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UAE Indians welcome 5-day passport renewal process

Abu Dhabi - ‘Passport renewal in 5 days is like tatkal without fees’

The reduction in the renewal period of Indian passports has come as a big relief to residents in the capital. Now all applications, in normal cases, are being processed within five working days, compared to the earlier period of 40 days. The five-day renewal is a welcome move for those who cannot spare time for lengthy processing periods.
One resident, working on an offshore rig, said, “Yes, I am glad the process will be finished in five days flat.” He had rushed from the airport to the BLS centre — the outsourcing agency that processes passport and visa applications. “I just landed and my passport expires next month. I can only spare time till next week, before I go back to the rig, and then I return only in August. I was considering the tatkal service, but this new move has saved me time and money,” the gentleman, who wished to remain anonymous, said.
“This is akin to a tatkal service without paying the additional fees,” said Sanjay Kumar, another Abu Dhabi resident, said, referring to the fast-track passport renewal service. These are usually issued in two working days, but at an additional charge of Dh570.
‘Apply well in advance’
The Indian Embassy said the process has now been streamlined. “Earlier, there was a backlog of cases due to the lack of booklets. Now, to clear the number of applications piling up, we asked our staff to work on holidays. We can now process the applications in five days,” TP Seetharam, Indian Ambassador to the UAE, told Khaleej Times.
Processing times could exceed five days in certain cases, Seetharam pointed out, saying, “If a passport was issued, say, from Uttar Pradesh state, and a reference is needed, it may take more time. Ditto if the query is for details entered before data was computerised. But for regular applications, it will be just five working days.”
Requesting Indian nationals to apply for renewal well in advance, the Embassy has said passport renewal applications can be submitted upto a year before the actual expiry date.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com