UAE to open 16 new Indian passport and visa centers as Alhind takes over consular services

Over 4 million Indians living in the UAE will undergo a major overhaul in passport, visa and consular services after India awarded a massive outsourcing contract to Kerala-based Alhind Group, which will open 16 new service centers across all seven emirates from July 1, 2026.The move ends a long era for BLS International, which had been handling Indian passport and visa support services in the UAE since 2011. As per the new arrangement, Indian residents in the UAE will now use centers operated by Alhind for passport renewal, visa applications, OCI cards, criminal record certificates (PCC), surrender certificates and other important consular services related to the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai.The announcement was closely watched across the Gulf, as the UAE’s Indian community has the largest expat population in the country, estimated at more than 4.3 million residents. Any changes to the passport and visa regime will have a direct impact on the daily lives of workers, professionals, families and businesses across the UAE.

UAE passport and visa services set to transform in 2026

The contract was officially awarded by the Indian Embassy following a competitive bidding process from four leading bidders: Alhind, VFS Global, DU Digital Global and SGIVS Global. According to the embassy, ​​Alhind secured the deal after submitting the lowest financial offer.In a formal notification, the Indian delegation confirmed that the contract covers:

The company said the transition will officially begin on July 1, with operations expanding rapidly across the UAE.Speaking to Gulf media, Mohammad Harish T said the goal is to make services “more affordable and accessible” to Indian residents. He confirmed that the company will implement a flat all-inclusive service fee of 19 dirhams higher than the embassy charge, which includes services such as photography and photocopying.“We want to make this process as affordable as possible,” Harris said, outlining the company’s expansion plans across the UAE.

16 new Indian consular centers across UAE

One of the biggest changes for the Indian diaspora is the expansion of physical service centers. Alhind said it plans to operate in 16 locations in the UAE, including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Al Ain, Kalba and Khor Fakkan.For many Indian residents outside downtown Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the new rollout can significantly reduce travel time for routine paperwork and passport appointments.The company also plans to aggressively digitize its back-end operations. According to Arun Radhakrishnan, while the application process itself will still be widely familiar, the company intends to roll out upgraded online systems and digital processing tools.“The website will change, the process will be similar, but we plan to digitize everything,” Radhakrishnan said.The shift has also triggered a massive recruitment wave in the UAE. Alhind has announced the recruitment of more than 300 new business-related positions, including submission officers, operations executives, branch heads and front-office staff. Fresh graduates holding valid UAE residence visas are also being considered for a number of positions, the company said.

Alhind’s UAE expansion

Founded in kerala Alhind began operations in the Gulf region in 1992 in the mid-1990s and has since expanded into tourism, foreign exchange, IT services and luxury transportation businesses. The company is also building a larger aviation presence in India after getting approval to launch a domestic airline project.Although Alhind is better known in the travel community than in the large-scale consular outsourcing sector, the company already operates authorized certification and apostille collection centers across India and has experience managing document systems.However, for the Indian community in the UAE, the focus now shifts to a smooth transition in July. With millions of people relying on passport and visa services every year, the successful rollout of this project could impact the future of India’s consular operations in the Gulf in the coming years.

Why this change is big news

This development is of huge concern to Indian residents as consular services are critical for almost every major life event in the UAE, from visa renewals and passport renewals to family sponsorship, newborn registration and emergency travel documents.Over the years, many Indian expats have connected these services with BLS centers across the UAE. The sudden shift to a new operator is therefore one of the biggest operational changes for India’s consular services in the Gulf in more than a decade.The shift also comes two years after the Indian Ministry of External Affairs banned BLS International from participating in new Indian mission tenders, citing complaints and legal cases related to the applicant. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics had previously said the move would not affect its existing global operations.Industry observers say the first few months after the switch will be closely monitored due to the size of the Indian diaspora in the UAE. Analysts note that even small disruptions could impact thousands of appointments, travel plans and document submissions every day.Concerns have also arisen around operational readiness, staffing and data security as consular systems involve sensitive personal documents, biometric details and financial information. Experts cited in the UAE report urged authorities to ensure strong oversight during the rollout phase.Still, many residents hope that a larger network of centers and lower service fees will eventually make passport and visa services faster and more convenient.