Source Credit: GULF NEWS
The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi has announced plans to overhaul all passport and attestation centres for Indian expats in the UAE. A unified service centre will be launched with branches in 14 locations across the country by the second quarter of this year.
This initiative comes after the embassy reopened the tender process for selecting a service provider to run the Indian Consular Application Centre (ICAC), which will centralize all consular services. The new service centre aims to improve efficiency and accessibility for over four million Indians in the UAE, as well as foreign nationals seeking Indian visa services.
Currently, two separate service providers handle passport and visa applications (BLS International) and document attestation (IVS Global). The new ICAC system will streamline all services under one roof, providing quicker, transparent processes, reducing waiting times, and ensuring a smoother experience for applicants.
The Indian missions handled nearly 1.6 million services over three years, and the new service provider will be expected to maintain tight deadlines and ensure a 30-minute turnaround for each application. The centres will be located in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain, Khor Fakkan, and Ras Al Khaimah.
