SOURCE :- SIASAT NEWS
Abu Dhabi: The Embassy of India in the UAE has launched an online appointment portal for passport, visa and attestation services, allowing applicants to book appointments before visiting the Embassy in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate General of India in Dubai..
Announced on Sunday, July 5, the new system is aimed at streamlining access to consular services and reducing waiting times at both missions.
Applicants can now reserve appointments online for passport, visa and attestation services.
According to the Embassy, applicants with confirmed appointments will be allowed to enter the premises 15 minutes before their scheduled time. To avoid overcrowding, only applicants will be permitted inside, except where both parents are required to accompany a minor.
At the Embassy in Abu Dhabi, applicants seeking Consular, Passport and Visa (CPV) services should enter through the main gate on Al Safarat Street. Queries related to document delivery and previously submitted applications will be handled at the Consular Wing in Guardian Tower on Al Ishirah Street.
At the Consulate General in Dubai, passport and visa applicants should enter through Gate No. 2, while Gate No. 1 will be used for attestation services and other consular enquiries.
Limited walk-in services remain
The Embassy said limited walk-in services will continue from 9 am to 11 am at both missions. Priority will be given to newborn cases and Emergency Certificates, while other applicants are encouraged to use the online appointment system.
Applicants must carry completed application forms, supporting documents and the applicable fee. Payments will continue to be accepted in cash only, and applicants have been advised to carry the exact amount.
Why services shifted to the Embassy and Consulate
The appointment portal comes as the Embassy and the Consulate continue to provide passport, visa, attestation and other consular services directly from their premises following a delay in the rollout of services by Alhind Tours and Travels Private Ltd.
Alhind was selected to operate the new Indian Consular Application Centres (ICACs) in the UAE from Wednesday, July 1. However, the transition was put on hold after the tender process became the subject of a legal dispute before the Delhi High Court.
The company has since said it is fully prepared to begin operations and has completed the setup of 16 application centres across the UAE. It added that services will commence once it receives authorisation from the Embassy.
SOURCE : SIASAT
