The Embassy of India in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has released a new tender for outsourcing its consular services related to passport issuance. This decision was made in accordance with a Supreme Court ruling that mandated a re-tendering process following a protracted legal dispute.
The new Request for Proposal (RFP) number Abu/Cons/415/08/2026, dated September 28, 2026, invites companies to apply to manage the Indian Consular Application Centres (ICACs) across the UAE. This move followed just a few months after Alhind Tours and Travels began providing consular services.
The conflict originated when two unsuccessful bidders challenged the technical evaluation of the initial tender. In July of this year, the Delhi High Court ruled in favor of these participants and ordered a repeat bidding process. Furthermore, the court prohibited Alhind from providing its services, placing Indian expatriates in the UAE in an uncertain situation.
During this period, Indian missions in the UAE began providing consular services independently. The Government of India approached the Supreme Court, which directed the completion of a new tender within three months. However, the court allowed Alhind to continue providing services during the transition period to ease the difficulties faced by Indian expatriates.
Alhind has been serving 16 ICACs across the UAE since July 22, 2026, offering passport, visa, and document legalization services. The company charges a fixed fee of 19 dirhams per service, which includes form filling assistance, photography, photocopying, and courier services. In its initial weeks, the provider faced a massive backlog and high demand. Last week, the company announced the clearance of the backlog and the commencement of document application services on Sundays for applicants.
During the opening, Mohammed Haris T., Chairman and Founder of Alhind Tours & Travels, stated that the company's goal is to help applicants complete their documentation in 30 minutes. The new RFP covers the opening of 15 ICACs in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain, Khor Fakkan, Kalba, and Ras Al Khaimah.
The contract is set for three years, with service commencement expected within 45 days of signing. Bidders must submit their organizational profile by October 4th, and written queries by October 5th. A pre-tender conference is scheduled for October 8th, and the final submission deadline is October 26th at 3:00 PM local time.
The winner will be selected based on the lowest financial bid (L1) through a two-stage process encompassing technical and financial proposals. A bid guarantee of 756,700 dirhams is required, although registered micro and small enterprises are exempt from this requirement.
For the Indian community in the UAE, which comprises over 4 million expatriates, services continue without interruption. Nevertheless, the operator may change if the new contract is awarded to another company. Indian missions in the UAE processed approximately 600,000 applications in 2025, including nearly 400,000 passport services. Applicants are advised to use the Consular Seva portal in the UAE to book appointments and monitor official announcements for updates.
