Special Features
Indian Consulate
The Consulate General of India (CGI), Dubai, is located in Al Hamaria Diplomatic Enclave, Dubai. Its consular jurisdiction extends to Dubai and the five Northern Emirates of Sharjah, Ajman, Umm-Al-Quwain, Ras Al-Khaima and Fujairah.Working Hours The working hours of the CGI, Dubai are 8.00 am to 4.30 pm (Sunday to Thursday). Submission of documents by applicants for various services is from 8.00 am to 11.00 am. Documents for attestation are delivered to the applicants in the morning itself (15-20 minutes after submission). Passports are delivered to the applicants after service by Empost. Applicants availing Tatkal (emergency) service can collect their passports from designated counters, if they so desire. Empost service for delivery of passports is optional for visa applicants. Passports submitted for visas can be collected from the designated counters from 3.00 pm to 4.30 pm on the designated date for delivery.
Holidays CGI remains closed on Fridays and Saturdays and on designated Indian and UAE public holidays. The list of public holidays for the current year is attached. This is subject to modification on the basis of instruction received from Government of India from time to time.
The CGI also renders consular services on Fridays at the Indian Association premises at the five Northern Emirates mentioned above. Timings and other details of these services can be obtained from the respective Associations.
The CGI caters to the requirements of almost one million Indians residing in the various Emirates under its jurisdiction.
A 24 hour help line is available in emergencies mainly for death cases. A duty officer is deputed to handle such cases and can be contacted any time on telephone. (No. 050-7347676) CGI also solemnizes marriages of those Indians residing in UAE who for some reason cannot go to India and prefer to get married in UAE.
Consular officers regularly visit jails in Dubai and the Northern Emirates for providing consular access to Indian prisoners languishing in these jails. Teams from the consulate also visit hospitals and provide necessary consular service whenever required.
Various other miscellaneous consular services like tracing of missing Indians, interaction with Indian authorities regarding complaints of NRIs, serving of summons issued by Indian courts, sale/registration of ships and welfare of Indian seamen etc. are also provided by the Consulate.
During the General Amnesty for illegal aliens, announced by the UAE Government from 1 January to 30 June 2003, the CGI issued over 13,000 Emergency Certificates (Outpasses) and 5000 passports to Indian nationals for their return to India.
Labour & Welfare About 60% of the Indian community in Dubai and the Northern Emirates are blue collar workers who live in labour camps. CGI attends to all complaints received from these workers regarding non-payment of salary etc. by their employers. Housemaids/domestic servants who approach the Consulate complaining of ill- treatment by their employers are also provided help and in many cases their repatriation arranged.
Trade Trade is one of the pillars of Indo-UAE relations and the CGI is actively involved in trade promotion. Due to its strategic location, UAE in general, and Dubai in particular, has emerged as a hub for commercial and financial activities in the Middle East region. UAE has emerged as the second largest destination for Indian exports, after USA. Indian exports to the UAE in 2004-05 were valued at approximate US$ 7.24 billion and Indian imports from UAE during the same period was around $ 4.67 billion. Overall bilateral non-oil trade is set to reach US$ 12 billion. The main items of India’s exports are jewellery, vegetables and fruits, spices, engineering goods, tea, meat and its preparations, rice, textiles and apparel and chemicals.
Eighteen Indian PSUs have their representative offices in Dubai. The major Indian IT companies, Infosys, Satyam, WIPRO, D
Website: http://www.cgidubai.com/site/
