UAE Announces AED 3.2 Billion Tax Refunds for Nationals, Expands Tourist Refund System

• Federal Tax Authority announced AED 3.2 billion in tax refunds for UAE nationals building new residences by June 2025
• More than 18,000 retailers are connected to the digital tax refund system for tourists
• Since the service launch, 38,000 applications for VAT refunds for new residences were approved, totaling AED 3.2 billion
• From June 2024 to June 2025, 7,000 new applications were approved, amounting to AED 653.1 million
• In the first half of 2025, 3,097 new applications were approved, resulting in AED 284.77 million in refunds
• The digital tax refund system for tourists expanded, with 18,410 shops connected by June 2025
• 697 new outlets joined the system in the first half of 2025, a 29 percent increase from the same period in 2024
• Total outlets connected in the past two years reached 3,390
• 96 self-service machines for tax refunds were available by June 2025
• The FTA continues to develop digital systems in line with global best practices and the UAE’s digital transformation strategy

Source: tax.gov.ae

Note that this post was (partially) written with the help of AI. It is always useful to review the original source material, and where needed to obtain (local) advice from a specialist.

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