Should Indian expats in UAE register with Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi?

Abu Dhabi: A WhatsApp message urging Indian expats in the UAE to register their details with the Indian Embassy has gone viral, sparking widespread confusion among the expat community amid the escalating US-Israel-Iran war that has led to unprecedented situation in the country.

The message, titled "Important Update for Indian Nationals in UAE," claimed the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi had shared a registration link for all Indian nationals residing in the UAE for safety and communication purposes.

"We kindly request all community members to register themselves through the official link provided below for safety, communication, and important updates. This is purely for precautionary and record purposes. Please complete your registration at the earliest and share this message with other Indian nationals in the UAE. Let's stay united, informed, and safe," the message read.

Gulf News can confirm that the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi has not issued any such instruction to Indian expats in connection with the ongoing conflict. Neither did the Indian Consulate in Dubai make any such announcement.

The viral link is, in fact, an existing provision that has been in place for several years. It is meant for compiling a long-standing database usually maintained by Indian missions across the world to keep a record of Indian nationals living abroad.

The Indian authorities have always urged expats to register their details with the respective missions, the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Indian Consulate in Dubai in the case of the UAE. This was not set up in response to the US-Israel-Iran war.

It is also worth noting that when Indian missions needed to collect data from expats and visitors stranded in the UAE for repatriating them during the Covid-19 pandemic, they did not use this existing registration link. Separate e-registration links were announced specifically for that purpose at the time.

The rush to register has been so overwhelming that the link crashed. Several WhatsApp group admins have also realised their mistake and since deleted their earlier posts. The more than 4.3 million-strong Indian expat community members are now being urged not to share the link or spread rumours or misleading information.

Community members are advised to rely only on official communication from the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi or the Indian Consulate in Dubai, and to verify information before sharing it on WhatsApp groups.

In a social media advisory on Saturday night, the Embassy had urged the Indian expats in the UAE to avoid rumours and stay informed through official channels.

The mission asked Indian expats to exercise caution in posting information on social media handles about the current situation as per the advisories issued by the UAE.

“The members of the Indian community in the UAE are requested to not be victims of rumours and fake news about the security situation in the country, and follow the official handles of the Embassy/Consulate/UAE government authorities for updates,” the mission said.

It also urged Indian expats to follow the verified handles of various UAE government departments for sourcing official information.

In an earlier advisory issued on Saturday, the Embassy said it, along with the Consulate General of India, Dubai, continued to function normally and would issue updates as required.

For emergency queries, Indian nationals in the UAE can contact the toll-free number 800-46342 or reach out via WhatsApp on +971543090571. Emails can be sent to pbsk.dubai@mea.gov.in and ca.abudhabi@mea.gov.in.