Key dates, fees, locations and services: What Indian expats in the UAE should know.
Abu Dhabi/Dubai: As the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Indian Consulate in Dubai prepare to transition to a new service provider for passport, visa and other consular services, Indian expats in the UAE are set to see several changes.
As announced by the Indian missions, Alhind Tours and Travels LLC will formally take over the processing of passport, visa and attestation applications from July 1, 2026, replacing the current providers BLS International and SGIVS Global (commonly known as IVS).
Everything you need to know at a glance.
What’s changing?
Q: Why are the service providers changing?
The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi conducted a competitive tender process to appoint a single outsourced provider for Indian passport, visa and consular services in the UAE.
More than 15 international companies participated in the tender process, with the contract officially awarded on April 21, 2026, to Alhind Tours and Travels LLC, which submitted the lowest financial bid of Dh19 per transaction. Other bidders included VFS Global, DU Digital and SGIVS Global.
Q: Who are the current providers, and when do they stop?
Two service providers currently handle outsourced Indian consular services in the UAE. BLS International has been processing passport and visa applications since 2011, with its contract extended multiple times over the years.
SGIVS Global (formerly IVS Global) has managed document attestation services since 2013.
In October 2025, BLS International was barred by India’s Ministry of External Affairs from bidding in future government tenders for two years, “on account of allegations including court cases and complaints of applicants.”
According to the embassy, both BLS and SGIVS will stop accepting new appointments after close of business on Thursday, June 25. A five-day suspension of routine services will follow from June 26 to June 30, during which no new regular appointments can be booked through either provider.
Emergency services during transition
Q: What if I need urgent consular help between June 26 and June 30?
Emergency passport, visa and attestation services will continue to be available through the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai throughout the transition period.
For urgent assistance, applicants can contact the Indian missions via the toll-free number 800 46342 (800 INDIA), WhatsApp at +971 54 309 0571, or email pbsk.dubai@mea.gov.in.
What happens from July 1?
Q: Who takes over, and what will the new centres be called?
From July 1, all consular services will be handled by Alhind Tours and Travels LLC. The new service centres will operate under the name Indian Consular Application Centre (ICAC), a branding used by Indian missions globally.
In some countries, the local service provider’s name is used as a prefix—for example, VFS ICAC in the US. However, the exact branding for the UAE centres operated by Alhind has not yet been confirmed by the Indian missions.
Q: What services will ICAC offer?
Unlike the current arrangement, where applicants must approach two separate providers for different services, the new ICACs will consolidate all services under one roof. Services will include:
- Passport renewals and new passport applications
- Visa applications
- OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card applications
- Police Clearance Certificates (PCC)
- Surrender Certificates (SC)
- Global Entry Programme (GEP) verification
- Attestation of documents
- Other miscellaneous consular services
Q: Will the website and appointment process change?
Yes. A new online appointment portal will go live on July 1, when Alhind formally takes over. The existing BLS International and IVS Global websites will no longer be used for new appointment bookings.
Fees and turnaround
Q: How much will it cost and how long will it take?
Alhind has quoted an all-inclusive fee of Dh19 per transaction, which covers all services, according to the company.
The contract mandates that appointment slots must be made available within five working days of an application being submitted, while each application is to be processed within a 30-minute turnaround time at the ICAC.
New centre locations
Q: Where will the 16 new centres be located?
The new network spans all seven emirates. Abu Dhabi will have the largest share, with six centres located in Al Khalidiya, Al Reem Island, Musaffah, Madinat Zayed, Ghayathi and Al Ain.
Dubai will be served by two centres in Bur Dubai and Dubai Investment Park (DIP), while Sharjah will have centres in Al Majaz and Rolla.
The remaining six centres will be located in Ajman (Al Jurf), Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain, Khor Fakkan (Corniche), Kalba and Ras Al Khaimah.
Full addresses will be announced ahead of the July 1 launch. Alhind has also said it will add more counters, if needed, to keep pace with growing demand.
The community it serves
Q: How large is the Indian community in the UAE?
The UAE is home to over 4.3 million Indians, making it one of the largest Indian diaspora communities globally.
Indian missions in the country handle a substantial volume of consular work. More than 1.58 million services and transactions were processed between January 2022 and December 2024, averaging around 1,760 transactions per working day.
In 2024 alone, about 561,000 consular services were provided. Of these, over 364,000 were passport-related services, more than 19,300 were birth registrations for Indian children born in the UAE, and over 14,300 were visa services.
To serve this population, Alhind is recruiting more than 300 staff, with hiring already underway. The company has been operating in the UAE since 2007, with 18 offices in the country and more than 130 offices worldwide.
Contract terms
Q: How long is the contract, and what happens if service falls short?
The agreement between Alhind and the Indian missions is valid for three years from the date of signing. Performance will be reviewed annually.
Any shortcomings must be rectified as directed by the missions. If service standards on quality and efficiency are not met, penalties may be imposed, including possible termination of the contract.
