Alert for Indian expats in UAE

ABU DHABI/ DUBAI: Indian expats in the UAE now have a dedicated online portal to book appointments for passport, attestation and other consular services, as the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai roll out temporary administrative changes at their premises.

The missions on Sunday announced an appointment booking portal to obtain Indian passport, visa and attestation services.

Appointments can be booked on book.passportindiauae.com, the Embassy and the Consulate said.

Appointment slots will be available for booking between 9am and 1pm, the missions later confirmed.

The missions also announced revised guidelines for limited walk-in services introduced at their premises following delays in the July 1 launch of the new unified Indian Consular Application Centres, which were to be operated by Alhind Tours and Travels LLC after it was awarded the contract that is now entangled in legal proceedings in India.

The UAE is now home to around 4.5 million Indian expats. The missions here process highest number of passport and other consular services across the world.

Entry rules, sites for enquiries

As per the new rules, applicants with a prior appointment will be allowed entry 15 minutes before their scheduled time. To avoid overcrowding, only applicants themselves will be permitted inside the premises, except in the case of minor applicants, where both parents are required to be present.

In Abu Dhabi, entry for CPV (Consular, Passport and Visa) services will be from the Embassy’s main gate on Al Safarat Street, the Embassy said.

Queries and clarifications, including those related to document delivery, will be handled at the Consular Wing, located at Unit No. 101, 1st Floor, Guardian Tower (Technip Building), Al Ishirah Street, Abu Dhabi.

In Dubai, applicants seeking passport and visa services should enter from Gate No. 2 at the Consulate General of India.

Those requiring attestation services may use Gate No. 1, which will also handle document delivery, queries on already submitted applications, and labour-related issues.

Walk-in services cut short

The duration of limited walk-in services that began on the premises of the missions has been cut short.

“Walk-in services, on a limited scale, will be now available from 9am to 11am,” the missions stated. On July 2 and 3, walk-in applicants were accepted till 12.30pm.

While priority will be given to newborn cases and emergency certificates, the missions said all other applicants are encouraged to book an appointment in advance to avoid long waiting times.

Guidelines for applicants

To ensure smooth and efficient service delivery, applicants have been asked to follow a few key guidelines:

Visit with completely filled application forms and all supporting documents.

Fill the passport application form at mportal.passportindia.gov.in/mission/, reading the instructions carefully before uploading photographs, signatures and documents.

Ensure signatures or thumb impressions are uploaded correctly against a clear white background.

Carry exact change, as fees will be accepted only in cash. Applicants have also been reminded about the new passport fee structure that has been in effect since July 1, 2026.

Contact details

The Embassy and Consulate’s existing contact details remain unchanged:

Toll-free number: 800 46342 (800 INDIA) WhatsApp: +971 54 309 0571 Email: [email protected]