Indian Passport Services Delayed in UAE? Here's What Every NRI Should Know

8 Jul 2026 · 1 min

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In this YouTube update, the speaker informs NRIs residing in the United Arab Emirates about a delay in the planned transfer of Indian consular services—passport renewal, OCI card issuance, visa processing, attestation, and other services—from the current providers BLS International and SGIVS Global to a new contractor, Al Hind Tour and Travel. The handover was scheduled for 1 July 2026, but two unsuccessful bidders have filed a legal challenge in an Indian court, preventing Al Hind from officially taking over until the case is resolved. Consequently, the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General in Dubai are temporarily offering these services on a limited walk‑in basis. The speaker urges viewers with existing appointments or pending applications to comment and to follow the channel for future updates on OCI, passport, visa, and broader NRI news.

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Big update for NRIs in the UAE. If you are planning to renew your Indian passport, apply for an OCI card, or get consular services, this affects you. The Indian government has planned to shift passport, visa, OCI, attestation, and other consular services from BLS International and SGIVS Global to Al Hind Tour and Travel starting 1st July 2026. But the transition has now been delayed because 2 unsuccessful bidders challenged the tender process in Indian court. Until the case is resolved, Al Hind cannot officially take over. So what should you do? For now, the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consular General of India in Dubai are providing passport, OCI, visa, and other consular services on a limited walk-in basis. Have you already booked an appointment for your passport or OCI in Dubai, or are you waiting for the new service provider to launch? Let us know in the comments and don't forget to follow us for the latest updates on OCI, Indian passport, visa, and NRI news from around the world.