Alhind's ICACs Launch New Sunday Passport Collection Counter for Indian Expats in the UAE

Indian nationals living in the UAE who struggle to collect their passports during the working week now have an easier option. All 16 Indian Consular Application Centres (ICACs) operated by Alhind Global Services across the UAE have introduced a dedicated Sunday counter for passport collection.

What’s Changing

The new counter runs from 10am to noon every Sunday and is meant solely for picking up already-processed passports  it is not available for submitting new applications, since the centres remain closed to applications on Sundays. The initiative was rolled out last week with backing from the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Indian Consulate in Dubai, and arrives as Alhind’s ICAC network completes two months of operations.

Outside of the new Sunday slot, ICACs continue to operate their regular hours of 8am to 6pm, Monday through Saturday.

Who It Helps

The change is aimed at UAE residents who find it hard to visit a centre on weekdays because of work commitments, as well as those who don’t want to wait until Monday for courier delivery of an urgently needed passport. It should be particularly useful for people who need to travel on short notice, or who need their passport back quickly to complete a visa or Emirates ID application.

A Smoother Two Months

The Sunday service comes at a point when Alhind’s ICAC operations appear to have stabilised. The centres opened on 22 July, later than originally planned after legal disputes over the tender process delayed a scheduled 1 July start, and the first few weeks were marked by long queues and processing delays.

According to the Indian missions, the entire early backlog has now been cleared, appointment slots are freely available, and day-to-day operations across all 16 centres are running smoothly. Demand has been significant: in the centres’ first month (22 July to 22 August), more than 53,000 consular services were processed, of which roughly 44,000 were passport-related.

Other Services Available

Walk-in appointments continue to be offered to specific categories of applicants, including those needing Tatkal (urgent) passports, newborns, emergency certificate applicants, senior citizens aged 60 and above, and people of determination.

All ICACs handle passport and visa applications as well as attestation of Indian documents. Appointments can be booked through the consularsevainuae.com portal, with new slots released daily at 9am and 9pm. The centres also offer paid support services  including form-filling help, photographs, photocopying and courier  for a flat fee of Dh19, reducing the need for applicants to rely on outside agents for routine tasks.