Unified fee, new provider: All you need to know about Indian consular services changes
Indian expats in the UAE will see some major changes regarding passport renewals and consular services in the coming weeks. Earlier this week, as Khaleej Times reported, the Embassy of India awarded a major outsourcing contract for consular services to Alhind Tours & Travels Pvt Ltd.
The India-headquartered company BLS International has been in charge of these consular services for several years now. In October last year, the company was debarred from bidding for new Indian Mission contracts for two years—a ruling which was later lifted by a Delhi court.
Here is everything Indian expats need to know about what to expect over the next few weeks.
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What has changed?
Passport renewals and other consular requirements will be handled by Alhind Tours & Travels Pvt Ltd. While the procedures will remain largely unchanged, the providers, website, and offices will change. “The process of applying for a new passport or renewing an old one will remain like it was before,” said Mohammed Haris T, Chairman of Alhind Group of companies. “Those who want to book any consular services will be able to do so on a dedicated website.”
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Where will the offices be located?
The company's offices will be in 16 locations across the UAE, including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Kalba, Khor Fakkan and Fujairah.
Will the service charges increase?
No. According to Haris, the service charges will be unified and likely lower than it is now. “We plan to charge only a minimal Dh19 above the mandated service charges specified by the embassy,” he said. “This will be unified and include all the services, including photography and photocopying. We want to make the process as affordable as possible."
Which services are covered under this contract?
The contract covers a wide range of consular support services, including passport renewals, visa processing, OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India) cards, Police Clearance Certificates (PCC), Surrender Certificates, Global Entry Programme (GEP) verification, and miscellaneous attestation services.
When will the changes be rolled out?
Although an exact date has not been specified, Haris said that he was hopeful Alhind will be able to take on the operations from July 1. “We are in the last stages of finalizing our offices and we are hoping to have everything ready by July 1,” he said. “Residents will be informed about all the details prior to being rolled out.”
Who is Alhind Tours & Travels Pvt Ltd?
Alhind is part of the Alhind group of companies, which has interests in IT software, luxury rentals and foreign exchange. Since 2019, Alhind has been operating 16 authorised outsourcing collection centres across India for attestation and Apostille services. “We are one of only four companies who are authorised to do this in India,” said Haris. “So, we have a wealth of experience in handling documentations and have a process in place.”
Founded in the southern Indian state of Kerala in 1992, the company received a no-objection certificate to begin its own domestic airline in India last year.
