The Consulate-General of India (CGI) in Dubai has released a public advisory dated 12 October 2026 warning Indian nationals against engaging unauthorised intermediaries for UAE visas and overseas job placements. The note, posted in the Consulate’s ‘Important Announcements & Advisories’ section, cites a surge in complaints involving agents who charge exorbitant fees, issue fake employment contracts or abandon workers at Dubai International Airport when documentation is rejected by immigration officials. Under UAE law, only licensed recruitment firms and typing centres may facilitate work-permit applications, while India’s Emigrate Act requires prior emigration clearance for certain categories of workers. The advisory urges Indians to verify agency credentials on the e-Migrate portal, to insist on written job offers vetted by the Consulate and to avoid cash transactions. Violators face prosecution under India’s Emigration Act and the UAE’s anti-fraud statutes. For Gulf-bound Indian professionals, especially blue-collar workers recruited from tier-2 cities, the warning is timely: Dubai’s construction boom ahead of Expo 2030 has triggered aggressive marketing by unregistered brokers promising ‘free visas’ and inflated salaries. Corporate mobility teams relocating staff to the UAE should cross-check that any third-party relocation partner holds valid accreditation and that visas are processed directly through the UAE Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship & Customs. The Consulate has set up a 24-hour hotline and WhatsApp channel for victims and has asked employers in the Gulf to include the Consulate in bulk-recruitment orientation sessions. Travel-risk experts say the advisory could herald stricter scrutiny at Indian airports, where immigration officers may demand additional documentation from first-time UAE-bound workers.
