Thousands of Indian nationals sought consular services across the United Arab Emirates as a new network of Indian Consular Application Centres (ICACs) began operations on Wednesday. This move represents a significant overhaul of Indian passport and consular services in the country.
The new system replaces the in-person application services that were temporarily provided at the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai. Instead, 16 ICAC hubs, operated by Al Hind Tours & Travels, have been established across the UAE. Collectively, these centres have the capacity to process up to 8,000 applications daily once fully operational.
Mohammed Haris, Chairman and Founder of Al Group of Companies, which manages the centres, noted strong demand on the first day of service, with nearly 2,000 applicants securing appointments shortly after the launch of the online booking platform. The ICACs operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
The flagship centre, located at UW Mall in Bur Dubai, is the largest among the 16 facilities, featuring 70 service counters and handling approximately 600 applicants per day. The second-largest centre is in Dubai Investment Park. To support the rollout, about 350 staff members have been recruited to manage the operations.
The establishment of the ICACs follows a decision by India’s Ministry of External Affairs to outsource passport, visa, attestation, and other consular services in the UAE to Al Hind Tours & Travels. This step was permitted by a Supreme Court ruling allowing the government to proceed with the outsourcing amid ongoing legal challenges related to the tender process.
A standardized service fee of 19 dirhams is charged to applicants in addition to the official Government of India application fees. According to Haris, this fee covers multiple ancillary services previously charged separately, including photography, photocopying, printing, and form-filling assistance. He emphasized that premium services are not offered and that all applicants receive uniform service in accordance with Government of India policies.
Applicants are advised to come prepared with the necessary documents to complete the submission process in about 30 minutes. Appointment slots for the consular services are released twice a day at 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. through the new online booking system.
The ICACs provide a broad range of services including passport applications, visa processing, document attestation, Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) related services, and other consular matters. The new system aims to streamline consular procedures and improve accessibility for Indian nationals living in the UAE.