The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and Consulate-General in Dubai have announced a sweeping change to their consular outsourcing model: from 1 July 2026, Alhind Travels LLC will replace long-time service partner BLS International for all routine passport renewals, visa endorsements and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card applications.
The switch covers all seven emirates and follows a fresh tender aimed at cutting queues and modernising IT systems. Applications will continue to be lodged through outsourced centres, but any appointments booked with BLS after 30 June will lapse. Pending files submitted before the cut-off will be processed to conclusion, the mission said, but applicants should track status closely and be prepared for hand-over delays.
During the transition week, emergency travel documents and medical compassionate cases will be handled directly by embassy staff.
For India-bound business travellers and UAE-based corporates employing large numbers of Indian nationals, the change means adapting to new online portals, fee structures and document checklists.
At this juncture, organisations that prefer an experienced facilitator can lean on VisaHQ, whose online platform (https://www.visahq.com/india/) already streamlines Indian visa, passport and OCI services worldwide. HR teams can batch-manage submissions, track real-time status updates and get instant alerts on rule changes—tools that help smooth over provider handovers like the upcoming UAE switch.
![Indian Embassy in UAE shifts passport, visa & OCI outsourcing from BLS to Alhind from 1 July]()
Alhind says it will open additional counters in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah and launch a real-time tracking tool.
Modest service-fee revisions are expected once the company’s rate card is approved by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
HR teams should download the new appointment scheduler as soon as it goes live, brief employees on biometric capture rules, and verify that courier return addresses are updated.
Travel planners must factor in a possible one-week learning curve as the new contractor stabilises operations.
The Embassy has warned applicants to transact only via official links to avoid phishing sites that typically proliferate during outsourcing switches.
The switch covers all seven emirates and follows a fresh tender aimed at cutting queues and modernising IT systems. Applications will continue to be lodged through outsourced centres, but any appointments booked with BLS after 30 June will lapse. Pending files submitted before the cut-off will be processed to conclusion, the mission said, but applicants should track status closely and be prepared for hand-over delays.
During the transition week, emergency travel documents and medical compassionate cases will be handled directly by embassy staff.
For India-bound business travellers and UAE-based corporates employing large numbers of Indian nationals, the change means adapting to new online portals, fee structures and document checklists.
At this juncture, organisations that prefer an experienced facilitator can lean on VisaHQ, whose online platform (https://www.visahq.com/india/) already streamlines Indian visa, passport and OCI services worldwide. HR teams can batch-manage submissions, track real-time status updates and get instant alerts on rule changes—tools that help smooth over provider handovers like the upcoming UAE switch.
Alhind says it will open additional counters in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah and launch a real-time tracking tool.
Modest service-fee revisions are expected once the company’s rate card is approved by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
HR teams should download the new appointment scheduler as soon as it goes live, brief employees on biometric capture rules, and verify that courier return addresses are updated.
Travel planners must factor in a possible one-week learning curve as the new contractor stabilises operations.
The Embassy has warned applicants to transact only via official links to avoid phishing sites that typically proliferate during outsourcing switches.
