Indian nationals in the United Arab Emirates have been advised to plan ahead as routine passport, visa and document-attestation services will be unavailable from 26 to 30 June 2026. The five-day pause will allow the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate-General in Dubai to transfer operations from current provider BLS International to Al Hind Tours & Travel LLC. During the transition, emergency services (death repatriations, temporary travel documents and distressed-worker assistance) will continue to operate via mission hotlines. Applications lodged before 25 June will be processed as usual, but no new appointments can be booked until the Al Hind portal goes live on 1 July. The change is significant for mobility managers: the UAE hosts an estimated 3.5 million Indians, including 450,000 white-collar professionals whose residency permits depend on timely passport renewals. HR teams should audit employee passport validity now to avoid last-minute crises.
Organisations looking for an extra layer of support during this window can tap VisaHQ’s India desk (https://www.visahq.com/india/). The platform streamlines courier-assisted passport renewals, arranges visa appointments in neighbouring GCC countries and provides real-time application tracking—helpful safeguards while local consular services are offline.
Project teams rotating staff through Dubai during the shutdown should secure multiple-entry UAE visas in advance or route through Doha or Muscat. Al Hind plans to open 16 Indian Consular Application Centres across the Emirates and promises a streamlined online booking system with standardised service fees. While the long-term outlook is positive, applicants will need to create new log-ins; existing BLS credentials will not transfer. Companies should update intranet guidance, circulate emergency helpline numbers and remind employees to check appointment availability after 1 July. Travellers with imminent deadlines (for example, H-1B visa stamping trips to the US) should carry proof of pending appointments to show airline staff and immigration officers if questioned.
Organisations looking for an extra layer of support during this window can tap VisaHQ’s India desk (https://www.visahq.com/india/). The platform streamlines courier-assisted passport renewals, arranges visa appointments in neighbouring GCC countries and provides real-time application tracking—helpful safeguards while local consular services are offline.
Project teams rotating staff through Dubai during the shutdown should secure multiple-entry UAE visas in advance or route through Doha or Muscat. Al Hind plans to open 16 Indian Consular Application Centres across the Emirates and promises a streamlined online booking system with standardised service fees. While the long-term outlook is positive, applicants will need to create new log-ins; existing BLS credentials will not transfer. Companies should update intranet guidance, circulate emergency helpline numbers and remind employees to check appointment availability after 1 July. Travellers with imminent deadlines (for example, H-1B visa stamping trips to the US) should carry proof of pending appointments to show airline staff and immigration officers if questioned.
