UAE FTA Lowers Tourist VAT Refund Scheme Claim Fee

• UAE FTA Decision No. 11 of 2026, effective 12 July 2026, mainly consolidates the tourist VAT refund scheme rather than changing it substantially.
• The main change is a reduction of the fixed fee per refund claim to AED 3.6.
• The 13% administrative fee, AED 35,000 cash refund cap per tourist per 24 hours, and AED 250 minimum purchase threshold remain unchanged.
• Goods must still be exported within 90 days, and online purchases qualify if requested through the tourist’s personal platform account and delivered directly.
• Exclusions remain for motor vehicles, boats, aircraft, and consumed goods, with refunds available at participating UAE airports, land ports, and sea ports.

Source: mailchi.mp

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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