How to apply for an Indian passport in the UAE with new service provider Alhind Tours & Travels
Appointments open twice daily as 16 new Indian Consular Application Centres begin services
Dubai: Indian nationals applying for passport, visa, consular and attestation services in the UAE will now need to use a new process after the Government of India officially outsourced these services to Alhind Tours & Travels from July 22, 2026.
Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.
The services are now being delivered through 16 Indian Consular Application Centres (ICACs) across the UAE. Applicants will no longer be able to submit passport and related applications directly at the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate General of India in Dubai.
Appointments can be booked through consularsevainuae.com, with new slots released daily at 9am and 9pm.
The new outsourcing arrangement took effect today (July 22), following changes to the delivery of Indian consular services in the UAE.
Under the new system, passport, visa, consular and attestation services replaced in-person application services previously offered at the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai.
The new portal offers streamlined access to a wide range of services, including appointment booking, application tracking, fee information, service guidance, and important updates from the Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi, and the Consulate General of India, Dubai.
"With improved navigation, enhanced accessibility, and a modern interface, applicants can now complete their requests more efficiently and stay informed throughout the process," it said on the website.
How to apply
Applicants must follow these eight steps:
Step 1: Complete the online passport application
Fill in the online Passport Application Form through the Passport Seva Portal. Applicants who need assistance can visit any ICAC centre, where application support is available.
Step 2: Book an appointment
Book an appointment through the ICAC website and choose your preferred centre, date and time.
Step 3: Prepare your documents
Keep all original documents, photographs and supporting documents ready for verification.
Step 4: Visit the ICAC
Arrive at your selected centre on your appointment date and time with all required documents. Entry is permitted only 15 minutes before the appointment.
Step 5: Submit your application
Submit the completed application along with the required documents and applicable government fees and service charges.
Step 6: Collect your receipt
A submission receipt will be issued. Keep it safely for tracking your application and collecting your passport.
Step 7: Track your application
Applicants can monitor the status of their application through the ICAC website or the Passport Seva Portal.
Step 8: Receive your passport
Once processed, the passport can either be collected from the selected ICAC or delivered to the registered address if a courier service was chosen.
Service timings
All 16 Indian Consular Application Centres operate daily from 8am to 6pm.
Service fee
In addition to the Government of India passport fees (revised from July 1, 2026), applicants will pay a service charge of Dh19, inclusive of VAT.
According to the announcement, this fee covers ancillary services including:
Form filling
Photograph service
Typing of documents
Domestic courier
Printouts
Photocopying
Total passport fees are Dh477.00 for normal passport application and Dh927 for tatkal (express application).
Walk-in services available
The following categories do not require prior appointments and will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis at all ICACs:
Tatkal passport applications
New-born passport cases
Emergency Certificate (EC)
Senior citizens aged 60 years and above
Where are the new ICAC centres?
The 16 centres are spread across Abu Dhabi, Dubai and the Northern Emirates, including Al Danah, Musaffah, Al Reem, Al Ain, Madinat Zayed, Ghayathi, Bur Dubai, Dubai Investment Park, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Kalba and Khor Fakkan.
| Centre | Address |
| Al Danah | Al Ghaith Tower, 1205 Hamdan Bin Mohammed Street, Al Danah, Zone 1, Abu Dhabi |
| Musaffah | Capital Mall, Mohammed Bin Zayed City, Abu Dhabi |
| Al Reem | Office No. (WSO 157,158 &159), Level 1, Wafra Square Offices, Al Reem Island, Abu Dhabi |
| Al Ain | Building No.14, Street No.1-163, Abdullah Bin Dhahir Al Muhairi St, Al Khibeesi, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi |
| Madinat Zayed - Al Dhafra | Bldg No.55, Bada Zayed, Abu Dhabi |
| Ghayathi - Al Dhafra | Office G15-16, Ghayathi Mall, Al Dhafra Region, Abu Dhabi |
| Bur Dubai | UW Mall Al Mankhool, Khalid Bin Al Waleed Rd, 317-11B Street, Bur Dubai, Dubai |
| Dubai Investment Park-I | Room 601-02, Bayan, Dubai Investment Park-I, Green Community Village, Dubai |
| Al Majaz - Sharjah | Room 902-3, Bell Rashid Towers, Corniche St, Al Majaz 1, Sharjah |
| Indian Association - Sharjah | Indian Association Building, Al Estiqlal St, Al Manakh, Hay Al Qasimiah, Sharjah |
| Ajman | Indian Association Ajman, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Rd, Al Jerf Industrial 3, Ajman |
| Umm Al Quwain | Indian Association, Al Neefah, Al Ramlah 2, Umm Al Quwain |
| Ras Al Khaimah | Indian Relief Committee, Al Mamourah Rd, Al Mamourah, Ras Al Khaimah |
| Fujairah | Indian Social Club, Al Faseel, Fujairah |
| Kalba - Sharjah | Indian Social & Cultural Club, Al Taraif 5, Kalba, Sharjah |
| Khor Fakkan - Sharjah | Room 203, Bridi 670 Zarouni Building, Sheikh Khalid Road, Sharjah |
The outsourcing of Indian passport, visa and consular services in the UAE follows months of legal uncertainty over the Ministry of External Affairs' (MEA) tender process.
Earlier this year, the Delhi High Court quashed the MEA's tender for selecting agencies to provide passport, visa and consular services in the UAE and several other countries after finding irregularities in the bidding process. The court directed the ministry to conduct a fresh tender.
The Ministry of External Affairs approached the Supreme Court, arguing that cancelling the contracts would disrupt essential services for millions of Indians overseas.
On July 21, 2026, the Supreme Court stayed the Delhi High Court's order, allowing the MEA to proceed with the new outsourcing arrangements while the case continues.
Following the court's order, the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai announced that Alhind Tours & Travels would take over passport, visa, attestation and consular services in the UAE from July 22, 2026 through a network of 16 Indian Consular Application Centres (ICACs) across the Emirates.
