The Supreme Court of India has cleared the way for temporary arrangements to continue passport, visa and consular services at Indian diplomatic missions in the UAE, Kuwait, Singapore and Canberra, a move expected to help prevent delays for millions of overseas Indians.
The ruling allows the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to appoint interim service providers while a fresh tender process is carried out for Consular, Passport and Visa (CPV) services.
For the UAE, the decision means the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai may ask Alhind Tours and Travels to resume providing outsourced consular services if they determine that its previous performance was satisfactory. The arrangement will remain in place only until a new contract is awarded.
The Supreme Court issued the order after dismissing the Union Government’s appeal against a Delhi High Court judgment that had earlier set aside the tender process for outsourcing CPV services at the four Indian missions.
Although the court upheld the High Court’s decision to cancel the disputed tender, it also recognised the importance of ensuring that essential services continue without interruption for Indian citizens living abroad.
In its order, the Supreme Court said the Ministry of External Affairs may continue with the existing L-1 contractors where their performance has been satisfactory or appoint another suitable agency to provide services during the interim period.
The court also made it clear that the temporary arrangement would not grant any special rights or future advantage to any service provider participating in the process. Once a fresh tender is completed, the successful bidder will take over the operations.
The decision is expected to bring relief to Indian expatriates in the UAE, where demand for passport renewals, visa applications, attestation services and other consular work remains consistently high. Any disruption in outsourced services can result in longer waiting times for appointments and document processing.
The UAE is home to one of the largest Indian communities outside India, with millions of citizens relying on the country’s diplomatic missions for a wide range of official services each year.
Consular, Passport and Visa services at Indian missions are largely handled through outsourced agencies that assist applicants with documentation, appointment scheduling and application processing before the final decisions are made by embassy and consulate officials.
The Supreme Court’s order is intended to ensure that these services continue without interruption while the Ministry of External Affairs completes a fresh and legally compliant procurement process.
The ruling also provides flexibility to Indian missions in selecting an interim operator based on operational requirements and past performance, allowing embassies and consulates to maintain service standards during the transition period.
Officials are now expected to begin implementing the interim arrangements while preparations for the new tender process move forward.
