E-Paper
Sign In
Indian passport in UAE: Senior citizens, PoD, parents of newborns get walk-in services
These groups of people can access any consular centre without prior appointments, the Indian Ambassador to the UAE confirmed
- PUBLISHED: Thu 23 Jul 2026, 3:28 PM
In a significant move toward inclusivity, the Indian Ambassador to the UAE confirmed that People of Determination (PoD) will receive special treatment at all new passport centres.
Speaking at an interactive session organised by the Indian Association Sharjah, Dr Deepak Mittal announced that PoDs will be allocated dedicated counters and do not require a prior appointment. They can visit any ICAC as a walk-in and will be granted priority service, bypassing the usual queues.
Recommended For You
This compassionate approach extends to other vulnerable groups as well. Senior citizens aged 60 and above, along with parents of newborn babies, can also access any consular centre without prior appointments.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels
On Wednesday, Kerala-based Alhind Tours and Travels rolled out their new Indian Consular Application Centres (ICAC) in 16 locations across the UAE.
At the company’s flagship centre in UW Mall, three counters were reserved for PoDs. The centre, spread over 12,000 square meters, has over 70 counters and offer services including passport renewals, document attestation, visa service and Overseas Citizen on India (OCI) services.
For all other applicants, booking an appointment online through the official portal consularsevainuae.com is mandatory. Slots are released twice daily, every day, at 9am and 9pm. Entry to the ICAC is permitted only 15 minutes before scheduled appointment time.
Alhind Tours and Travels
Earlier this year, the Embassy of India in UAE announced that Alhind Tours and Travels was awarded the contract to provide outsourced consular services following a tender issued in November 2025. Out of the financial bids of four shortlisted companies, Alhind was declared as the Lowest Financial Bid (L1).
A spokesperson confirmed to media on Wednesday that the company has been bidding for the service for the last 14 years. “We have been participating in the consular outsource tenders for the last 14 years and this is the first time we have been successful,” said Mohammed Haris T., founder and chairman of Alhind.
The company also won the bid to provide consular services in Sri Lanka and began its operations there earlier this month.
Long-delayed rollout
The rollout of services by Alhind in the UAE was delayed due to a legal tussle, as two unsuccessful bidders approached the Delhi High Court claiming they were unfairly disqualified. The Delhi High Court ruled that a fresh tender should be issued within one month.
The case delayed outsourced consular services in four countries and the Indian missions in the UAE began offering services directly for the first time in 17 years.
During his speech, Dr Mittal commended the Indian Association of Sharjah for facilitating easy access to passport and consular services for the community and for the support it extended to the Indian mission during the transition period.
Earlier this week, the Supreme Court of India upheld the Delhi High Court’s ruling but permitted the Indian missions to allow any service provider that they deemed suitable to provide consular services in the interim period.
