Following huge demand, Indian Consulate in Dubai expands walk-in camps for passport services
More centres to offer service on Sunday; passport expiry window for walk-in extended
Dubai: Due to the huge demand for passport services, Indian Consulate in Dubai has expanded a special walk-in camp to process emergency passport renewal applications.
On May 19, the mission announced the launch of the special walk-in Passport Seva (Service) Camps for two consecutive Sundays at four centres of BLS International Centre — the outsourced service provider for processing passport applications.
With the first day of the camp on May 22 witnessing massive rush of applicants, the mission has now decided to increase the number of centres, offering the walk-in service on May 29 at six centres. It has also extended the window of expiry period for emergency passport renewal, which is expected to benefit those flying abroad during the summer vacation.
New centres
Apart from the BLS Centres in Al Khaleej Centre, Deira City Centre and Premium Lounge Centre in Dubai and the one in Sharjah HSBC building, where the walk-in service was offered last Sunday, it will be made available at two more centres located in the office of the Indian Association in Sharjah, and in Shop No 14, Al Abdul Latif Al Zarooni Building (same building as DIB Bank, on King Faizal Road) in Umm Al Quwain on May 29.
The mission said the walk-in service will be available only from 10am to 2pm and the last token for application submission will be issued at 2pm. Applicants can submit their application filled online at these BLS centres, with supporting documents, on a walk-in basis (which will be without appointment and on first-come, first-served basis), the mission said.
Who can walk in
While the mission had allowed the applicants with expired passports or those expiring by June 30 to walk in with their applications last Sunday, this time, it is allowing applicants whose passports are due to expire by August 31 also to walk in. This will help those wishing to travel during the summer months.
Apart from that, those who need to travel on an emergency also stand to benefit from this initiative.
Applicants whose passports were lost or damaged, those who need to secure NRI Certificates (for academic purpose), police clearance certificate (PCC, for urgent employment/immigration purposes); and students travelling for admission to educational institutions in India or for applying for student visas with foreign countries can also apply for emergency passport renewals.
For any queries/feedback, Indian expats can contact the help centre under the consulate Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra (PBSK) through the toll free number 80046342 or email at passport.dubai@mea.gov.in or vcppt.dubai@mea.gov.in