The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and Consulate General in Dubai have closed four Indian Consular Application Centres (ICACs) in Musaffah, Al Reem, Dubai Investment Park and Sharjah’s Al Majaz, effective 22 October 2026. The move follows a Delhi High Court ruling ordering a fresh tender for outsourced passport, visa and attestation services. Until a new contract is awarded, the embassy is handling core passport and visa processing in-house—its first such direct role in 17 years—while 12 ICACs operated by interim provider Alhind Tours & Travels remain open. Applicants for urgent Tatkal passports, newborn registrations and emergency travel certificates can walk in without appointments, but all other services require online booking at consularsevainuae.com. The embassy confirmed that passport fees were raised in July (standard 36-page booklet: AED 450; Tatkal: AED 900) and that Alhind may levy a AED 19 service charge for form-filling and courier support. The fresh Request for Proposal closes on 26 October, after which the missions aim to announce a long-term provider by year-end. With more than 3.5 million Indians living in the UAE, any disruption to passport issuance can have wide business implications, from employment visa renewals to international travel plans. Companies sponsoring Indian employees are advised to check appointment availability well ahead of visa-status expiry dates. Legal specialists caution that further court challenges are possible, and that employers should build flexibility into assignment timelines until a stable outsourcing arrangement is confirmed.
Source: Khaleej Times
