Indian nationals applying for passport services in the UAE will have to pay higher fees from July 1, with the Indian Consulate in Dubai confirming to Khaleej Times that the revised passport charges announced by the Government of India will also be implemented in the Emirates.
However, the exact fee structure in UAE currency and details of the application process will be announced in the coming weeks.
“The revised rates and procedure for passport services in the UAE will be shared by the concerned officials in the coming weeks,” an official at the Indian Consulate in Dubai told Khaleej Times.
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The confirmation follows a notification issued by India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), which has revised passport and related consular service fees at Indian missions abroad. The new charges will come into effect from July 1 and mark the first revision in passport fees since 2012.
Under the revised rules, the fee for a fresh or reissued 36-page passport under the normal scheme has been increased from Rs1,500 to Rs2,500, while the Tatkaal fee has gone up from Rs3,500 to Rs5,000.
The government has also revised charges for 60-page passports, passports issued in place of lost or damaged passports, passports for minors, Police Clearance Certificates (PCC), surrender certificates and other passport-related services.
The new framework also introduces a 10 per cent discount on fresh passport applications for children up to eight years of age and senior citizens above 60 years. The discount will not apply to passport reissues.
The fee revision comes at a time when passport and visa services for Indian nationals in the UAE are also undergoing a major change. From July 1, Al Hind Tours and Travels LLC will take over as the new outsourcing partner for Indian passport, visa and consular services in the UAE.
Source: Khaleej Times