The Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi has issued a fresh tender for outsourcing passport, visa and other consular services across the UAE. The Request for Proposal (RFP), dated September 28, 2026, follows legal challenges to the previous outsourcing process. Indian residents can continue accessing passport and consular services for now, but the service provider could change after the new tender is completed.
- Location: UAE
- Organisation: Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi
- RFP date: September 28, 2026
- Who is affected: Indian residents using passport, visa and consular services
- Current provider: Alhind Tours and Travels, under an interim arrangement
- New tender: 15 Indian Consular Application Centres across nine UAE locations
- Bid deadline: October 26, 2026, at 3pm UAE time
- Contract period: Three years
What has the Indian Embassy announced about passport services in the UAE?
The Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi has opened a fresh tender for Indian passport and consular services in the UAE, inviting companies to operate Indian Consular Application Centres (ICACs).
The RFP is numbered Abu/Cons/415/08/2026 and was issued on September 28, 2026. The new procurement process covers Consular, Passport and Visa (CPV) services at the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai.
For Indian residents, the immediate situation remains unchanged. Existing services continue while the fresh tender is processed.
The key longer-term question is which company will operate the ICAC network under the new three-year contract.
Why is the Indian Embassy retendering passport services?
The fresh tender follows a legal dispute over the earlier outsourcing process.
According to reports on the court proceedings, unsuccessful bidders had challenged the technical evaluation of the previous tender. The Delhi High Court subsequently quashed the earlier process in July 2026.
The matter then reached the Supreme Court of India. The court allowed interim arrangements so that consular services would continue while the government completed the fresh procurement process. Reports also said the interim arrangement did not give the existing operator any permanent rights under the new tender.
The Embassy’s September 28 RFP now formally restarts the procurement process.
This distinction is important for applicants: the fresh tender does not mean passport services have been cancelled or suspended. It concerns who will operate the outsourced application centres in the future.
Which UAE locations will get Indian Consular Application Centres?
The new RFP seeks 15 ICACs across nine locations in the UAE.
The locations listed in the tender are:
- Abu Dhabi
- Dubai
- Sharjah
- Ajman
- Fujairah
- Umm Al Quwain
- Khor Fakkan
- Kalba
- Ras Al Khaimah
The current interim arrangement involves 16 ICACs operated by Alhind since July 22, 2026. The new tender, however, specifies 15 centres for the next contract.
The successful bidder will have to start services within 45 days of signing the contract, with the centres required to operate under the conditions set out in the RFP.
Will Alhind continue providing Indian passport services?
Alhind will continue providing services for now, but its long-term position will depend on the outcome of the fresh tender.
Alhind Tours and Travels took over outsourced CPV services in July and has been operating 16 ICACs across the UAE under the interim arrangement.
The company currently provides support such as application assistance, photographs, photocopies and courier services. The service charge has been reported at Dh19.
The new RFP does not automatically extend Alhind’s contract. If another eligible bidder wins the new three-year contract, the operator of the ICAC network could change.
For applicants, this means there is no immediate need to change how they access services solely because of the new tender.
When is the new Indian passport services tender closing?
The tender process has several important dates for companies planning to bid.
The organisation profile deadline is October 4, 2026, while written questions must be submitted by October 5.
A pre-bid conference is scheduled for October 8, followed by responses to bidder queries on October 12. The published schedule also provides for any corrigendum on October 13.
The final bid deadline is October 26, 2026, at 3pm UAE time, with technical bids scheduled to open later that day.
The tender schedule lists November 20 for the technical results, November 23 for opening financial bids and November 27 for the proposed contract award. These later dates may be changed for administrative or logistical reasons.
The selection uses a two-stage technical and financial evaluation, with the successful bidder selected on an L1 basis, meaning the lowest financial bid among bidders meeting the required technical conditions.
The RFP requires Dh756,700 in bid security, although registered micro and small enterprises are exempt under the stated conditions.
How many passport services do Indian missions handle in the UAE?
The scale of the operation is significant for the UAE’s Indian community.
The fresh tender documents indicate that Indian missions in the UAE handled close to 600,000 services in 2025, including nearly 400,000 passport services.
That volume explains why the outsourcing arrangement is relevant beyond the companies bidding for the contract. The ICAC network serves residents who need passports, visas and other consular documentation without having to complete every part of the application process directly at an Indian diplomatic mission.
With millions of Indian residents living in the UAE, any change to the operator or centre network could affect how applicants submit documents and access support.
Why It Matters
For Indian residents in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other UAE emirates, the fresh tender does not currently require them to take any new action.
Existing services continue under the interim arrangement while the Embassy completes the procurement process.
The main change could come after the new contract is awarded. If a different company wins, applicants may eventually see changes to ICAC locations, service arrangements or application support.
For now, residents should rely on official Indian mission announcements and the Consular Seva in UAE appointment system for current application instructions rather than assuming that the tender has changed existing procedures.
FAQs
Is the Indian Embassy stopping passport services in the UAE?
No. Passport and other consular services continue while the fresh tender is being processed. The new RFP concerns the future outsourcing arrangement.
Is Alhind still providing Indian passport services?
Yes. Alhind is currently operating ICACs under an interim arrangement that began in July 2026. Its longer-term position will depend on the outcome of the fresh tender.
How many ICACs are included in the new tender?
The new RFP seeks 15 Indian Consular Application Centres across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain, Khor Fakkan, Kalba and Ras Al Khaimah.
When will the new passport services contract be awarded?
The current tender schedule lists November 27, 2026 as the proposed contract award date. The Embassy has noted that the schedule may be subject to change.
Could the Indian passport service provider change?
Yes. Alhind is the current interim operator, but the fresh procurement process is open to eligible bidders. A different company could operate the centres if it wins the new contract.
The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi has launched a fresh tender for outsourced passport, visa and consular services across the UAE following the legal dispute surrounding the previous procurement process. For Indian residents, services continue as normal for now. The next major development will be the evaluation of bids and the appointment of the operator for the new three-year contract.
Follow Social Kandura for more updates on local news and things to do in Dubai and across the UAE.
Read More
- Indian consular services
- Indian Embassy Abu Dhabi
- Indian embassy Dubai
- Indian Embassy in UAE
- Indian embassy passport tender
- Indian Embassy UAE
- Indian expats UAE
- Indian nationals UAE
- Indian passport renewal UAE
- Indian passport services UAE
- passport services Abu Dhabi
- passport services Dubai
- Social Kandura
- Social Kandura Media
- Social Kandura Media News
- UAE Indian Passport
- UAE passport services
