DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Indian expats in the UAE must now book passport renewal appointments online, after the Indian mission stopped accepting walk-ins for the service.
The Indian Consulate in Dubai issued the updated guidance Friday, saying applicants should use the official booking portal to secure a time slot for passport renewal. The change comes as the rollout of new consular, passport and visa services has been delayed.
According to the notice, the new service provider’s start date, originally planned for July 1, has been deferred for administrative reasons. Until further notice, Indian missions in the UAE are handling passport services directly.
To book an appointment, applicants should visit book.passportindiauae.com, register with a name, email address and password, verify the email account and log in. They then choose their jurisdiction — either the Consulate General of India in Dubai or the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi — fill in the required details and select a slot.
The booking must be confirmed online, and applicants are advised to complete the passport renewal form before reserving an appointment. They should also carry a printed copy of the form when they visit the mission.
The embassy said earlier this month that BLS International and SGIVS Global are no longer authorized to provide consular services. Residents have been warned not to rely on third parties claiming to offer official appointment access.
The update is important for Indian residents in the UAE who need to renew passports, as it shifts the process fully to official online channels. Further changes to the consular service arrangement are expected once the delayed transition is resolved.
