Long queues formed outside Indian consular application centres across the UAE on Wednesday as passport and consular services returned to outsourced operators following weeks of confusion and delay.
At the Alhind Tours & Travels centre in UW Mall, Bur Dubai, applicants began lining up before 6am, eager to complete renewals and paperwork that had piled up during the transition period. For many, the return of dedicated service centres came as a relief after having to deal directly with mission staff in recent weeks.
One such applicant was a Sharjah resident whose residence visa renewal had been turned down because her passport had less than six months of validity left — a setback that came at a particularly difficult time, as she was trying to arrange urgent travel to India to be with her father, who is receiving cancer treatment. She and her husband had spent hours outside the Indian Consulate a day earlier without being able to secure an appointment, and described the news of Alhind’s takeover as a much-needed breakthrough. Within moments of hearing that bookings had opened, their son was able to secure a slot for the next morning.
Booking Surge
The scale of pent-up demand became clear almost as soon as the Indian Embassy confirmed on Tuesday evening that Alhind would resume operations from July 22. Alhind reported that close to 2,000 appointments were booked across its centres within minutes of the system going live.
Mohammed Haris T., Chairman and Founder of Alhind Tours & Travels, said the company had anticipated the rush and was ready to open bookings as soon as clearance came through from the Indian mission. He indicated that application volumes were expected to remain high through the first week of operations, and said new slots would continue to be released twice daily, at 9am and 9pm.
Haris also said the company intended to treat all applicants equally, with no premium or expedited track on offer, and that the aim was for each applicant to be processed within roughly half an hour.
Officials from the Consulate General of India inspected the Bur Dubai facility on Wednesday morning ahead of the resumption of services. The centre, spanning 12,000 square feet with 75 service counters — including dedicated counters for People of Determination — is said to be among the largest Indian consular outsourcing facilities in the world.
Weeks of Disruption
The handover brings to a close a difficult stretch that began on July 1, when the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General in Dubai took over passport and consular services directly, after a legal dispute held up the appointment of a new outsourcing partner. It was the first time in 17 years that the missions had managed these services in-house, a period marked by long waits and mounting backlogs.
At a Glance: Passport and Consular Services in the UAE
Booking: Appointments can be made via consularsevainuae.com, with new slots released daily (Monday–Saturday) at 9am and 9pm.
Where: Alhind now operates 16 Indian Consular Application Centres (ICACs) spread across all seven emirates:
- Abu Dhabi (6): Al Danah, Al Reem Island, Musaffah, Madinat Zayed, Ghayathi, Al Ain
- Dubai (2): UW Mall (Bur Dubai), Dubai Investment Park
- Sharjah (2): Al Majaz, Rolla
- Northern Emirates (6): Al Jurf (Ajman), Al Faseel (Fujairah), Al Ramlah (Umm Al Quwain), Sheikh Khalid Road (Khorfakkan), Indian Social and Cultural Club (Kalba), Al Mamourah Road (Ras Al Khaimah)
Walk-ins accepted for: Tatkal passport applications, newborn passports, Emergency Certificates, and senior citizens aged 60 and above.
Fees (revised from July 1, the first increase since 2012):
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| 36-page passport (Normal) | Dh450 |
| 36-page passport (Tatkal) | Dh900 |
| 60-page passport (Normal) | Dh630 |
| 60-page passport (Tatkal) | Dh1,080 |
An additional Dh19 service charge applies, covering photography and photocopying.
Support: Toll-free 800 248517 | Email: support.ae@alhindglobal.com
What’s next: The current arrangement is an interim one. India’s Supreme Court has directed the Ministry of External Affairs to run a fresh tender for consular outsourcing in the UAE and three other countries. Alhind will continue operating until that process concludes, to avoid any disruption to services for the Indian expatriate community.
