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Indian Passport Renewal Delays After Court Cancels Alhind Services

Fresh tender ordered as Indian missions continue direct consular services

  • Publish date: since 10 hours Reading time: two min read
Indian Passport Renewal Delays After Court Cancels Alhind Services
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Indian expats in the UAE may face continued delays in passport renewals. An Indian court has ordered a fresh tendering process for outsourcing consular services in the UAE, Kuwait, Singapore, and Australia.

Read More: 16 New Indian Passport Centres in UAE: Locations Revealed

The Delhi High Court made this decision after two disqualified bidders challenged the evaluation process. The court found that the authorities did not clearly state how marks were awarded during the technical evaluation stage.

As a result, the court cancelled the contract previously awarded to Alhind Tours & Travels. The Ministry of External Affairs has now been asked to issue fresh requests for proposals (RFPs) for all affected missions within one month.

Kerala-based Alhind was scheduled to take over the services on July 1. The company had already prepared 16 centres across the UAE, including a large 12,000 sq ft office in Bur Dubai. To prevent major disruptions, the court noted that "existing incumbents" may be allowed to temporarily continue their services. However, the final decision lies with the local Indian missions.

What This Means for Indian Expats in the UAE

Currently, the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General in Dubai are managing passport, visa, and attestation services directly from their own offices. This is the first time in 17 years that the missions are handling these services directly without an external agency.

If you need to renew your passport or access consular services, please keep these important points in mind:

  • Beware of unauthorized agents: The Indian Embassy has warned residents against fake agents claiming to book appointments.
  • Free booking: Appointments on the official portal are completely free. No third party is authorized to charge any booking fees.
  • Walk-ins: Limited walk-in services are available at the Embassy in Abu Dhabi.
  • Service fees: Please note that fees for passport renewals and other consular services were increased earlier this year.

We advise all Indian residents in the UAE to plan their passport renewals well in advance to avoid any last-minute stress.

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AI contributed to the creation of this article.

 

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