Can an Indian in Dubai hold two passports?

No. India does not allow dual citizenship. Under Section 9 of the Citizenship Act, 1955, voluntarily acquiring another citizenship ends Indian citizenship, wherever you live.

Where do I surrender my Indian passport in the UAE?

Through the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate General of India in Dubai, which handle surrender of passports and surrender certificates for Indians in the UAE.

What is the best second citizenship for Indians in Dubai?

It depends on what the passport has to do — travel, banking, a secure option for your children — and on the full cost for your family, not the headline figure. The Caribbean programmes, Turkey and Egypt are the ones most often compared.

Can OCI holders buy property in India?

OCI holders can buy residential and commercial property in India, but not agricultural land, farmhouses or plantation property.

Citizenship · Indian residents of the UAE

A second passport for Indians living in the UAE

Indians are the largest community in the UAE, and the one for whom a second passport is the biggest decision. India does not allow two.

6 min readUpdated 2026-10-12

The rule: India does not allow dual citizenship

Under Section 9 of the Citizenship Act, 1955, an Indian citizen who voluntarily acquires another citizenship stops being an Indian citizen. Living in the UAE does not change this: the rule follows the citizen, not the address.

From the UAE, surrendering the Indian passport and obtaining a surrender certificate is handled through the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate General of India in Dubai. After that, the route back to long-term rights in India is the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card, which has its own eligibility rules.

For an Indian, a 'second passport' is really a replacement passport. Decide on that basis.

What OCI gives you, and what it does not

OCI is a lifelong visa for India: you can live, work and travel in and out without separate visas. It is not citizenship. OCI holders cannot vote or hold constitutional offices, and they cannot buy agricultural land, farmhouses or plantation property in India — which matters for families with land at home.

Confirm OCI eligibility for yourself and your children before you give up Indian citizenship, not afterwards.

Why Indians in the UAE still consider it

UAE residence, even on a ten-year golden visa, is residence rather than citizenship. Families who have built their lives in the Gulf often want a passport that travels more freely, a secure option for their children, or a base that does not depend on an employer or a visa renewal.

The programmes Indian families most often compare are in the Caribbean — St Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, St Lucia — along with Turkey and Egypt. They differ in cost per family member, processing time and where the passport lets you travel.

Second passport or second residence?

If what you need is a place to live, study or run a business, a residence permit by investment does it without touching your Indian citizenship. If what you need is a different passport, only citizenship does that.

For an Indian citizen living in the UAE
Keep your Indian passport?	Citizenship: no · Residence: yes
New passport for travel?	Citizenship: yes · Residence: no
Right to live in the new country	Citizenship: permanent · Residence: renewed while you meet the conditions
Can it be undone?	Citizenship: not easily — Indian citizenship is already lost · Residence: yes, you can let it lapse

Questions to settle first

Do you need a passport, or a place to live? Have you confirmed OCI eligibility for every family member? Does anyone in the family want to keep Indian citizenship — and is the plan built around them? Who holds property and investments in India, and what changes for them as OCI holders?

If any answer is uncertain, start with residence. You can move to citizenship later; you cannot easily move back.

AED 310 · Within 24 hours

Route Report

Whether your family needs citizenship or residence, which programmes fit, and what each costs in full for your family.

Request the report Talk to an advisor WhatsApp

Common questions

Can an Indian in Dubai hold two passports?: No. India does not allow dual citizenship. Under Section 9 of the Citizenship Act, 1955, voluntarily acquiring another citizenship ends Indian citizenship, wherever you live.
Where do I surrender my Indian passport in the UAE?: Through the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate General of India in Dubai, which handle surrender of passports and surrender certificates for Indians in the UAE.
What is the best second citizenship for Indians in Dubai?: It depends on what the passport has to do — travel, banking, a secure option for your children — and on the full cost for your family, not the headline figure. The Caribbean programmes, Turkey and Egypt are the ones most often compared.
Can OCI holders buy property in India?: OCI holders can buy residential and commercial property in India, but not agricultural land, farmhouses or plantation property.