Indian Passport Fees for UAE Applicants Rise Sharply From July 1, 2026
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Starting July 1, 2026, Indian nationals living in the UAE will have to pay significantly more for passport-related services. The Ministry of External Affairs announced the revision, and it has been confirmed by the Consulate General of India in Dubai as applicable across the UAE.
The new rates cover a wide range of services, including fresh passport applications, renewals, Tatkaal urgent processing, replacement of lost or damaged passports, minor passports, and Police Clearance Certificates. Almost every category has seen an increase, though the size of the hike varies depending on the type of service.
Some of the increases are steep. A standard adult passport with 36 pages now costs Dh450 instead of Dh285, a jump of nearly 58 percent. The biggest rise in absolute terms applies to replacing a lost or damaged 60-page passport under the normal process, where fees have gone up by Dh415, translating to roughly Rs 10,695 more.
Even urgent Tatkaal services, which are meant to speed up processing for people in a hurry, have become costlier, though the increases there are comparatively smaller than for standard processing or lost-passport replacement.
This is not a routine adjustment. According to the report, this is the first time passport fees have been revised since 2012, meaning applicants have effectively been paying old rates for well over a decade before this change.
There is some relief built into the new structure. A 10 percent discount has been introduced for fresh passport applications made by children up to eight years old and senior citizens above 60. However, this discount will not apply if someone is simply renewing an existing passport rather than applying fresh.
The timing of this fee change coincides with another major shift: passport and consular services in the UAE are moving to a new outsourcing partner, Al Hind Tours and Travels LLC, which will take over handling passport, visa, and consular service delivery. Applicants should note that besides the government fee itself, they will also need to pay Indian Community Welfare Fund charges and separate service charges set by this outsourcing partner, which have not yet been announced.
Anyone planning to apply for a passport or related service in the UAE is advised to check the latest confirmed rates directly with the Consulate before submitting an application, since additional charges beyond the government fee will apply once the new outsourcing arrangement is finalized.
Why it matters
The UAE is home to one of the largest overseas Indian communities, and passport services there affect everyday needs like travel, employment, and identity verification for millions of people. A sudden and substantial fee hike, especially one coming after 14 years without any change, directly increases the cost of essential government services for this diaspora. Combined with the shift to a new service outsourcing partner and yet-to-be-announced additional charges, applicants face both higher costs and some uncertainty about the total expense of getting or renewing a passport, making it important for them to stay informed before applying.
Test yourself
1. When did the revised Indian passport fees for UAE applicants come into effect?
2. Which government body announced the revised passport fees?
3. By approximately what percentage did the cost of a standard 36-page adult passport increase?
4. Which service saw the steepest absolute fee increase according to the report?
5. How long had it been since passport fees were last revised before this change?
6. Who benefits from the newly introduced 10 percent discount on fresh passport applications?
7. Does the 10 percent discount apply to passport renewals?
8. Which company will take over passport, visa, and consular service handling in the UAE?
9. Besides the government passport fee, what additional charges must applicants pay?
10. What advice does the report give to applicants regarding the new fees?
Your notes
Source: The Indian Express