Passport and visa services in Australia, Singapore, the UAE, and Kuwait face major disruptions following a Delhi High Court order that cancelled a government outsourcing tender. The court cited a lack of transparency in the selection process, prompting a legal challenge by rejected bidders. The Ministry of External Affairs has now moved the Supreme Court to restore services.
Indian citizens and foreign nationals living in Australia, Singapore, the UAE, and Kuwait are facing significant delays in consular services, including passport renewals and visa processing. These disruptions follow a Delhi High Court ruling that annulled a government tender for outsourcing these critical operations. The court found that the procurement process lacked necessary transparency and failed to provide clear justifications for how bids were evaluated or why certain companies were disqualified.
The legal dispute arose after unsuccessful bidders, E Trav Tech Ltd. and Verasys Ltd., challenged the government's selection process. They argued that the technical evaluation phase was unfair and lacked objective reasoning. The High Court agreed with these claims, describing the process as arbitrary and failing to meet the standards required for transparent public procurement.
Following the verdict, VFS Global, which has been handling these services, suspended new application processing. The impact is most immediate in Australia, where services stopped on July 1, with similar suspensions expected in Kuwait and the UAE. Service in Singapore is currently scheduled to face changes as existing contracts conclude on September 30. This situation has left many individuals unable to complete essential immigration and documentation tasks.
The Ministry of External Affairs has filed an appeal with the Supreme Court to address the disruption. During proceedings, the government stated that even though the High Court asked the existing provider to continue services on a temporary basis, operations have ceased. The government contends that the legal outcome has created a crisis in essential diplomatic functions and is seeking urgent relief to resume services for millions of people abroad.
For those affected, the primary concern remains the timeline for the resumption of services. The legal dispute between the government and the challenging companies, E Trav Tech Ltd. and Verasys Ltd., highlights the importance of transparent evaluation criteria in large-scale government outsourcing contracts. Investors and stakeholders will be tracking the Supreme Court's upcoming hearings, as the final decision will determine when a new tender process can be initiated or if existing service agreements can be extended to restore normal operations.