The Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai now direct passport, visa and attestation applicants to a free official appointment portal. A July 10, 2026 notice also says the missions’ former outsourced providers are no longer authorized, making the booking channel and the place of service immediate decisions for UAE residents preparing travel documents.
The system is not identical at the two missions because Dubai has stopped walk in applications while Abu Dhabi retains a limited morning window. Applicants also need to arrive with completed forms, correct uploads, supporting documents and exact cash, so securing a portal slot is only the first part of the current process.
- Official portal: Appointments are booked at book.passportindiauae.com for passport, visa and attestation services.
- Booking cost: The missions say appointment booking is free and no third party is authorized to charge for a slot.
- Dubai rule: The Consulate General of India does not accept walk in applications under the current system.
- Abu Dhabi rule: Limited walk in service runs from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., with priority for newborn cases and Emergency Certificates.
- Slot timing: Fresh appointments for the next working day are released at 8 p.m. on the previous evening.
- Payment: Service fees are accepted in cash, and applicants are asked to carry exact change.
What changed in the UAE consular process
The Consulate General of India in Dubai says passport, visa and attestation services are being provided directly at the Indian missions for administrative reasons. The current direct arrangement follows the end of the former service providers’ contracts and a delay in the planned replacement system, leaving the missions to receive applicants at their own premises.
A July 6 announcement introduced the dedicated portal and set the operating rules for appointments, entry and limited walk in service. The July 10 notice then clarified that BLS International and SGIVS Global are no longer outsourced service providers for these services and that no person or agency is authorized to sell access to the appointment system.
That later warning is a material part of the traveler decision because a familiar company name is no longer proof that a booking channel is valid. Applicants are instructed to rely on the official missions, their verified channels and the dedicated portal rather than paying someone who claims to have appointment access.
The change covers more than Indian passport renewals because the direct mission process also includes visas and document attestation. UAE residents who are not Indian citizens may therefore encounter the system when seeking an Indian visa, while Indian nationals may use it for passport and other consular needs.
How the direct appointment portal works
The official booking address is book.passportindiauae.com, and the missions say no appointment fee is charged. Applicants should type or follow that exact official address from a mission notice because sponsored search results, forwarded messages and agent links can look convincing while leading to a different service.
Fresh slots for the next working day are released at 8:00 in the evening, according to the current mission guidance reported by Gulf News. The appointment period itself runs from 9:00 to 13:00, which makes evening availability and the next day’s travel time part of the planning decision.
A confirmed slot permits entry 15 minutes before the scheduled appointment time. Arriving much earlier does not create a separate queue advantage under the published rule, and arriving late risks turning a scarce appointment into an avoidable problem, so applicants should plan local transport around the stated entry window.
Only the applicant is normally allowed inside to reduce crowding. Minor applicants are the exception, with both parents required to be present, so families should not assume that one parent can complete the visit alone or that additional relatives can wait inside the mission.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi now have different walk in rules
Dubai is appointment only for passport, visa and attestation applications under the current notice. The Consulate General says there will be no walk in application, so a traveler who arrives without a confirmed portal slot should not expect a general queue to substitute for the missing appointment.
Applicants in Dubai are directed to Gate 1 in the July 6 mission notice for the current consular process. Because entry instructions changed during the transition, the safest approach is to review the latest Consulate notice again on the day of the visit and follow staff directions at the premises.
Abu Dhabi still offers limited walk in service from 9:00 to 11:00 at the Embassy, with priority given to newborn cases and Emergency Certificates. That is a narrow exception rather than a promise that every ordinary passport, visa or attestation request will be accepted without a booking.
The Embassy’s main gate on Al Safarat Street is the entry point for passport, visa and consular applications. Queries and document delivery questions are handled separately at the Consular Wing in Guardian Tower on Al Ishirah Street, so applicants should distinguish the application location from the inquiry location before ordering a taxi.
Preparing the application before the appointment
The missions ask applicants to arrive with a completely filled application form and all supporting documents. A portal confirmation does not replace the service specific form, identity evidence, photographs, copies or other materials required for the passport, visa or attestation request being submitted.
Passport forms are completed through the Passport Seva mission portal, not inside the appointment booking page. Applicants are told to read the upload instructions carefully and make sure the photograph, signature or thumb impression is clear and placed against the required white background before the in person visit.
Service fees are accepted only in cash under the current temporary process, and the missions advise applicants to carry exact change. Passport fees changed from July 1, so an old receipt, saved fee chart or agent message may not show the amount that applies to the current application.
Each applicant should confirm the fee and checklist for the exact service immediately before attending. A passport renewal, Emergency Certificate, visa and attestation request solve different problems, and combining their requirements can lead to missing evidence even when the appointment itself was booked correctly.
Why the no agent warning matters
The July 10 notice states that all appointment bookings through the official portal are free and that no third party is authorized to charge for them. It also asks people who were misled, overcharged or given false information by someone claiming mission affiliation to report the matter through official Embassy or Consulate channels.
That warning does not mean the underlying passport, visa or attestation service has no government fee. It separates the free act of reserving a time slot from the applicable service charge paid during the official process, a distinction applicants should keep clear when reviewing any request for money.
Applicants should preserve their confirmation, payment record and any suspicious message rather than relying on a verbal promise. The missions list a toll free number, WhatsApp channel and official email for help, providing a direct verification path when an instruction, fee request or claimed affiliation does not match the published notice.
A legitimate appointment should be visible through the official process and should not depend on paying an intermediary for early access. If the portal shows no slot, the safer response is to check the next release window or contact the mission, not to treat an agent’s claimed inventory as a separate official queue.
What the change means for travel planning
Document processing should be completed before a traveler commits to a nonrefundable departure that depends on the new passport, visa or attestation. The appointment is one step in the process and does not by itself establish when the finished document will be delivered or whether a visa will be issued.
Travelers booking between the UAE and India should keep the consular process separate from the airline’s own identity, baggage and check in rules. Deep Arrival’s IndiGo guide can help with the carrier side of the trip, but the airline cannot replace a mission appointment or decide whether a document application is complete.
Families need additional coordination because both parents are required to accompany a minor applicant under the current entry rule. That may affect work schedules, transport and the timing of any flight purchase, especially when appointment availability is released only one working day at a time.
Applicants traveling from another emirate should also account for the different walk in policy and physical locations. A morning drive to Abu Dhabi without the right service eligibility or a trip to Dubai without a confirmed appointment can consume substantial time without moving the application forward.
| If this describes you | Best next move | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Routine application in Dubai | Book the free official portal slot | Dubai does not accept walk in applications |
| Newborn or Emergency Certificate case in Abu Dhabi | Check the 9:00 to 11:00 priority window | These cases receive stated walk in priority |
| Minor applicant | Plan for both parents to attend | The current entry rule requires both parents |
| Agent offers a paid appointment | Do not pay and verify with the mission | Official appointment booking is free |
Applicants who cannot find a slot should use the next published release time and official support channels before changing travel plans. The mission has not promised that every applicant will obtain the first available day, so a document dependent trip needs time beyond the appointment search itself.
People with documents already submitted under an earlier arrangement should use the designated mission inquiry channel for delivery questions. Starting a second application or paying a former provider without confirmation could create confusion, while the current notice directs inquiries back to the Embassy and Consulate.
The direct system is described as an administrative arrangement during a provider transition, so its details may change again. Travelers should save the notice they relied on, then recheck the portal, gate instruction, walk in window, payment method and service checklist shortly before leaving home.
- Use the exact portal: Book only through book.passportindiauae.com and do not pay for appointment access.
- Choose the mission: Treat Dubai as appointment only and Abu Dhabi walk in service as a limited exception.
- Prepare first: Complete the correct form, uploads and supporting document set before the visit.
- Bring cash: Verify the current fee and carry exact change under the temporary direct process.
- Protect the trip: Avoid nonrefundable commitments that depend on an unissued passport or visa.
- Verify changes: Recheck official mission notices because the service arrangement is still transitional.
What to verify before leaving for the mission
As of July 2026, the exact portal, appointment confirmation and latest mission notice are the control checks for the visit. Verify the operating date, mission location, gate, entry time and whether the requested service is handled by appointment or within the limited Abu Dhabi walk in window.
Review the current form and document checklist for the exact service, then confirm the fee and cash requirement. Applicants should also inspect uploaded photographs, signatures and thumb impressions before travel because a correct portal reservation cannot repair an incomplete or unreadable application file.
Finally, confirm any document delivery question through the official mission channels rather than an old provider contact. The next material update to watch is the launch or revision of the planned replacement service system, which could alter where applications are collected and how appointments are released.
Where do UAE applicants book Indian passport, visa and attestation appointments?
The official missions direct applicants to book through book.passportindiauae.com. Appointment booking is free, although the underlying consular service may carry its normal government fee.
Can applicants walk into the Indian Consulate in Dubai?
No. The current mission notice says the Consulate General of India in Dubai does not accept walk in applications for passport, visa and attestation services.
Does the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi accept walk ins?
Limited walk in service is available from 9:00 to 11:00, with priority for newborn cases and Emergency Certificates. Other applicants are encouraged to reserve an appointment.
When are new appointment slots released?
The current guidance says slots for the next working day are released at 8:00 in the evening. Applicants should verify the portal because the schedule can change during the transition.
Can an agent charge for an official appointment slot?
No. The July 10 notice says no third party is authorized to charge for appointment booking and advises applicants to report false affiliation or overcharging through official channels.
