Quick answer: The Indian Embassy in the UAE has issued a fresh tender for outsourcing passport, visa, consular, and attestation services — a 3-year contract with bids closing October 26, 2026. Al Hind Tours & Travels LLC remains the current provider and continues operating all 16 ICACs across all 7 UAE emirates. No immediate change for applicants — keep existing appointments, continue booking through consularsevainuae.com. Walk-in applications available for Tatkal passport, newborn cases, Emergency Certificates, and seniors 60+. Service charge: AED 19 inclusive of VAT. Appointment slots release at 9 AM and 9 PM daily.

Indian Embassy UAE passport 2026 — the Embassy has opened a fresh competitive tender for the outsourcing of Indian passport, visa, OCI, police clearance, and attestation services across the UAE. The tender covers a new 3-year contract and bids are scheduled to close on October 26, 2026. The most important thing for the 3.5 million Indians living and working in the UAE to understand immediately: this is an administrative procurement process, not a service disruption. Al Hind Tours & Travels LLC — which took over from the previous providers BLS International and SGIVS Global in April-June 2026 — continues as the active provider until any officially announced transition.

The Indian Embassy UAE passport 2026 tender news has already been circulating in WhatsApp groups within the Indian community in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah, generating the predictable wave of misinformation that accompanies any change to Indian consular services abroad. Some third-party agents are reportedly telling applicants they must cancel existing appointments because of the tender — this is false. The Indian Embassy has explicitly stated that applicants should keep existing appointments and follow the service centre’s instructions until any officially announced change. See our US visa wait times Indians 2026 guide for the broader Indian passport and consular services context.

The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi issued a fresh request for proposal on Monday, inviting companies to bid for the outsourcing of consular, passport and visa (CPV) services at the Embassy and the Indian Consulate in Dubai. https://t.co/OkCPBL0she https://t.co/kiwentHKG1

— Gulf News (@gulf_news) September 28, 2026

What the Fresh Tender Actually Means

The Indian Embassy UAE passport 2026 tender is a standard government procurement process — the Indian government periodically retenders outsourced consular service contracts to ensure competitive pricing and service quality.

The sequence of events is as follows. In April 2026, the Embassy awarded the consular services contract to Al Hind Tours & Travels LLC after its bid was declared the lowest financial bid. Al Hind took over from BLS International Services Ltd. and SGIVS Global, both of which stopped accepting new applications at the end of June 2026. Al Hind has been the active provider since that transition. The Embassy is now issuing a fresh tender for the next 3-year contract term — bids close October 26, 2026.

After October 26, the Embassy will evaluate bids and complete the selection process. The successful bidder will eventually take over the new 3-year contract. The transition to the new provider — if it is different from Al Hind — will be announced officially by the Embassy with a specific transition date, a new portal, and a new service centre network. None of that has happened yet. Al Hind is active today, tomorrow, and until the Embassy makes an official announcement otherwise.

Why does this matter for Indians in the UAE? Because consular service provider transitions in the UAE have historically been bumpy — the BLS-to-SGIVS-to-Al Hind transition in mid-2026 caused appointment availability disruptions and confusion. The Indian community in the UAE has a legitimate and understandable concern about any change to how they access passport and consular services. This article is the guide to what the tender means now and what to watch for.

???? Beware of fraud! Indian nationals in the UAE are advised not to share passports, Emirates IDs or biometric data with unauthorised individuals. Biometric scans must only be provided at official UAE Government facilities. When in doubt, contact PBSK: 80046342. #BewareOfFraud https://t.co/Lnlaw0vtXt

— India in UAE (@IndembAbuDhabi) October 1, 2026

Current Provider: Al Hind — 16 Centres, All 7 Emirates

The Indian Embassy UAE passport 2026 current operational picture under Al Hind is well-established since June 2026.

Al Hind operates 16 Indian Consular Application Centres (ICACs) across all seven UAE emirates — Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain, and Fujairah. This coverage means Indians across the UAE have access to services without needing to travel to the Embassy or Consulate premises directly.

Operating hours: All ICACs operate from 8 AM to 6 PM. Applicants are only permitted to enter the ICAC 15 minutes before their scheduled appointment time — arriving significantly early will not result in earlier processing.

Services covered: Passport services (renewal, new passport, Tatkal), visa services, OCI (Overseas Citizens of India) card applications, police clearance certificates, attestation services, and other consular-related applications.

How to Book an Appointment — and When Slots Are Released

The Indian Embassy UAE passport 2026 appointment system runs through the official Consular Seva UAE portal at consularsevainuae.com.

Appointment slots are released twice daily at fixed times:

• 9:00 AM
• 9:00 PM

The twice-daily release pattern is important for Indians who have struggled to book appointments — slots go quickly, particularly at ICACs in high-demand areas like Dubai. The best strategy is to be on consularsevainuae.com at 9:00 AM or 9:00 PM sharp, with your details ready to enter immediately after a slot appears.

When booking, select the correct service category carefully — a passport renewal and an OCI application follow different document and processing paths, and incorrect service selection can result in the appointment being unable to proceed at the ICAC.

Who Can Walk In Without an Appointment

The Indian Embassy UAE passport 2026 walk-in provision is one of the more practically useful aspects of the current Al Hind system.

Four categories of applicants can walk in to any ICAC without a pre-booked appointment, processed on a first-come, first-served basis:

1. Tatkal passport applications — urgent passport renewal or new passport under the Tatkal scheme
2. Newborn cases — passport applications for newborn children
3. Emergency Certificates (EC) — for Indian nationals who need to travel urgently and cannot wait for a regular passport
4. Senior citizens aged 60 and above — walk-in access regardless of service type

For Indian workers in the UAE who need a Tatkal passport urgently — either because their current passport is expiring and their UAE residence visa renewal is pending, or because they need to travel to India for a family emergency — the walk-in Tatkal provision at any ICAC is the fastest route.

The Service Charge: AED 19 Plus Government Fee

The Indian Embassy UAE passport 2026 fee structure has two components.

Government of India fee: The applicable government fee for the specific service — passport renewal, OCI, PCC, etc. These are fixed by the Government of India and are the same regardless of which outsourced provider operates the service.

Al Hind service charge: AED 19 inclusive of VAT — this is charged by Al Hind for ancillary services covering form filling, photographs, typing, domestic courier, printouts, and photocopying. The AED 19 (~₹450) is a relatively modest service charge compared to what third-party agents charge for the same document assistance.

A critical point: do not pay a third-party agent to book your ICAC appointment. The consularsevainuae.com portal is free to use. Any agent who charges for “booking” your ICAC appointment is collecting money for a service that is available for free directly. The only legitimate fees are the Government of India fee and the AED 19 Al Hind service charge — both payable at the ICAC itself.

What to Do If You Already Have an Appointment

The Indian Embassy UAE passport 2026 guidance for existing appointment holders is unambiguous.

Do not cancel your appointment. Do not rebook it. Do not reschedule it because of the tender news. The tender is an administrative process for a future contract — it has no bearing on appointments currently booked through consularsevainuae.com for services at Al Hind ICACs.

Attend your appointment as booked. Follow the ICAC’s instructions when you arrive. Bring the correct documents for your service type.

Monitor official channels. When the Embassy announces a transition to a new provider — which will happen after October 26, after the tender evaluation, and with a specific official effective date — it will be communicated through the Embassy website, the Consular Seva UAE portal, and the Embassy’s official social media channels. Until that announcement is made, Al Hind is the provider and consularsevainuae.com is the booking portal.

Indian Embassy UAE Passport 2026 — Current Service Details	Item	Detail
Current provider	Al Hind Tours & Travels LLC
ICACs	16 centres across all 7 UAE emirates
Operating hours	8:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Appointment entry	15 minutes before appointment time
Booking portal	consularsevainuae.com
Slot release times	9:00 AM and 9:00 PM daily
Walk-in categories	Tatkal, newborn, EC, seniors 60+
Service charge	AED 19 inclusive of VAT
Previous providers	BLS International + SGIVS Global (until June 2026)
New tender bid deadline	October 26, 2026
New contract duration	3 years
Action required now	None — keep existing appointments

FAQs — Indian Embassy UAE Passport 2026

Q: Has the Indian passport service provider in the UAE changed?

No. Al Hind Tours & Travels LLC continues to be the active provider of Indian passport, visa, OCI, PCC, and attestation services across the UAE through its 16 ICACs. The Indian Embassy has issued a fresh tender for the next 3-year contract, with bids closing October 26, 2026. The tender is an administrative procurement process for the future contract — it does not change who operates the ICACs today. Any transition to a new provider, if the contract is awarded to a different company, will be officially announced by the Embassy with a specific effective date.

Q: How do Indians in the UAE book a passport appointment with Al Hind?

Appointments must be booked through the official Consular Seva UAE portal at consularsevainuae.com. Appointment slots are released twice daily at 9:00 AM and 9:00 PM. Applicants should be on the portal at these exact times to secure a slot, as availability goes quickly at high-demand centres. Select the correct service category before entering details. Walk-in applications without appointments are available for Tatkal passport applications, newborn cases, Emergency Certificates, and senior citizens aged 60 and above, processed on a first-come, first-served basis at any of the 16 ICACs.

Q: What is the AED 19 service charge and what does it cover?

Al Hind charges AED 19 inclusive of VAT as a service charge over and above the applicable Government of India fee. The AED 19 covers ancillary services at the ICAC including form filling, photographs, typing, domestic courier, printouts, and photocopying. This fee is payable at the ICAC and is the only legitimate service charge — the consularsevainuae.com appointment booking portal is free to use. Any third-party agent charging for appointment booking is collecting money for a service available at no cost through the official portal.

Final Word

Indian Embassy UAE passport 2026 — fresh tender for 3-year contract issued, bids close October 26, Al Hind continues as current provider of 16 ICACs across all 7 emirates, 8AM-6PM hours, consularsevainuae.com booking portal, slots at 9AM and 9PM daily, walk-in for Tatkal/newborn/EC/seniors 60+, AED 19 service charge, keep existing appointments, ignore agents claiming you must rebook, watch Embassy official channels for any post-October 26 provider transition announcement

— is the complete picture for 3.5 million Indians in the UAE who depend on Indian consular services for passports, OCI cards, police clearance, and attestation. Nothing changes today. The tender is for the future. Book your appointment at consularsevainuae.com, pay the AED 19 at the ICAC, and carry all required documents.

Also Read:

• US Visa Wait Times Indians 2026 — B1/B2 Up to 12 Months
• Malaysia Visa-Free Indians 2026 — High Commission Job Scam Warning
• India Child Passport Rules 2026 — Under-15 Valid 5 Years

Official Sources:

• Travelobiz — Indian Embassy UAE Opens Fresh Tender for Passport, Consular Services
• Consular Seva UAE — Official Appointment Portal