The Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General in Dubai have confirmed a sharp increase in passport and consular-service fees effective 1 July. A standard 36-page passport now costs Dh450 (up from Dh285) and a 60-page booklet Dh630 (up from Dh380). Tatkal fees climb to Dh900 and Dh1,080 respectively. The hike follows India’s global revision of the Passports (Amendment) Rules and the hand-over of processing to a new service provider, Alhind Tours & Travels, under the banner of Indian Consular Application Centres (ICAC). All previous outsourcing vendors have been replaced, and applicants must book appointments through ICAC’s unified portal. With more than 3.5 million Indian citizens living in the UAE, mobility advisers warn of near-term appointment bottlenecks as biometric collection sites transition to the new operator. Employers should budget higher renewal costs for staff and accompanying dependants and allow extra lead-time for residence-visa stamping, which requires a valid passport with six-month validity. The fee jump coincides with the July school-holiday exodus and Etihad Rail’s passenger launch, putting additional pressure on passport offices. Consular officials say walk-in submissions will not be accepted during the first fortnight of the switchover. Companies running group relocations are advised to schedule bulk-passport renewals after mid-July and monitor ICAC appointment release windows, which open 14 days in advance.
Source: Gulf News
