The Indian Consulate General in Dubai issued advisory for Grade 12 students on Wednesday, offering them a one-time walk-in opportunity to obtain NRI certificates. The move is in response to the approaching college admissions in India, giving families and students a limited but welcomed window to get their paperwork in order.
"On April 4, Saturday, all eligible students can apply for NRI certificates at any BLS centre as walk-ins, without prior appointment," announced the circular shared by the agency. This means interested students can walk into any BLS centres in Dubai and the Northern Emirates without a prior appointment to apply for their NRI certificates.
However, they are required to carry their 12th-grade documents and proof of college admission for securing the appointment at the centre.
Moreover, applicants are required to arrive early for their appointments as candidates will be served on a first-come, first-serve basis. Long queues are likely to form on the day, given the demand and intensity of the situation and thus officials want to avoid turning down students due to delays.
In the circular shared on X (formerly Twitter) by the consulate, it said it will continue to monitor the situation and issue further updates as and when required.
As of July 2025, Indian expat community formed the largest ethnic community in UAE, constituting roughly around 35% of the country's population. About 4.3 million Indian nationals are estimated to reside in the Emirate.
Many of these families have kids that dream of pursuing college degrees and further education in India. The NRI certificates are critical documents that will help them secure seats under the NRI quota in colleges and universities across Indian educational institutions.
Previously, many exams for Class XII students in UAE had been postponed by CBSE. Recently, all the exams were cancelled and a hybrid evaluation system for results was announced. This will involve marks of attempted exams with calculated averaged of papers that were not conducted.
While earlier students were worried about their future prospects in Indian institutions with no clarity and anxious about missing out on opportunities due to stalled results, clarifications from the board have helped ease the tension. The walk-in drive is expected to be a significant relief for students and parents alike.
