Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions

• Q1. What should one check when they received their new issued passport?

  Ans. On receiving the new passport one should check if all the information provided i.e.name, address, date of birth, gender, place of birth, place of issue, parents / spouse name, signature is accurate, correct and legible. Check if the photograph is proper and clear. Check for stamps and signature of the Passport issuing authority. Check if the lamination is proper. Any discrepancy notices should be reported immediately before using this passport for travel.

• Q2. I am presently residing in UAE. I got my passport when I was on my Delhi address. Now I have shifted to Bangalore. Should I change my address in the passport? …. If change is required, what are the documents required and how much time will it take?

  Ans. It is recommended to have the correct and present address on your passport. In this case the Indian Mission issues a new passport. You will need to fill online passport application form and submit all valid proof of your new Residential address to incorporate the new address onto your passport. You could check specific details in the Change of Address Checklist, Consulate General of India, Dubai and Change of Address Checklist, Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi available on our website.

• Q3. I don't have ECNR stamp in my Passport. Can I get it on the basis of my provisional matriculation or above certificate issued by the University/Board concerned?

  Ans. The Indian Mission is no longer affixing ECNR stamp in passports. In fact it is not even printed in most of the new passport booklets unless otherwise on special cases which is on the discretion of the mission. Currently, only ECR stamp is being put in passports if applicant is not eligible for ECNR.

  However, if you wish to change to an ECNR status - you should possess qualification of Matriculation or above from a recognized University / Education Board of India. You can also get ECNR status on the basis of provisional matriculation certificate if the mark sheets of all semesters of your course are available with you.

  Applicants who do not have educational certificates should have stayed abroad for more than 3 years excluding the period(s) of visit to India or should be a dependent who is below 18 years and whose parents have ECNR status in their passports or should be a person (he/she) whose spouse has ECNR status in his or her passport or should be above 50 years of age

  You can visit the checklist available for Cancellation of ECR Status

• Q4. I got my passport 2 years ago, but was married recently. Should I include my spouse's name in my passport? If so, what is the procedure?

  Ans. It is recommended to include your spouse's name in your passport. For this, one has to fill an online passport application form along with original marriage certificate duly attested from concerned state home department where the marriage is registered, photocopy of spouse's passport (if he / she has one). You can visit our website for the checklist available for Adding Spouse name in your passport

• Q5. How many pages passport can one apply for and what are its charges.

  
  

  Ans. One can apply for either 36 pages of 60 pages. Please click here for Passport Fee

• Q6. Can one renew the passport if the UAE Residency Visa is expired?

  
  

  Ans. Yes one can renew passport if UAE Residency Visa has expired. Please click here for the guidelines on Passport requirement

• Q7. Can one renew a UAE Issued passport if he or she is on a Visit Visa?

  
  

  Ans. Passport application for renewal can be submitted only with a valid UAE Residency Visa or if he / she have received a job offer letter along with valid company trade license copy. For more information on other relevant documents to be submitted along with passport application for renewal of passport please click here.

• Q8. Can one continue using hand written passport which has validity beyond 24th November, 2015

  
  

  Ans. Indian citizens living in India and abroad are advised to urgently replace their handwritten passports with machine-readable passports. The international civil Aviation organization (ICAO) has set a deadline of the 24th November, 2015 for globally phasing out of all non-Machine Readable Passports (MRPs). Thereafter, foreign Governments may deny Visa or entry to any person travelling on a non-Machine Readable Passport. If he or she has a validity of a hand written passport beyond 24th November, 2015 he or she has to apply for a new passport.

• Q9. Can one travel to India from UAE if an Indian Citizen does not have a valid Visa or Passport

  
  

  Ans. In a situation where one does not have a valid Visa or Passport in UAE, he or she can apply for an Emergency Certificate or Temporary Passport which is valid for 1 trip to Indian within 6 months.

• Q10. Can an Indian Citizen travel to Israel from UAE with the Indian Passport

  
  

  Ans. Yes one can travel to Israel from UAE on procuring a special Passport for Israel. For more information please visit the nearest BLS Centers or call the call center at 04 387 5777.

• Q11. Can an Indian citizen hold dual country passport.

  
  

  Ans. Indian citizen are not allowed to hold an Indian Passport along with a passport of another nationality. However one can opt to get Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) to Persons of Indian Origin (PIO), however this will be on surrendering of Indian Passport. Please refer to the guidelines on our website for Surrendering of Indian Passport: Guideline for surrendering of Indian Passport, Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi and Consulate General of India, Dubai. PIOs of certain categories that migrated from India and acquired citizenship of a foreign country other than Pakistan and Bangladesh are eligible for grant of OCI as long as their home countries allow for dual citizenship in some form or the other under their local laws.

• Q12. When can we visit BLS Centers

  
  

  Ans. BLS International Services Center is open from 09.00 AM to 06.00 PM – Monday to Saturday (exception being the Holidays observed by BLS International UAE).

  Applicants are requested to book appointments online before visiting BLS center. Please Click Here for scheduling appointments

• Q13. I have a one-month-old baby? Does the baby require a separate passport or his/her name can be endorsed in one of the parents' passport?

  
  

  Ans. Endorsement of child's name in parents' passports is not allowed anymore. As per the amended law, minors should have separate passports. You can visit our website and check requirements for "Registration of Child birth in Dubai" and "Registration of Child birth in Abu Dhabi"

• Q14. In case of a minor child passport, whose mother is in India and father in UAE, whether father should submit consent to mother to apply for a passport? If so, what is the procedure?

  
  

  Ans. Yes. Consent of the spouse, who is in the UAE (abroad), is required for submitting the Passport application. It should be in the form of a Sworn Affidavit issued by IVS Global, UAE duly attested by the Indian Mission in UAE (if parent has residency visa of Dubai, he will have to get the Sworn Affidavit from IVS Global Dubai with attestation from Consulate General of India, Dubai and in case of residency visa from Abu Dhabi then Sworn Affidavit from IVS Global, Abu Dhabi attested by Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi)

• Q15. What is the difference between Re-issue and Renewal of a passport?

  
  

  Ans. Re-issue & Renewal of passport is getting a fresh passport. There are no endorsement services available as all passports need to be Machine Readable Passport.

• Q16. My passport expired 5 years ago. Can I renew it? What is the procedure for it?

  
  

  Ans. Yes you can avail a new passport on providing the following – One application form along with original/photocopy of your expired passport, proof of your residence/address (tenancy contract). However, since the passport has expired 5 years ago, prior approval of Indian Mission UAE is required along with Sworn Affidavit from IVS Global for late submission. You can visit our website and check "Other Information section in Passport requirements for Dubai and Passport Requirement for Abu Dhabi

• Q17. What documents are required when there is a change in name on account of Divorce?

  
  

  Ans. Following documents are required to be submitted along with passport application to change name in passport in case of Divorce

  • In case of Change back to Maiden Surname

    Certified copy of Divorce Decree/Court order (duly attested from the family court where the divorce took place); or Divorce Certificate from Jama-at / Kazi etc (duly attested from state home department where the divorce took place), in accordance with Personal Law in respect of Muslims. In case of decree or court order is provided in any other language other than English, it needs to be translated in legal English language.

  • Deed Poll / Sworn Affidavit regarding change of name.
  • Proof of Maiden Name. (in case of no proof available for maiden name, please follow name change procedure

  • In case of complete name change after divorce

    Please refer to the guidelines provided in "Name Change procedure"

  • In case of change in name on remarriage

    Please refer to the guidelines provided in "Change in name for Remarried Cases"

• Q18. Is it mandatory to submit Birth Certificate in cases of those who are born on or after 26.01.1989?

  
  

  Ans. Yes, Birth Certificate issued by Registrar of Births only is acceptable for those born on or after 26.01.1989.

• Q19. In a case of a Muslim passport holder, whether entry of second wife name is allowed on passport.

  
  

  Ans. Yes. But name of the first wife name will remain on the passport if divorce is not obtained.

• Q20. Should fees be charged for miscellaneous services when a person applies for them at the same time as he applies for a new passport, either for the first time or on expiry of the previous passport?

  Ans. No additional fee should be charged for various miscellaneous services such as change of name, change of address, ECNR stamp etc. when these services are applied for in conjunction with the application for a new passport. The fee for a new passport is a consolidated fee covering all these services.

• Q21. What about Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) if it is applied for in conjunction with the application for a new passport? Should the charge for miscellaneous service be levied on this occasion?

  Ans. Yes. Issue of PCC is a distinct miscellaneous service and does not form an integral part of the passport. This service should be applied for on a separate form EAP-II and the relevant fee should be charged in addition to the fee for issue of fresh passport. It is recommended to go for renewal of passport first if your current passport is close to expiry for that the new passport # gets mentioned in the PCC.

• Q22. When should the miscellaneous service charge prescribed respectively under items 11 and 12 of Schedule IV to the Passport Rules be charged?

  • Ans. Miscellaneous services have been consolidated into those which do or do not require issue of a fresh passport booklet. Any miscellaneous service which requires a fresh booklet to be issued will be charged as per the new booklet charges. This would cover services involving change of entry on the laminated front and back (inner) covers of the passport, like change of name, change of photograph etc. This would also apply when an additional booklet is issued when pages of the old booklet are exhausted.
  • All other miscellaneous services on ordinary passports where only an endorsement (addition of 2nd wife's name of a Muslim) on the passport is required will be charged separately as per the prescribed fee.
  • EXCEPTION:- In the case of replacement of lost or damaged passport, involving issue of a new passport booklet, the fee will be charged separately
• Q23. What is the fee to be charged in case of replacement of lost or damaged passport?

  Ans. In case the lost or damaged passport's additional AED 570 is charged excluding passport fees. Please visit the website to check passport fees

• Q24. Can legal guardians apply for the passport of a minor?

  Ans. A Legal guardian can apply for the passport of a minor child provided he/she submits besides the standard documents, a certified copy of the court order appointing him/her as the legal guardian. Prior approval from Indian Mission, UAE is also required. Presence of the child and the legal guardian is mandatory while submitting the passport application.

• Q25. What is the Processing Time for Passports submitted to the Indian Mission?

  Ans. Processing time starts from the next day of submission. As our work is administrative in nature, we are not in a position to guarantee the issuance of a passport. Issuance of Passport is determined only by the Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi or Consulate General of India, Dubai.

• Q26. What are the "Other Service" provided by BLS INTERNATIONAL?

  Ans. Other services provided by BLS International are optional and is provided for the convenience of the applicants. Premium Lounge Service (AED 225 per applicant)

  S.No.	Other Services	Pricing
  1.	Form filling for New Passport, other consular and miscellaneous services	AED 30 per Form.
  2.	Form Filling for Online Visa Application Form	AED 30 per Form.
  3.	Form filling for Lost / Damaged Passport	AED 30 per Form.
  4.	Photocopy	AED 1 per copy.
  5.	Photographs (We do not click photos for New Born Babies)	AED 30 for 6 photographs.
  6.	Courier Service	AED 30 per shipment delivery
  7.	SMS Alerts	AED 7

  For visiting the page "Other Service" please click here

• Q25. Can an applicant in the UAE on a tourist visa apply for an Indian Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)?

  Ans. Yes, Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) can be issued to an applicant who is in the UAE on a tourist visa.

• Q28. Can an applicant in the UAE on a tourist visa apply for the Extraction of Birth Registration (EBR)?

  Ans. Yes. EBR can be issued to the applicant who was born in the UAE, even if he/she is currently in the country on a tourist visa.

• Q29. Can a birth certificate or EBR be accepted for applicants born in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, or Dubai at any center?

  Ans. The Registration of Birth can be submitted at any BLS center, regardless of the place of birth.

  However, the ..

• Q30. Can a miscellaneous certificate for amending a birth certificate be accepted at any center for applicants born in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, or Dubai?

  Ans. No, the applicant must submit the application at a center within the jurisdiction where the child's birth was originally registered.