Not BLS anymore: Al Hind takes over Indian passport and visa services in the UAE
From 1 July 2026, Indian passport, visa and OCI services for the UAE's 4.3 million Indians moved from BLS International to Al Hind — across 16 new centres, at a flat Dh19 fee. What changes for applicants.
Indians in the United Arab Emirates who need a new passport, a visa stamp or an OCI card now go to a different door. From 1 July 2026, Indian consular services across the UAE passed from BLS International — the contractor since 2011 — to Al Hind Tours and Travels, which has opened 16 new Indian Consular Application Centres across all seven emirates, Gulf News reported.
The change touches a lot of people. The UAE is home to more than 4.3 million Indians, the largest single Indian community abroad, and these centres handle the paperwork that runs their lives there: passport applications and renewals, visas, OCI cards, police clearance certificates and document attestation.
The new network leans towards the capital — six centres in Abu Dhabi, two each in Dubai and Sharjah, and one each in Ajman, Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, Khor Fakkan and Kalba. Al Hind has advertised a flat, all-inclusive fee of 19 dirhams a transaction, appointments within five working days and processing of about half an hour at the counter. The contract runs three years, with annual performance reviews.
For applicants, the takeaway is simple: the old BLS and SGIVS centres are no longer the place to go. Confirm your nearest new centre before you set out for it.
India's consular paperwork is going digital too: the e-OCI card is now live.
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