Al Hind takes over Indian passport and visa services across UAE
Indian consular services in the UAE transition to Al Hind Tours & Travels from July 22, 2026, with 16 centres serving the country's 4.36 million-strong Indian community following a competitive tender process.
Indian passport, visa services in UAE outsourced to Al Hind
Indian passport, visa and attestation services in the UAE have been transferred to Al Hind Tours & Travels, which began operations on July 22, 2026, through 16 Indian Consular Application Centres located across the country.
The transition follows the expiry of contracts held by BLS International, which managed passport and visa services for over a decade, and SGIVS Global Services, which handled attestation services. Both contracts ended on June 30, 2026.
The new arrangement serves approximately 4.36 million Indians living in the UAE, representing roughly 38 per cent of the country's total population and forming the largest expatriate community in the Emirates.
Competitive tender process
Al Hind secured the contract after submitting the lowest financial bid of Dh19 per application, inclusive of VAT, in a competitive tender process that attracted more than 15 international companies. The contract was officially awarded on April 21, 2026.
The centres operate under the Indian Consular Application Centre branding, a standardised framework used by Indian missions globally, with similar facilities operating in the United States, South Korea and other countries.
Service access and operations
All 16 centres operate daily from 8am to 6pm. Appointments can be booked through the portal consularsevainuae.com, where new slots are released twice daily at 9am and 9pm.
From July 22, 2026, passport, visa and attestation services are no longer available at the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate General of India in Dubai. All services must now be accessed through the ICACs operated by Al Hind.
Transition period
The changeover was marked by a temporary gap period. For the first time in 17 years, Indian passport services were handled directly by the Embassy in Abu Dhabi and Consulate in Dubai on a walk-in basis from July 1 to 21, 2026, after the previous providers' contracts expired and before Al Hind officially commenced operations.
The transition period also saw legal proceedings, with the Delhi High Court on July 15, 2026, quashing the Ministry of External Affairs' technical evaluation process for the outsourcing tender. Despite this setback, services commenced as scheduled on July 22, 2026.
