Tourists in the United Arab Emirates can now independently return VAT.
Self-service kiosks from Planet, designated as the operator of the tourist tax refund system by the Federal Tax Administration (FTA), have appeared in all UAE ports participating in the VAT refund program.
The kiosks are run by Planet, a company engaged by the UAE Federal Tax Administration to manage the tourist tax refund system.
Khalid Al Bustani, FTA CEO, explained that thanks to the new kiosks, tourists will be able to return VAT when leaving the UAE on their own, without the help of employees.
When you refund tax on a bank card, there are no restrictions on the maximum amount, however, the amount of a one-time cash refund cannot exceed 10 thousand UAE dirhams (US $ 2739).
Al Bustani explained that the installation of kiosks is part of the government’s plan to create a legislative, executive and technological base for the ecosystem, which can stimulate the development of the tourism sector, one of the main sources of growth in national GDP.
Learn more about the VAT refund scheme here.
