Not BLS, not IVS: What Indian expats in UAE must know about Al Hind’s Indian Consular Application Centre launch

Abu Dhabi/Dubai: As the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Indian Consulate in Dubai gear up to switch service providers for passport, visa and other consular services, there are plenty of changes that Indian expats in the UAE must be aware of.

As announced by the Indian missions, Alhind Tours and Travels LLC will formally take over the processing of passport, visa and attestation applications from July 1, 2026, replacing the existing providers BLS International and SGIVS Global (popularly known as IVS).

Here is everything you need to know.

Q: Why are the service providers changing?

The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi conducted a competitive tender process to appoint a single outsourced provider for Indian passport, visa and consular services in the UAE.

More than 15 international companies participated, with the contract officially awarded on April 21, 2026, to Alhind Tours and Travels LLC, which submitted the lowest financial bid of Dh19 per transaction. Other bidders included VFS Global, DU Digital and SGIVS Global.

Q: Who are the current providers, and when do they stop?

Two service providers currently handle outsourced Indian consular services in the UAE. BLS International has processed passport and visa applications since 2011 with multiple extension of its contract.

SGIVS Global (previously IVS Global) has managed document attestation services since 2013.

In October 2025, BLS International was barred by India's Ministry of External Affairs from bidding in future government tenders for two years, "on account of allegations including court cases and complaints of applicants."

According to the Embassy, both BLS and SGIVS will stop accepting new appointments after the close of business on Thursday, June 25. A five-day suspension of routine services will follow from tomorrow, June 26 to June 30, during which no new regular appointments can be booked through either provider.

Q: What if I need urgent consular help between June 26 and June 30?

Emergency passport, visa and attestation services will continue to be available through the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai throughout the transition period.

For urgent assistance, applicants can reach the Indian missions via the toll-free number 800 46342 (800 INDIA), WhatsApp on +971 54 309 0571, or by email at pbsk.dubai@mea.gov.in.

Q: Who takes over, and what will the new centres be called?

From July 1, all consular services will be handled by Alhind Tours and Travels LLC. The new service centres will operate under the name Indian Consular Application Centre or ICAC, a branding used by Indian missions globally.

In some countries, the name of the local service provider is used as a prefix, for example VFS ICAC in the US. How exactly the UAE centres operated by Alhind will be branded has not yet been confirmed by the missions.

Q: What services will ICAC offer?

Unlike the current arrangement, where applicants had to approach two separate providers for different services, the new ICACs will bring everything under one roof. Services to be offered include:

• Passport renewals and fresh passport applications

• Visa application

• OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card applications

• Police Clearance Certificates (PCC)

• Surrender Certificates (SC)

• Global Entry Programme (GEP) verification

• Attestation of documents

• Miscellaneous consular services

Q: Will the website and appointment process change?

Yes. A new online appointment portal will go live on July 1, when Alhind formally takes over. The existing BLS and IVS websites will no longer be used for new appointment bookings.

Q: How much will it cost and how long will it take?

Alhind has quoted an all-inclusive fee of Dh19 per transaction which covers all services, according to the company.

The contract mandates that appointment slots be made available within five working days of an application being submitted, and each application must be processed within a turnaround time of 30 minutes at the ICAC.

Q: Where will the 16 new centres be?

The new network spans all seven emirates. Abu Dhabi gets the largest share with six centres at Al Khalidiya, Al Reem Island, Musaffah, Madinat Zayed, Ghayathi and Al Ain.

Dubai will be served by two centres, in Bur Dubai and Dubai Investment Park (DIP). Sharjah will have centres at Al Majaz and Rolla.

The remaining six centres will be in Ajman (Al Jurf), Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain, Khor Fakkan (Corniche), Kalba and Ras Al Khaimah.

Full addresses will be announced ahead of the July 1 launch. Alhind has also promised additional more counters to keep pace with growing demand, if needed.

Q: How large is the Indian community in the UAE?

The UAE is home to over 4.3 million Indians, making it one of the largest Indian diaspora populations in the world.

The Indian missions in the country handle a substantial volume of consular work. Over 1.58 million were services and transactions processed in the three years from January 2022 to December 2024, equivalent to around 1,760 transactions every working day.

In 2024 alone, around 561, 000 consulars services were provided. Of those, over 364,000 were passport services, more than 19,300 were birth registrations of Indian children born in the UAE, and over 14,300 were visa services.

To serve this community, Alhind is hiring more than 300 staff, with recruitment already under way. The company has been operating in the UAE since 2007, running 18 offices, and has over 130 offices worldwide.

Q: How long is the contract, and what happens if service falls short?

The agreement between Alhind and the Indian missions is valid for three years from the date of signing. The performance of the service provider will be reviewed after each completed year.

Any shortcomings must be rectified as per the directions of the missions. If performance does not meet the required standards of quality and efficiency, penalties can be imposed, including termination of the agreement.