Tourists leaving the UAE can now receive VAT refunds in as little as one business day after the Federal Tax Authority introduced a new artificial intelligence-powered system.
The previous process could take up to nine days, meaning visitors now have a significantly shorter wait to receive money owed to them through the country’s tourist VAT refund scheme.
The Federal Tax Authority developed the new platform with Planet, the authorised operator of the UAE’s tourist VAT refund system.
The system is designed to speed up processing by using digital data and automated checks. It builds on an earlier system introduced in 2024 that allowed tourists making eligible online purchases to begin the refund process before their orders were shipped.
The change is aimed primarily at international visitors, but it is also relevant to UAE residents who frequently have family members or friends visiting from abroad.
The faster processing is another step in the UAE’s broader move towards automated government and tax services.