No More BLS & SGIVS in UAE: India Shifts Passport and Visa Services to Embassy

Indian nationals in the UAE can no longer book passport, visa, or attestation services through BLS International or SGIVS Global. Since July 1, 2026, the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai have provided passport, visa, and attestation services directly from their own premises.

The Embassy also warns applicants not to pay any third party for appointments, stressing that it does not authorise any agency to charge booking fees.

Appointments Are Now Free and Direct

Applicants must now book passport, visa, and attestation appointments only through the official portal: https://book.passportindiauae.com

The Embassy offers appointment bookings free of charge and does not authorise any outside agency or representative to collect money or claim affiliation with the Indian missions.

Embassy Issues Warning

The advisory makes it clear that:

• BLS International and SGIVS Global no longer provide consular services for the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate General of India in Dubai.
• Anyone claiming to represent the Embassy or Consulate for appointment bookings is unauthorised.
• Applicants should not pay any individual or agency promising faster appointments.
• Anyone who has been misled or overcharged should report the matter through the Embassy’s or Consulate’s official contact channels.

This reflects a wider shift among Indian missions overseas towards greater control over digital consular services and reducing dependence on outsourced appointment systems.

What This Means for Indians in the UAE

The change affects thousands of Indian expatriates who regularly renew passports, apply for visas, or obtain document attestations in the UAE.

Travellers flying from major Indian cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi, Chennai, and Ahmedabad to Abu Dhabi or Dubai should be aware that appointment procedures have changed

If you have an upcoming consular appointment, make sure it has been booked through the official government portal and not through an intermediary.

Travelobiz Take:

We believe this is a practical move for Indian applicants in the UAE. I would use the official portal every time because free appointments leave little reason to trust agents or pay extra.