Indian expatriates constitute a significant portion of the UAE population. Indian expatriates have made a huge contribution to the UAE and have helped to create a vibrant and culturally diverse society. But in order to maintain their residence permit, they would need to renew their passport from time to time. Fortunately, the UAE government has made the renewal process easier for Indian passport owners by arranging for an efficient and up-to-date system for Indian passport renewal. In this article, we are going to explain all about Indian passport renewal in the UAE, from the procedure to the required documents and renewal expenses.
Indian Community of the UAE
According to a report published by the Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), approximately 3.5 million Indian expatriates live in the UAE, constituting roughly 30 percent of the UAE population. Almost all Indian community expatriates are employed, with only 10 percent dependent family members. On the grounds of the critical role Indian expatriates play in the UAE’s economy, the UAE government has considered the convenience of the Indian community and has arranged for ways through which the Indian expatriates can tend to their passport and visa-related issues without difficulties and in no time.
If you’re among the Indian residents of the UAE and want to renew your passport before it expires, here is what to do:
Indian Passport Renewal Procedure in the UAE
The authority in charge of Indian passport renewal in the UAE is the Consulate General of India. The Indian embassy processes all applications and addresses all the passport- and visa-related issues of all Indian citizens residing in the UAE. Indian passport services are facilitated through an outsourcing agency called the BLS that receives the required documents and fees from the applicants.
BLS International is an Indian outsourcing agency that provides many services, including passport- and visa-related services, to governments, diplomatic missions, and citizens globally. Indian expatriates in the UAE should contact the BLS International to benefit from the agency’s passport outsourcing services. These include receiving applications for renewal of passports, addressing passport-related issues, facilitating passport changes, and addressing any other passport-related query.
All the explanations and the big names might make the passport renewal process sound complicated, but it’s way easier than it sounds. Here is how to renew an Indian passport in the UAE:
Submit an Online Application for Passport Renewal
The first step for passport renewal is to register on the Indian embassy website in the UAE. This registration is one-time only and creates a user ID. The link to the website of the Indian Embassy is https://embassy.passportindia.gov.in/.
Next, you should submit your passport renewal application. Keep in mind that all applications must be completed online. In order to complete your application, you should log in to the Indian embassy website (through the link provided above) with your new user ID and fill in an application form. When the form is complete, submit your application.
If you find yourself in any trouble completing the form and submitting your application, you can contact the nearest BLS center. They will fill out and submit the application form for you. Before proceeding to the next step, make sure to print your application form since it is necessary for the rest of the procedure. Do not sign the print, though, since the form should be signed in the presence of a BLS officer.
Prepare the Necessary Documents (Adults and Children)
Aside from the application form, several other documents are needed for your application to be processed by the Indian Embassy or the Consulate General of India. The required documents include the following:
- Two recent 51mm*51mm photos. Photos should not be older than 3 months. The background should be white, and the applicant should wear dark clothing. The applicant should not wear a uniform in the photo. Eyes should be open, and ears, forehead & chin should be completely visible. There should be no shadows on the face and neck and no reflections in the glasses. For applicants’ convenience, the BLS centers in the UAE offer photo services to their clients so that no inconveniences regarding passport photos occur.
- Original passport (submission of the original passport is required for all of the BLS services).
- Passport copy (first page, last page, address page if separate, valid UAE visa page, and any other endorsement pages).
- Copy of ID card with a photo and expiry date (driving license, Emirates ID card, health card).
- Original passports of parents (for children)
- Emirates ID of parents (for children)
If your UAE residence visa has been issued in Abu Dhabi or Al Ain and you want to present your application to BLS centers in Dubai or the Northern Emirates, you might have to submit additional documents. This rule also applies vice versa, meaning if you are a Dubai visa holder or your visa has been issued in the northern Emirates, BLS centers in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain will request additional documents from you. Under such circumstances, make sure you bring along a valid proof of residency. This can either be a tenancy contract or a letter from your employer stating where you work or reside.
Present the Required Documents to a BLS Center
As mentioned above, BLS is an outsourcing company that facilitates the process of visa- and passport-related applications. The Embassy of India and the Consulate General of India receive all passport renewal applications through BLS.
To process your application, you should submit your printed application form alongside the aforementioned necessary documents to a nearby BLS center. You don’t need a prior appointment; you will get a token upon entry and wait for your turn. However, keep in mind that some BLS centers issue a limited number of tokens each day.
It is imperative that all applicants be present for application submission. This also includes children and newborns. Applicants should attach their photos to the application form and sign it (the signing should be in black ink) in the presence of the BLS officer. If the applicant is under 18, both parents must be present for the submission of the required documents.
Pay the Application and Documentation Fees
The passport renewal fees for EOI and CGI are the same and depend on the type of service and the number of passport pages. These fees are determined by the Indian government and are subject to change from time to time.
- 36-page booklet for adults, 285 UAE Dirhams ($77.59)
- 60-page jumbo booklet for adults, 380 AED ($103.46)
- Children’s passport, 190 AED ($51.73)
- 36-page booklet, Tatkal service, 855 AED ($232.78)
- 60-page jumbo booklet, Tatkal service, 950 AED ($258.64)
- Children’s passport, Tatkal service, 760 AED ($206.92)
- Service charge, 9 AED ($2.45)
- Indian Community Welfare Fund 8 AED ($2.18)
Wait for Your Application to be Processed
Passport renewal applications for Abu Dhabi and Al Ain residents are processed by the Embassy of India (EOI), while applications for Dubai and the Northern Emirates are processed by the Consulate General of India (CGI).
Whether your new passport is issued in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, your application will take at least 5 working days to process. The Tatkal service, however, will take a minimum of 2 working days.
The main difference between a Tatkal passport and a normal one is the processing time for applications. Tatkal passport applications usually take much less time to be processed and, therefore, are suitable for individuals in urgent need of a valid passport, whether for traveling or other reasons.
Receiving Your New Passport
A courier service facilitates the delivery of renewed passports so that applicants receive their passports without having to go to the BLS centers again. If you miss the courier, your passport will be returned to either Al Khaleej BLS Center in Dubai or Shams Boutik BLS Center in Abu Dhabi. You will be able to collect your passport from these centers from Saturday to Thursday between 5:30 pm and 6:30 pm.
Validity of the Indian Passport
An ordinary Indian passport will often be valid for 10 years from the date of issue. However, under some circumstances, passport issuance authorities might issue passports with shorter validity periods. Passports with shorter validity periods can also be reissued for a maximum period of 10 years.
The validity period of Tatkal passports is more flexible. Authorities at the Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi, and the Consulate General of India, Dubai, process Tatkal applications and issue passports whose validity depends on the circumstances. In other words, Tatkal passports are issued with a range of validity periods, and their expiry date depends totally on the authorities’ decision.
For children, the passport validity is usually 5 years from the date of issuance.
Keep in mind that it’s against the law to have more than one valid passport at the same time. You can apply for a passport renewal one year before passport expiry. However, if they reach 18 sooner than 5 years, the validity period of their passport will be shorter correspondingly. In other words, their passport will be valid until they become 18. After that, they would have to apply for a passport renewal in the same way as explained above.
Changing Passport Information
It’s quite normal that you want to change your passport details. You might want to change your address or even your name, and when doing so, you will need to update your passport information. In such cases, your passport renewal application will have to be verified by the police.
Applications usually take longer to be processed when police verification is required. However, in times of emergency, you can file a request to postpone the police verification and leave it for after your passport issuance. In other words, you can turn a pre-police verification into a post-police verification. You can also pay an extra fee and apply for a Tatkal service when you’re in a hurry to renew your passport.
UAE BLS Centers for Indian Passport Renewal
If you happen to reside in Dubai’s prime property areas or affluent neighborhoods such as Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Umm Al Quwain Emirates, we have good news for you. We have created a list of the most useful BLS centers, complete with their locations and working hours.You can visit the nearest BLS center and complete your passport renewal application.
- BLS Centers in Abu Dhabi:
There are three different BLS centers in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, and you can visit any one of them to complete your passport renewal application.
- Shams Boutik BLS Center
Address: Level 1, Shop No 32, Shams Boutik Mall, Al Rayfah Street, Al Reem Island
Working Hours: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (Lunch break 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm), last token issued at 4.30 pm.
- Musaffah BLS Center
Address: Cubes Park Block 4, Entrance D, Mezzanine Floor, Mussaffah Industrial Area (M 25)
Working Hours: 7:00 am to 4:00 pm (Lunch break 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm); last token will be issued at 3:30 pm.
- Abu Dhabi Premium Lounge BLS Center
Address: Office M 02, Mezzanine Floor, Al Muhairi Building
Working Hours: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (Lunch break 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm)
- BLS Centers in Dubai:
You can find three BLS centers in the emirate of Dubai. You can submit the required documents for the renewal of your passport to any one of them that you see fit.
- Khaleej Center BLS
Address: Office 118 -119, Mezzanine Floor, Al Khaleej Center, Opposite Al Ain Center, Mankhool Road, Bur Dubai
Working Hours: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (Lunch break 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm), last token issued at 4:30 pm.
- Deira BLS Center
Address: Shop No. 13, Ground Floor, Zeenah Building, Opposite Deira City Center P3 Parking, Deira
Working Hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (Lunch break 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm); last token will be issued at 3:30.
- Dubai Premium Lounge BLS Center
Address: Office 507, Habib Bank AG Zurich, Al Jawarah Building, Bank Street, Bur Dubai
Working Hours: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (Saturday to Thursday)
- Sharjah BLS Center
Address: Office 11, Mezzanine Floor, Abdul Aziz Majid Building, King Faisal Street
Working Hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (Lunch break 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm)
- Ras Al Khaimah BLS Center
Address: Behind Specialist Medical Centre, Dahan Road
Working Hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (Lunch break 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm)
- Umm Al Quwain BLS Center
Address: Shop No. 14, Al Abdul Latif Al Zarooni Building, King Faisal Road
Working Hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (Lunch break 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm)
Time to Renew Your Indian Passport
This concludes our guide to Indian passport renewal in Dubai. If you are an Indian resident of the United Arab Emirates and want to renew your passport, the first step is to apply online at https://embassy.passportindia.gov.in/. After submitting your online application, you should prepare the required documents and present them in person, along with a print of your online application form. This should be done at the nearest BLS center. The authorities will then process your application, and you will receive your passport via a courier service after it is issued.
Thanks to the recent law, foreigners can now become UAE citizens under certain conditions.
And one way is to get a residency visa by buying property in Dubai.
We also have covered the new UAE citizenship law in another article. If you are a resident of the UAE and want to obtain citizen rights, we have also prepared for you a thorough how to get a UAE passport.
frequently asked questions
Yes, you must be an Indian resident in the UAE, and you must provide documents such as a copy of your current passport, an Indian visa, and proof of residence. You must also provide a print of your online application form, which you can submit in person at the nearest BLS center. Additionally, if you have changed your name, you must provide proof of the change.
Yes, there are other ways to obtain UAE citizenship. For example, you can apply for citizenship through marriage to a UAE resident. You can also become a citizen if you have an Emirati parent or if you have completed higher education in the UAE and have resided in the country for at least 5 years. Additionally, you may be eligible for citizenship if you have a child who is a UAE citizen or if you have served in the UAE armed forces for at least 5 years. To apply for citizenship, you need to fill out an application form and provide documents such as birth certificates and marriage certificates.
The passport renewal process typically takes between 4-6 weeks. After submitting your application form and documents in person at the nearest BLS center, you should receive an acknowledgment letter. This letter will contain a reference number and details of the documents you need to submit. Once the documents are received and verified, your application will be forwarded to the Indian Embassy or Consulate. After your application is approved and processed, you will receive your renewed passport via courier service.