Daijiworld Media Network - Abu Dhabi (SD)

Abu Dhabi, Jul 9: The Indian Embassy at Abu Dhabi announced that it has decided to lift all the restrictions with effect from July 15 for passport renewal applications to be submitted at BLS International Centres.

The passport renewal was temporarily suspended on account of COVID-19 outbreak and ban on international arrivals in India. However, the embassy said that renewal service would be enabled for concerned applicants as practiced earlier.

An advisory by the embassy read, "Keeping in view of recent relaxation in restrictions relating to COVID-19 pandemic being implemented by UAE authorities, the Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi, further to our advisory dated June 21, 2020, has decided to remove all restrictions on passport renewal applications to be submitted at BLS international centres w.e.f 15.07.2020 (Wednesday) thereby enabling the concerned applicants to avail passport renewal service as was practiced earlier to our first advisory in this regard dated March 19, 2020."

The embassy has said that until further improvement of the situation, the advisory dated June 17 would exempt the physical presence of senior citizens ( above 60 years), minor children (below 12 years), pregnant women, and differently-abled applicants at the time of application submission.

"All applicants are requested to continue to maintain appropriate social distancing norms in accordance with local rules and regulations and wear face masks and hand gloves while visiting BLS centres in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain," the embassy said.