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Indian Embassy in UAE warns against paying agents after ending BLS, SGIVS services
All appointments for passport, visa and attestation services can be booked directly through the official appointment portal
- PUBLISHED: Fri 10 Jul 2026, 3:30 PM UPDATED: Fri 10 Jul 2026, 3:48 PM
The Indian embassy in the UAE has issued an advisory on Friday, July 10, to warn the public against paying money to agents who claim to provide visa or attestation services, reiterating that BLS International and SGIVS Global are no longer the outsourced service providers of the diplomatic mission in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate General of India, Dubai for providing any consular services. The decision to end their contract went into effect on July 1, 2026.
"Members of the public are strongly advised not to pay any money to BLS International, SGIVS Global, or any individual/agency claiming to facilitate appointments on the Embassy's/Consulate's behalf," it stressed.
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Passport, Visa and Attestation services, the embassy added, are now being handled directly by the Embassy and the Consulate from their own premises, warning residents that any representation by an entity, their agents, or representatives claiming to be authorized by the Embassy or the Consulate is false and unauthorized.
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The mission called on any resident who has been misled or overcharged, or misinformed by any entity, or any individual or agency, falsely claiming affiliation with the Embassy or the Consulate to report the matter to Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi or the Consulate General of India, Dubai through their official contact channels.
Indian residents in the UAE are urged to exercise caution and rely on official channels for information related to passport or visa and attestation services
All appointments for passport, visa and attestation services can be booked directly through the official appointment portal at no cost whatsoever. No third party is authorized to charge for this service, the embassy emphasized.
Consular services for Indians in UAE
Earlier this year, Alhind Global Services was awarded the contract to provide consular services for Indian residents in the UAE starting July 1, 2026, in a decision that followed a competitive bidding process in November 2025.
The Embassy of India announced that Alhind would replace BLS, which had been handling passport, visa, and consular services since 2011. The company was chosen as the lowest bidder among four shortlisted companies.
The transition, however, has been delayed as a legal dispute over the contract plays out in India's Delhi High Court. Two failed bidders — who did not make it to the final round — have challenged the decision, claiming they were disqualified from the technical evaluation stage without proper reasons. The court is expected to issue a judgement in the case soon.
In the meantime, the Indian missions in the UAE have temporarily begun handling consular services directly on an appointment basis. Earlier, this was done on a walk-in basis. However, the Consulate General of India (CGI) in Dubai and Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi have announced that prior online bookings have been compulsory to access the service.
Yasmin Hussein is an Assistant Digital Editor who believes that every news story carries a human element. Her motto is 'get it first, but first get it right'.