Indian passport delays in UAE to end soon
04:44AM Tue 24 Jun, 2014
Abu Dhabi: India’s diplomatic missions in the UAE expect to receive more passport booklets soon.
Indian missions in the UAE used to issue between 1,100 and 1200 passports a day, but shortage of booklets in India has caused delays in passport issuance and renewal. Between 260,000 and 290,000 passports are issued every year. The shortage of lamination papers at the Indian Security Press (ISP) in Nasik, where passports are printed, has caused the problem.
“We are in touch with officials in India and expect to receive more booklets soon to solve the problem in the UAE,” T.P Seetharam, Indian Ambassador to the UAE, told Gulf News on Monday.
The Indian embassy earlier estimated that delays might continue till the end of July, but the latest feedback from India suggests an early resolution to the problem.
The envoy pointed out that the shortage of both the 36-page ordinary booklet and 64-page jumbo booklet has affected passport offices in India as well as Indian diplomatic missions.
Applicants may, however, be issued only the 64-page passport due to non-availability of ordinary passport in the next few weeks. Ordinary passports cost Dh285 while jumbo passports cost Dh380.
Embassy sources said passports issued in Abu Dhabi and Dubai are renewed from the same office in 5-7 working days. The process can now take two weeks or more. Passports issued from other passport offices were renewed within 40 days. The renewal of such passports may not be delayed.
Indian expatriates who applied for passport renewal are concerned about their summer vacation plans going awry. “I had submitted my passport for renewal on June 15,” Abdul Razak, 40, an Abu Dhabi resident said. “I will be travelling to Indian with my family on July 15. I hope this delay does not disrupt my travel plans.”
T.P Seetharam said BLS International, the outsourcing agency that handles Indian passport issuance and renewal, will continue to accept applications.
Indian media reports said the paper and the lamination used for passports are imported. The first shipment of lamination films arrived on June 9 and a full scale supply is expected soon, according to Indian media reports.
When raw materials get exhausted, the press has to float a tender and when foreign companies are involved, the verification process takes time. Even after a contract is signed, the manufacturer needs lead time to produce the material. Earlier, an Italian company was contracted for the lamination film. Now the contract has been given to a German company,
An increased demand for passports also causes delays. India issued to 8.5 million passports in 2013 while the issuance can reach 10 million this year.
Gulf News
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