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8 clusters · 28 sources · 66 days · First seen · Last updated

UAE visa-on-arrival & Indian consular outsourcing

Overview

In June 2026, the UAE launched a visa-on-arrival programme for several nationalities holding residence permits from the US, EU, UK, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, or Canada. By late June, the programme expanded to include citizens of Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Kenya, and South Africa. Simultaneously, the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi announced that Al Hind Tours and Travels would become the sole outsourced provider for Indian consular services, with a handover scheduled for 1 July. Following the termination of previous contracts with BLS International and SGIVS Global, the embassy and Dubai consulate activated an online appointment portal, restricting walk-ins to narrow windows for emergencies and newborns. On 20 July, the Supreme Court of India declined to intervene in a Delhi High Court ruling that halted the outsourcing tender for Indian missions in Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Singapore, and Canberra, citing a lack of transparency. The court ordered a fresh tender within three months while allowing interim arrangements. Following a three-week period of in-house processing, passport, visa, and attestation services resumed on 22 July at 16 Indian Consular Application Centres (ICACs) across the UAE under Al Hind Tours. As of August 2026, the mission is working to clear appointment backlogs, with the flagship Dubai facility aiming to accommodate up to 8,000 applicants daily. A revised fee schedule for passport renewals, including a Dh19 administrative charge from Al Hind Tours, also took effect. By mid-August, the mission aimed to clear backlogs by 15 August, coinciding with India’s 80th Independence Day celebrations. To further assist the expatriate community, the Embassy introduced walk-in appointment slots from 9 am to 1 pm at all 16 ICACs on a first-come, first-served basis, though online booking remains encouraged.

Entities

Deepak Mittal · Dr. E. Vishnu Vardhan Reddy · Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi · Alhind Tours and Travels · Consulate General of India in Dubai

Timeline

  1. 2 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 2 sources
    Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi announces new services for expats

    The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi has announced walk-in passport and visa services at 16 UAE centres and will host an Open House on August 21 to address community concerns.

  2. 11 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 3 sources
    Indian community in UAE prepares for Independence Day and new passport services

    Indian missions in the UAE are expanding consular services via 16 new application centres and preparing for India's 80th Independence Day celebrations.

  3. 28 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 6 sources
    Indian passport and visa services resume at 16 UAE centres under Al Hind Tours

    Indian passport, visa and attestation services resume at 16 UAE centres on 22 July 2026 under Al Hind Tours, with online booking, set hours and walk‑in options for urgent cases.

  4. about 1 month ago

    [POLITICS] 7 sources
    India's Supreme Court Upholds Court Ruling Halting Passport and Visa Outsourcing at Four Overseas Missions

    India's Supreme Court upheld a High Court ruling cancelling outsourced passport and visa services at missions in Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Singapore and Canberra, ordering a fresh tender and limiting consular aid to‑‑

  5. about 1 month ago

    [POLITICS] 2 sources
    Indian Embassy in UAE cautions nationals against unauthorized passport and visa agents

    India’s embassy in Abu Dhabi urges UAE‑based Indian nationals to use only the official portal for passport and visa services, warning against fraud after ending outsourcing contracts.

  6. about 1 month ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 5 sources
    Indian Embassy and Consulate in UAE Roll Out Online Appointment System for Passport, Visa Services

    India's UAE embassy and Dubai consulate now use an online portal for passport and visa appointments, cutting walk‑ins to limited hours amid a delayed outsourcing transition.

  7. about 2 months ago

    [POLITICS] 2 sources
    UAE imposes July 9 deadline for overstay waiver and adds six nations to visa‑on‑arrival list

    UAE sets a July 9 deadline for visitors who received a temporary overstay‑fine waiver and expands its visa‑on‑arrival programme to nationals of Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Kenya and South Afr

  8. 2 months ago

    [POLITICS] 2 sources
    Indian Embassy in UAE appoints Al Hind Tours as new passport and visa service provider

    India's embassy in the UAE will shift passport and visa processing to Al Hind Tours from 1 July 2026, with 16 new centres nationwide.

Sources

arynews.tv · businessupturn.com · deccanchronicle.com · dubaibliss.com · dubaiweek.ae · emirates247.com · en.dailypakistan.com.pk · english.madhyamam.com · english.mathrubhumi.com · gulf-insider.com · gulfnews.com · KhaleejTimes.com · khaleejtimes.com · mathrubhumi.com · news18.com · newsbytesapp.com · rs.rbth.com · sentinelassam.com · singhstation.net · socialnews.xyz · thelivenagpur.com · thelocalreport.in · timeskuwait.com · timesnownews.com · travtalkindia.com · uaetimes.ae · whatson.ae · yespunjab.com

This summary has been updated 1 time: see revision history