Travelers to United Arab Emirates (UAE) can request refunds of the Value Added Tax (VAT) incurred on their purchases from November 18.
The UAE’s Federal Tax Authority (FTA) has announced that eligible tourists will be able to receive a proportion of the VAT as a refund when they shop at registered stores.
The first phase will see the digital system of the scheme implemented at Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah International airports. As of mid-December, the system will be fully operational to include all airports and land and sea ports in the UAE, the FTA added.
Designated spaces will be provided where tourists can easily reclaim taxes through an electronic system, without any human involvement. The digital system determines the taxes that are eligible for a refund and then reimburses tourists.
Tourists need to submit the tax invoices for their purchases from registered outlets, along with copies of their passport and credit card.
Once these documents are submitted, tourists can either recover the VAT in cash in UAE dirhams, or have it transferred to their credit card.
