Indian passport, visa and attestation services across the United Arab Emirates will be suspended for five days, from June 26 to June 30, as India transitions to a new outsourced service provider for consular services in the country.
The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi announced that routine passport, visa and attestation services will resume on July 1 under a new operator. As part of the transition, existing service providers will stop accepting new applications after the close of business on June 25, as per the Economic Times/
Under the new arrangement, Al Hind Tours and Travel LLC will take over the delivery of outsourced passport, visa and consular services across the UAE from July 1. The company will replace the current service providers, BLS International Services Ltd. and SGIVS Global.
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During the five-day transition period, regular appointments for passport renewals, visa applications and attestation services will not be available. However, the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai will continue to provide emergency passport, visa and attestation services for urgent cases.
To ensure citizens are not left stranded, emergency assistance will remain available throughout the suspension period. Applicants requiring urgent support can reach the Indian missions via the following channels: phone, WhatsApp and email.
The embassy has advised applicants to complete any urgent documentation requirements before June 25 and closely follow official announcements regarding revised appointment procedures, service centre locations and online booking arrangements, reported Economic Times.
Al Hind will launch a centralised online portal on July 1. This new platform will replace the old BLS and SGIVS booking systems.
The move marks a significant change in the delivery of Indian consular services in the UAE, with officials expecting improved access and efficiency once the new system becomes operational.
The embassy said current service providers, BLS International for passport and visa services and SGIVS Global for attestation services, will cease accepting new applications after business hours on June 25.
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