The Supreme Court of India has upheld the Delhi High Court’s decision to cancel the Ministry of External Affairs’ (MEA) tender process for outsourcing passport, visa and consular services at Indian missions in Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Singapore and Canberra.

A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant dismissed the Centre’s appeal, directing the MEA to comply with the High Court’s ruling and complete a fresh tender process within three months.

To ensure there is no disruption to services, the Supreme Court allowed the MEA to continue with the existing service providers or temporarily engage the lowest (L-1) bidders whose contracts had previously been set aside. The ministry may also make any other suitable interim arrangements until the new tender process is completed.

The court clarified that these temporary measures will not create any legal rights for any party and will remain in place only until fresh contracts are awarded.

According to legal reports, the Bench, which also included Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana, heard arguments from Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on behalf of the Union Government, along with senior advocates representing the private companies involved in the case.

The ruling means the MEA must restart the tender process while following the directions issued by the Delhi High Court.

Meanwhile, due to the ongoing legal proceedings, Indian diplomatic missions in Abu Dhabi and Dubai have been providing passport and consular services directly from their premises, ensuring that services for the Indian community in the UAE continue without interruption.

Indian expats in the UAE waiting to renew their passports or access other consular services could face continued delays after the Why Indian passport renewals in the UAE could face longer delaysCourt ordered a fresh tender process for outsourced consular operations.

The ruling affects the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai, as well as Indian missions in Kuwait, Singapore and Australia.

The court cancelled the previously awarded contract and directed India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to issue fresh Requests for Proposal (RFPs) within one month.

Why did the court intervene?

The case was brought by two companies that were eliminated during the technical evaluation stage of the bidding process.

While they did not challenge the technical assessment itself, they argued that the evaluation lacked transparency.

The Delhi High Court agreed, ruling that the authorities had failed to disclose how technical marks were awarded, effectively invalidating the tender process.

What happens now?

The contract had been awarded to Alhind Tours & Travels, which was due to take over consular operations from July 1 after submitting the lowest financial bid.

The Kerala-based company had already prepared to operate 16 service centres across the UAE, including a large facility in Bur Dubai with more than 45 service counters.

However, following the court’s ruling, Alhind can no longer formally assume the contract until a fresh tender process is completed.

How are passport services operating now?

Since July 1, passport, visa and other consular services have been handled directly by the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General in Dubai, marking the first time in 17 years that the missions have managed these services in-house.

The missions currently process applications for:

• Passport renewals
• Visa services
• Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards
• Police Clearance Certificates (PCC)
• Surrender Certificates (SC)
• Global Entry Programme (GEP) verification
• Document attestation

Authorities have also warned applicants against unauthorised agents claiming to secure appointments, stressing that bookings through the official portal are free of charge.

Will services be disrupted?

The High Court said existing service providers may be allowed to continue temporarily to minimise disruption, but the final decision now rests with the Indian missions and the Ministry of External Affairs.

Until a new tender is completed and a service provider is officially appointed, applicants may continue to experience longer waiting times for appointments and document processing.

Indian nationals in the UAE will have to pay more for passport and related consular services from July 1, following a revision in fees announced by the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai.

The new charges apply to passport applications submitted through the embassy, consulate and the new Indian Consular Application Centres (ICACs) across the UAE.

Why are the fees increasing?

The revised charges follow updated passport rules introduced by India’s Ministry of External Affairs on June 20. The new fee structure applies to Indian passport services worldwide, including in the UAE.

What are the new passport fees?

The revised fees are as follows:

• 36-page passport (new or renewal): Dh450
• 60-page passport (new or renewal): Dh630
• 36-page Tatkal passport: Dh900
• 60-page Tatkal passport: Dh1,080
• Replacement of a lost or damaged 36-page passport: Dh900
• Tatkal replacement of a lost or damaged 36-page passport: Dh1,350
• Replacement of a lost or damaged 60-page passport: Dh1,080
• Tatkal replacement of a lost or damaged 60-page passport: Dh1,530

Who will be affected?

The revised fees apply to all eligible passport applications submitted from July 1, including:

• New passport applications.
• Passport renewals.
• Tatkal (urgent) applications.
• Replacement of lost or damaged passports.

What should applicants do?

If you’re planning to apply for or renew your Indian passport in the UAE, check the revised fees before booking your appointment.

The updated charges will apply at:

• Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi.
• Consulate General of India, Dubai.
• Indian Consular Application Centres (ICACs) across the UAE.

With around 4.5 million Indians living in the UAE, the revised fee structure will affect one of the country’s largest overseas communities.