BLS and SGIVS are no longer in the UAE: India Transfers Visa and Passport Services to the Embassy
Indian passport, visa and attestation services in the UAE have entered a major transition. The Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi appointed Al Hind Tours and Travels LLC as the new outsourced service provider, replacing the previous arrangements involving BLS International and SGIVS Global. The planned transition took effect from 1 July 2026.
BLS International and SGIVS Global are no longer able to provide passport, visa, or attestation services to Indian nationals residing in the United Arab Emirates. The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Indian Consulate General in Dubai have been offering passport, visa, and attestation services from their own locations since July 1, 2026.
Additionally, the Embassy emphasizes that it does not authorize any agency to collect booking costs and cautions applicants against paying any third party for appointments.
Embassy Issues Warning.
The guideline clearly states that:
The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Indian Consulate General in Dubai are no longer served by BLS International or SGIVS Global.
It is not authorized for anyone to make appointments on behalf of the Embassy or Consulate.
No person or organization that promises quicker appointments should be paid by applicants.
The official routes for contacting the Embassy or Consulate should be used by anyone who has been duped or overcharged.
This is indicative of a broader trend among Indian embassies abroad to have less reliance on outsourced appointment systems and more control over digital consular services.
What Does This Mean for Indians in the UAE?
The shift impacts thousands of Indian expatriates who visit the UAE on a regular basis to renew passports, seek for visas, and get document attested.
Passengers flying from major Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi, Chennai, and Ahmedabad to Abu Dhabi or Dubai should be advised that appointment procedures have changed.
If you have an upcoming consular appointment, ensure sure it was scheduled through the official government portal rather than through an intermediary.
Travunited Take:
We believe that this is a realistic step for Indian applicants in the UAE. I would always use the official gateway because free appointments provide no reason to trust agents or pay extra.
