How NRIs can add local UAE address to their Indian passport

Dubai: If you are a Non-Resident Indian (NRI), living in the UAE for a long time, you have the option to provide your local UAE address in your passport.

This service was introduced in the UAE in 2020, and allows Indian citizens living abroad who do not have a valid or permanent address in India to add the local address in their country of residence. Here is how you can use this service as an Indian living in the UAE.

According to the announcement made by the Indian Consulate in 2020, UAE expatriates who wish to provide their local UAE address on their passport, would need to apply for a new passport. The change in address cannot be made in existing passports, according to the announcement.

There are two ways you can fill out the application:

1. In-person – through BLS International Services UAE, which is the Consulate General of India’s (CGI) official outsourcing service provider. You must visit any of the BLS service centres, the locations for which are provided below.

If you go to a BLS centre, you must request the form to change your address in your passport, you will be required to fill out the EAP II form (Application Form For Miscellaneous Services On Indian Passport).

2. Online – through the website of ‘Passport Seva at Indian Embassies and Consulates’ – portal5.passportindia.gov.in. You can fill the application form online for ‘re-issue an ordinary passport with a new address’. Once you have completed the form, take a print out and complete the rest of the process by visiting a BLS service centre.

Once you are at the BLS centre, you will need to submit the form, if you have filled it out online. If you started the application process at the centre itself, you will then be asked to provide your local address that will be printed on your passport.

This includes your emirate of residence, street name, area, house number, mobile number and email address.

You must also provide one Indian address, which is required for police verification. According to Passport Seva website, at this stage you can give your parent’s or relative’s India address.

Police verification is a mandatory part of the process of passport renewal for Indian expatriates, as per India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Once you have filled in your address details, you must provide the following documents to prove your residency in the UAE:

1. Original valid passport.
2. Registered tenancy contract or title deed if you own the villa or apartment. You must have stayed in that rented or purchased property for more than one year, to be able to apply for this service.
3. Valid Emirates ID.
4. Utilities bill from the electricity and water authority in your emirate.
• For Dubai residents – Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa).
• For Abu Dhabi residents – Abu Dhabi Distribution Company (ADDC).
• For Sharjah residents – Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (Sewa).
• For residents of Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, and Dhaid region in Sharjah – Etihad Water and Electricity (ETIHAD WE)

You will also need to submit your current passport at this stage. Once your request is approved, you will receive your previous passport as well as the newly issued passport via courier.

This includes the overall cost of the service, including the courier fee:
• Dh415 – if you used a standard BLS centre.
• Dh650 - if you used the premium BLS lounges.

It will take around 10 to 15 working days to complete the service. However, it is up to the discretion of the Consulate General of India to approve the request. You will be notified by SMS when the process is complete.

This article is for informational purposes only. For the most accurate and updated details, or for specific inquiries, please contact BLS International — the official service provider for Indian passport and visa services — at 04 387 5777.

This article was published in August 21, 2023 and has been updated since.