In a significant move, the Indian missions announced a plan to establish a new unified service centre under the Indian Consular Application Centre (ICAC) to enhance their consular services for Indian expatriates in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The upcoming centre will open its doors in the second quarter of this year and will have 14 branches throughout the UAE, according to a Gulf News report.

The Indian issued another tender document to find operators for ICAC that will integrate all consular services into one facility. Approximately four million Indian nationals in the UAE along with foreign citizens, in need of an Indian visa, will benefit from this new system.

The embassy currently uses BLS International services for passport and visa applications and IVS Global for document attestation services. The Indian Embassy and Consulate in Dubai operate selected direct management of services in addition to their other duties. The new program aims to merge all these services into a simplified unified system.

The proposed Indian Consular Application Center (ICAC) will advance consular services through operational excellence and increased accessibility together with better transparency. The Indian diplomatic missions have established stringent service standards that minimize waiting time while guaranteeing smooth operations.

The enhanced service features of other systems include:

• A new updated online website for booking appointment services

• Quick appointment slots within five days

•  A turnaround time of 30 minutes for each application processed at the ICAC

• According to the Request for Proposal (RFP), service providers who fail to provide efficient requirements to applicants may face potential financial fines.

From January 2022 to December 2024 Indian embassies processed 1,584,174 transactions while completing an average of 1,760 transactions on a daily basis.

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The Indian Embassy plans to establish 14 ICAC branches throughout the UAE to provide easier access for its Indian citizens. The designated locations include:

• Abu Dhabi: Al Khalidiya, Al Reem, and Musaffah

• Al Ain

• Ghayathi

• Dubai: Bur Dubai and JLT, Marina

• Sharjah: Al Majaz

• Ajman: Al Jurf

• Fujairah

• Umm Al Quwain

• Khor Fakkan: Corniche, Subaru

• Kalba

• Ras Al Khaimah: Nakheel, Khujan, Mareed.

A previous tender for the ICAC project was issued during 2023 however the planned launch date for January 2024 did not materialize. The authorities decided to cancel the tender due to technical issues.

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