facility, awaiting collection by applicants.
What Happens Next for Indian Passport Services?
Uncertainty remains over the longer-term arrangements for Indian consular services in the UAE as the transition to a new outsourced service provider continues.
The 12 operational ICACs are expected to continue serving applicants, while passport collection arrangements at the affected locations may remain in place until pending processed passports have been distributed.
Alhind is expected to continue providing services until the Indian missions complete the ongoing tender process for appointing an outsourced service provider. However, the exact timeline remains uncertain due to ongoing legal proceedings and procurement formalities.
As previously reported by Gulf News, the Indian Embassy issued a fresh request for proposal (RFP) on September 28, inviting eligible companies to bid for the management of consular, passport and visa (CPV) services for both Indian diplomatic missions in the UAE.
The new tender followed a court-directed restart of the earlier selection process involving the ICAC network currently operated by Alhind.
According to the RFP schedule, the contract is expected to be awarded on November 27.
Whether Alhind retains responsibility for these services will depend on the outcome of the fresh bidding process.
Meanwhile, efforts are reportedly being made to ensure uninterrupted consular services and reduce inconvenience to Indian expatriates during the transition.
Applicants seeking passport collection, new applications or other consular assistance are encouraged to follow official announcements from the Indian Embassy, Indian Consulate and authorised service provider for the latest information on centre operations, appointment availability and collection arrangements.
