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Indian Consulate in Dubai confirms walk-in services open to Tatkal passport applicants
The newly appointed Consul General of India has expressed confidence that processing times for passport services would soon improve
- PUBLISHED: Wed 5 Aug 2026, 6:10 PM UPDATED: Wed 5 Aug 2026, 6:24 PM
The Consulate General of India (CGI) in Dubai is racing to clear a backlog of passport applications before India's Independence Day on August 15, after Alhind Tours and Travels took over as the outsource partner of passport renewals and other consular services in the UAE. The new Indian Consular Application Centres (ICAC) have also introduced walk-in services for genuine emergencies.
Dr E. Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, the newly appointed Consul General of India in Dubai, briefed the media on Wednesday about the overhaul of passport services, acknowledging there would be "teething problems" as the new system stabilises but expressing confidence that processing times would soon improve.
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Dr Reddy added that the ICAC in Bur Dubai’s UW Mall was one of the first places he visited in his official capacity and that he was impressed with the infrastructure and facility provided.
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The Consulate has prioritised clearing the backlog, particularly in the Tatkal category (fast-track services), and aims to bring processing times to standard delivery levels as soon as possible. The Consulate in Dubai and the Embassy in Abu Dhabi serve close to 4 million Indian expats in the UAE.
For those with genuine emergencies, walk-in appointments are available without prior booking. These include Tatkal cases with proof of urgent travel, newborns requiring passports, senior citizens, and emergency certificate applications. Walk-in applicants must carry documentation proving the emergency, such as a flight ticket within two to three days.
Warning against fraudsters
The Consul General also cautioned the Indian community against falling prey to fraudulent third-party service providers who charge excessive fees for appointment bookings. He emphasised that the official portal for appointments is consularsevainuae.com.
He pointed out that the Dh19 service charge levied by Alhind Tours and Travels included every service needed for consular services and that expats don’t have to pay any extra money for additional services like photography and form-filling. The Consulate is working to integrate more technology into passport services to reduce the need for third-party agents and unnecessary travel to service centres.
The consulate is working closely with the new service provider to ensure a smooth transition, though officials acknowledge there may be initial challenges.
Last month, Alhind took over the outsource services from BLS International after a legal battle. Currently, there is a huge rush at most of the 16 ICAC centers across the UAE due to a backlog created in the transition period. During the transition, the Indian missions in the UAE had taken over the consular services.
SM Ayaz Zakir is a Senior Correspondent with a flair for extraordinary stories. His playground? Every corner of the UAE. He often ventures into remote corners of the country to capture compelling news and human interest stories.