If you are a Non-Resident Indian (NRI), living in the UAE for a long time, you have the option to provide your local UAE address in your passport.
This service was introduced in the UAE in 2020 and allows Indian citizens living abroad who do not have a valid or permanent address in India to add a local address in their country of residence. Here is how you can use this service as an Indian living in the UAE.
You will need to apply for a new passport
According to the announcement made by the Indian Consulate in 2020, UAE expatriates who wish to provide their local UAE address on their passport would need to apply for a new passport. According to the announcement, a change in address cannot be made in existing passports.
Step 1: Fill in the application to change your address on your Indian passport
There are two ways you can fill out the application:
1. In-person – through BLS International Services UAE, which is the Consulate General of India’s (CGI) official outsourcing service provider. You must visit any of the BLS service centers, the locations for which are provided below.
If you go to a BLS center, you must request the form to change your address in your passport, you will be required to fill out the EAP II form (Application Form For Miscellaneous Services On Indian Passport).
2. Online – through the website of ‘Passport Seva at Indian Embassies and Consulates’ – portal5.passportindia.gov.in. You can fill out the application form online to ‘re-issue an ordinary passport with a new address’. Once you have completed the form, take a printout and complete the rest of the process by visiting a BLS service center.
Step 2: Visit the BLS center to provide your address information and details for Police Verification
Once you are at the BLS center, you will need to submit the form, if you have filled it out online. If you start the application process at the center itself, you will then be asked to provide your local address which will be printed on your passport.
This includes your emirate of residence, street name, area, house number, mobile number, and email address.
You must also provide one Indian address, which is required for police verification. According to the Passport Seva website, at this stage you can give your parent’s or relative’s India address.
Police verification is a mandatory part of the process of passport renewal for Indian expatriates, as per India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Step 3: Provide the required documents for proof of address
Once you have filled in your address details, you must provide the following documents to prove your residency in the UAE:
1. Original valid passport.
2. Registered tenancy contract or title deed if you own the villa or apartment. You must have stayed in that rented or purchased property for more than one year, to be able to apply for this service.
3. Valid Emirates ID.
4. Utilities bill from the electricity and water authority in your emirate.
• For Dubai residents – Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa).
• For Abu Dhabi residents – Abu Dhabi Distribution Company (ADDC).
• For Sharjah residents – Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (Sewa).
• For residents of Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, and Dhaid region in Sharjah – Etihad Water and Electricity (ETIHAD WE)
You will also need to submit your current passport at this stage. Once your request is approved, you will receive your previous passport as well as the newly issued passport via courier.
Step 4: Pay the fees
This includes the overall cost of the service, including the courier fee:
• Dh415 – if you used a standard BLS center.
• Dh650 – if you used the premium BLS lounges.
Processing time
It will take around 10 to 15 working days to complete the service. However, it is up to the discretion of the Consulate General of India to approve the request. You will be notified by SMS when the process is complete.
BLS Centres in the UAE
Abu Dhabi
1. Shams Boutik Mall, Level 1, Shop No 32, Al Rayfah Street, Al Reem Island, Abu Dhabi.
Timings – 9 am to 6 pm
Lunch break – 12 pm to 1 pm
2. Cubes Park Block – 4, Entrance – D, Mezzanine Floor (M-10), Mussaffah Industrial Area (M 25), Mussaffah, Abu Dhabi
Timings: 7 am to 4 pm
Lunch break: 12 pm to 1 pm
Dubai
1. Shop No# 13, Ground Floor, Zeenah Building، Opposite to Deira City Center P3 Parking.
Timings – 8 am to 5 pm
Lunch break – 12 to 1 pm.
2. Unit no 118 -119, Mezzanine floor Al Khaleej Center, Opposite Al Ain Center, Mankhool Road, Bur Dubai.
Timings – 9 am to 6 pm
Lunch break: 1 pm – 2 pm
Sharjah
Office No.11, Mezzanine Floor, Abdul Aziz Majid Building – King Faisal St – Sharjah.