Alongside the opening of India’s 16 new consular centres on 22 July, officials confirmed that the steep passport-fee hike first notified in June has taken full effect overseas. A standard 36-page passport renewal now costs Dh 450 (about ₹10,200), up from Dh 285, while Tatkal service rises to Dh 605. The National notes that the overseas tariff mirrors the domestic increase to ₹2,500 announced by the Ministry of External Affairs. Employers that sponsor large Indian workforces in the Gulf will need to amend mobility budgets: bulk renewals for crew rotations or seafarers can now add several hundred thousand dirhams in annual cost. The fee revision is part of Passport Seva 2.0, which funds the nationwide roll-out of chip-embedded e-passports slated to begin Q4 2026. Indian missions have clarified that fee waivers for Emergency Certificates and distressed-worker travel remain unchanged. Companies should update allowance manuals and inform employees who self-fund renewals of the higher out-of-pocket expense.
Source: The National (UAE)
