Latest news with #UAEnationals


Zawya
2 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
UAE tax authority announces $871mln in tax refunds for Emiratis building new residences by June
ABU DHABI: The Federal Tax Authority (FTA) continues to see strong results from its digital VAT refund systems for eligible categories, maintaining high levels of accuracy and operational efficiency throughout 2025. The FTA today revealed the results of these systems for the first half of the year, including the VAT refund system for new residences for UAE nationals and the VAT refund system for tourists. The FTA announced that, since the launch of the service approximately eight years ago and up until June 2025, the total number of approved applications for VAT refunds related to new residences for UAE nationals reached approximately 38,000, amounting to a total value of AED3.2 billion. This marks a significant increase from the 31,000 approved applications valued at AED2.54 billion by June 2024, reflecting a 22.74% growth in the number of applications and a 25.72% increase in the value of refunds within the past year. The FTA also highlighted that more than 7,000 new applications for VAT refunds for UAE nationals building new residences were approved between June 2024 and June 2025, amounting to AED653.1 million. Furthermore, in the first half of 2025 alone, 3,097 new applications were approved, resulting in refunds totalling AED284.77 million. The FTA highlighted the continued significant expansion of the digital tax refund system for tourists, as the number of retail shops electronically linked to the system saw consistent growth across all emirates. By the end of June 2025, the number of outlets registered with the Authority and connected to the system had increased to 18,410 shops, compared to 17,720 shops by the end of 2024 and approximately 17,080 shops by June 2024. The FTA further noted that 697 outlets connected to the system in the first half of 2025, up from 540 outlets during the same period in 2024, marking an increase of over 29%. This brings the total number of outlets that have joined the digital tax refund system for tourists in the past two years, including the first half of 2025, to 3,390 outlets. With regard to the self-service machines that fully automate the tax refund process for tourists departing the country in approximately two minutes per transaction, which are available at major shopping malls, hotels, and departure points for tourists, the number of these machines reached 96 by the end of June. Khalid Ali Al Bustani, Director General of the FTA, said, 'The indicators reflect the ongoing development and upgrade of our digital systems in line with global best practices, and in alignment with the UAE's digital transformation strategy. The Authority's initiatives in this regard have positively impacted the overall quality and performance of its services, particularly the digital VAT refund systems for eligible categories. 'Notable examples include the tax refund services for new residences for UAE nationals and VAT refund for tourists, which have undergone continuous improvement to streamline and expedite the refund process. 'Among the key initiatives in this area is the 'Maskan' smart application, which enhances the ease and convenience of VAT refunds for UAE nationals, and relies on paperless procedures with 100% fully digitised procedures.' Al Bustani added, 'As part of its efforts to develop digital services, FTA launched last December the world's first e-commerce purchases VAT refund system for tourists during their stay in the UAE, supporting the UAE's leadership in all sectors, including the tourism sector and the e-commerce sector, in continuation of what has been achieved in this field, where more than two years ago the Authority launched the digital VAT refund system for tourists, which is based on 100% paperless procedures and is constantly updated, and provides a digital platform that allows tourists to scan their passports easily, and automatically share their transactions as digital invoices, check their invoices through the shopper portal for a seamless shopping experience, and receive a refundable tax credit for their purchases in a convenient and fully digitalised manner.' He stressed that the Authority would continue to launch and implement various projects and initiatives in the field of digital transformation in the tax sector to keep pace with the government's digital transformation strategy placed for all services based on smooth and proactive digital infrastructure, supporting efforts to reduce bureaucracy and maintain high levels of customer satisfaction.


Zawya
2 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Federal Tax Authority announces AED 3.2bln in tax refunds for UAE nationals building new residences by June 2025
Abu Dhabi: The Federal Tax Authority (FTA) continues to see strong results from its digital VAT refund systems for eligible categories, maintaining high levels of accuracy and operational efficiency throughout 2025. The FTA today revealed the results of these systems for the first half of the year, including the VAT refund system for new residences for UAE nationals and the VAT refund system for tourists. The FTA announced that, since the launch of the service approximately eight years ago and up until June 2025, the total number of approved applications for VAT refunds related to new residences for UAE nationals reached approximately 38,000, amounting to a total value of AED 3.2 billion. This marks a significant increase from the 31,000 approved applications valued at AED 2.54 billion by June 2024, reflecting a 22.74% growth in the number of applications and a 25.72% increase in the value of refunds within the past year. The FTA also highlighted that more than 7,000 new applications for VAT refunds for UAE nationals building new residences were approved between June 2024 and June 2025, amounting to AED 653.1 million. Furthermore, in the first half of 2025 alone, 3,097 new applications were approved, resulting in refunds totalling AED 284.77 million. Digital Tax Refund System for Tourists The FTA highlighted the continued significant expansion of the digital tax refund system for tourists, as the number of retail shops electronically linked to the system saw consistent growth across all emirates. By the end of June 2025, the number of outlets registered with the Authority and connected to the system had increased to 18,410 shops, compared to 17,720 shops by the end of 2024 and approximately 17,080 shops by June 2024. The FTA further noted that 697 outlets connected to the system in the first half of 2025, up from 540 outlets during the same period in 2024, marking an increase of over 29%. This brings the total number of outlets that have joined the digital tax refund system for tourists in the past two years, including the first half of 2025, to 3,390 outlets. With regard to the self-service machines that fully automate the tax refund process for tourists departing the country in approximately two minutes per transaction, which are available at major shopping malls, hotels, and departure points for tourists, the number of these machines reached 96 by the end of June. His Excellency Khalid Ali Al Bustani, Director General of the FTA, said: 'The indicators reflect the ongoing development and upgrade of our digital systems in line with global best practices, and in alignment with the UAE's digital transformation strategy. The Authority's initiatives in this regard have positively impacted the overall quality and performance of its services, particularly the digital VAT refund systems for eligible categories. 'Notable examples include the tax refund services for new residences for UAE nationals and VAT refund for tourists, which have undergone continuous improvement to streamline and expedite the refund process. 'Among the key initiatives in this area is the 'Maskan' smart application, which enhances the ease and convenience of VAT refunds for UAE nationals, and relies on paperless procedures with 100% fully digitised procedures.' Al Bustani added: 'As part of its efforts to develop digital services, FTA launched last December the world's first e-commerce purchases VAT refund system for tourists during their stay in the UAE, supporting the UAE's leadership in all sectors, including the tourism sector and the e-commerce sector, in continuation of what has been achieved in this field, where more than two years ago the Authority launched the digital VAT refund system for tourists, which is based on 100% paperless procedures and is constantly updated, and provides a digital platform that allows tourists to scan their passports easily, and automatically share their transactions as digital invoices, check their invoices through the shopper portal for a seamless shopping experience, and receive a refundable tax credit for their purchases in a convenient and fully digitalised manner.' His Excellency stressed that the Authority would continue to launch and implement various projects and initiatives in the field of digital transformation in the tax sector to keep pace with the government's digital transformation strategy placed for all services based on smooth and proactive digital infrastructure, supporting efforts to reduce bureaucracy and maintain high levels of customer satisfaction. -Ends- About Federal Tax Authority: The Federal Tax Authority was established by Federal Decree-Law No. (13) of 2016 to help diversify the national economy and increase non-oil revenues in the UAE through the management and collection of federal taxes based on international best practices and standards, as well as to provide all means of support to enable taxpayers to comply with the tax laws and procedures. Since its inception in 2017, the FTA has been committed to cooperate with the competent authorities to establish a comprehensive and balanced system to make the UAE one of the first countries in the world to implement a fully electronic tax system that encourages voluntary compliance, with simple procedures based on the highest standards of transparency and accuracy – beginning from registration, to the submission of tax returns, to the payment of due taxes through the Authority's website:


Arabian Business
2 days ago
- Business
- Arabian Business
UAE tax authority issues $872mn VAT refunds to nationals building new homes
The Federal Tax Authority (FTA) has processed VAT refunds worth AED3.2 billion for UAE nationals constructing new residences, according to data released on Sunday covering the period up to June 2025. The authority approved approximately 38,000 applications for the residence refund scheme since its launch eight years ago. This represents growth from 31,000 approved applications valued at AED2.54 billion recorded by June 2024. UAE Federal Tax Authority approves 38,000 residence VAT refund applications worth AED3.2bn Between June 2024 and June 2025, the FTA approved more than 7,000 new applications worth AED653.1 million. In the first six months of 2025 alone, 3,097 applications received approval, generating refunds totalling AED284.77 million. The data shows a 22.74 per cent increase in application numbers and a 25.72 per cent rise in refund values over the past year. The digital tax refund system for tourists expanded to include 18,410 retail outlets by June 2025, compared with 17,720 outlets at the end of 2024 and approximately 17,080 outlets by June 2024. During the first half of 2025, 697 outlets connected to the system, representing a 29 per cent increase from the 540 outlets that joined during the same period in 2024. Over the past two years, including the first half of 2025, 3,390 outlets have joined the tourist refund system. The authority operates 96 self-service machines that process tourist tax refunds in approximately two minutes per transaction. These machines are located at shopping malls, hotels, and tourist departure points. 'The indicators reflect the ongoing development and upgrade of our digital systems in line with global best practices, and in alignment with the UAE's digital transformation strategy. The Authority's initiatives in this regard have positively impacted the overall quality and performance of its services, particularly the digital VAT refund systems for eligible categories,' Khalid Ali Al Bustani, Director General of the FTA said. Al Bustani highlighted the 'Maskan' smart application, which processes VAT refunds for UAE nationals through paperless procedures with fully digitised operations. The FTA launched the world's first e-commerce purchases VAT refund system for tourists in December 2024. The system allows tourists to claim refunds on online purchases made during their stay in the UAE. 'As part of its efforts to develop digital services, FTA launched last December the world's first e-commerce purchases VAT refund system for tourists during their stay in the UAE, supporting the UAE's leadership in all sectors, including the tourism sector and the e-commerce sector,' he added. The digital platform enables tourists to scan passports, share transactions as digital invoices, check invoices through a shopper portal, and receive refundable tax credits through fully digitalised procedures. Al Bustani confirmed the authority would continue implementing digital transformation projects in the tax sector to support the government's strategy for reducing bureaucracy and maintaining customer satisfaction levels.


Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
UAE approves Dh3.2 billion VAT refunds for citizens building new homes until June 2025
The UAE's Federal Tax Authority (FTA) continues to see strong results from its digital VAT refund systems for eligible categories, maintaining high levels of operational efficiency throughout 2025. The FTA on Sunday revealed the results of these systems for the first half of the year, including the VAT refund system for new residences for UAE nationals and the VAT refund system for tourists. The FTA announced that, since the launch of the service approximately eight years ago and up until June 2025, the total number of approved applications for VAT refunds related to new residences for UAE nationals reached approximately 38,000, amounting to a total value of Dh3.2 billion. This marks a significant increase from the 31,000 approved applications valued at Dh2.54 billion by June 2024, reflecting a 22.74 per cent growth in the number of applications and a 25.72 per cent increase in the value of refunds within the past year. The FTA also highlighted that more than 7,000 new applications for VAT refunds for UAE nationals building new residences were approved between June 2024 and June 2025, amounting to Dh653.1 million. Furthermore, in the first half of 2025 alone, 3,097 new applications were approved, resulting in refunds totalling Dh284.77 million. Digital tax refund system for tourists The FTA highlighted the continued significant expansion of the digital tax refund system for tourists, as the number of retail shops electronically linked to the system saw consistent growth across all emirates. By the end of June 2025, the number of outlets registered with the Authority and connected to the system had increased to 18,410 shops, compared to 17,720 shops by the end of 2024 and approximately 17,080 shops by June 2024. The FTA further noted that 697 outlets connected to the system in the first half of 2025, up from 540 outlets during the same period in 2024, marking an increase of over 29 per cent. This brings the total number of outlets that have joined the digital tax refund system for tourists in the past two years, including the first half of 2025, to 3,390 outlets. With regard to the self-service machines that fully automate the tax refund process for tourists departing the country in approximately two minutes per transaction, which are available at major shopping malls, hotels, and departure points for tourists, the number of these machines reached 96 by the end of June. Khalid Ali Al Bustani, Director General of the FTA, said, 'The indicators reflect the ongoing development and upgrade of our digital systems in line with global best practices, and in alignment with the UAE's digital transformation strategy. The Authority's initiatives in this regard have positively impacted the overall quality and performance of its services, particularly the digital VAT refund systems for eligible categories. 'Notable examples include the tax refund services for new residences for UAE nationals and VAT refund for tourists, which have undergone continuous improvement to streamline and expedite the refund process. 'Among the key initiatives in this area is the 'Maskan' smart application, which enhances the ease and convenience of VAT refunds for UAE nationals, and relies on paperless procedures with 100% fully digitised procedures.' Al Bustani added: 'As part of its efforts to develop digital services, FTA launched last December the world's first e-commerce purchases VAT refund system for tourists during their stay in the UAE, supporting the UAE's leadership in all sectors, including the tourism sector and the e-commerce sector, in continuation of what has been achieved in this field, where more than two years ago the Authority launched the digital VAT refund system for tourists, which is based on 100 per cent paperless procedures and is constantly updated, and provides a digital platform that allows tourists to scan their passports easily, and automatically share their transactions as digital invoices, check their invoices through the shopper portal for a seamless shopping experience, and receive a refundable tax credit for their purchases in a convenient and fully digitalised manner.' He stressed that the authority would continue to launch and implement various projects and initiatives in the field of digital transformation in the tax sector to keep pace with the government's digital transformation strategy placed for all services based on smooth and proactive digital infrastructure, supporting efforts to reduce bureaucracy and maintain high levels of customer satisfaction.