![\"Vat](\"https:\/\/www.propertyfinder.ae\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/2-199-1.webp\")
<\/figure>What Is the Dubai Tourist Tax Refund Scheme?<\/strong><\/h2>The Dubai Tourist Tax Refund Scheme allows visitors to reclaim a portion of the VAT paid on goods purchased from participating retailers. Introduced after VAT came into effect in the UAE<\/a> in 2018, the VAT refund Dubai for tourist process is managed by the Federal Tax Authority in partnership with Planet Tax Free, using a fully digital system with kiosks at airports, seaports, and major malls.<\/p>The scheme benefits tourists by reducing the effective cost of shopping, especially for premium items such as electronics, jewellery, accessories, and luxury fashion. Refunds apply only to goods exported from the UAE, not to services such as hotels or dining.<\/p>
Eligibility Requirements<\/strong><\/h2>Not every tourist qualifies for a VAT refund, as the scheme has clear eligibility rules. Tourists coming from foreign countries are eligible under the following conditions:<\/p>
\n- They are non-residents of the UAE and 18 years or older.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Purchases are made from merchants registered in the tax-refund system.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The minimum spend is AED 250 per transaction.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Goods must be taken out of the UAE within 90 days of purchase.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Airline and ship crew members are not eligible.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Eligible Goods<\/strong><\/h3>Almost all goods are eligible, excluding these:<\/p>
\n- Goods that have been consumed completely or partially at the time of exit from Dubai<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Boats<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Motor Vehicles<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Aircrafts<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Goods that the owner doesn’t have at the time of exit from Dubai<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Registered Merchants<\/strong><\/h3>FTA has four types of registered merchants where tourists can enjoy tax-free shopping. All these merchants issue invoices in different ways, such as:<\/p>
\n- Handwritten Tax Invoice<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Paper Tax Invoice and the Tax-Free Tag<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Paper Tax Invoice with a Digital Tag<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Invoice generated using a Paperless method<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Shop at an Eligible Retailer<\/strong><\/h2>Once you confirm eligibility, the next step is to ensure you shop only at merchants registered in the UAE’s Tax Refund for Tourists system, after which you can claim a VAT refund.<\/p>
After shopping, here is the refund process to follow:<\/p>
\n- The shop assistant will take details from a tourist’s passport or GCC<\/a> National ID Card.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Then the shop assistant will record transaction details such as amount, VAT, and purchase date.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- After this, a tax-free tag is attached to the back of the tax invoice as proof. It is also scanned to add transaction details to a tourist’s passport or GCC National ID Card.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
![\"Woman](\"https:\/\/www.propertyfinder.ae\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/image2.webp\")
<\/figure>Validate Your Tax-Free Purchase<\/strong><\/h2>The last step in this process is validating your tax-free purchase at one of the validation points. There are multiple ways and locations to do so; let’s explore each one by one.<\/p>
Dubai International Airport<\/strong><\/h3>Validate the purchase at Terminals 1, 2, and 3 at Dubai International Airport<\/a>. Additionally, tourists in Dubai can validate purchases at Port Rashid<\/a>. Here is a brief process to follow:<\/p>\n- Validate before luggage check-in, as staff may inspect the luggage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Be ready with documents like a passport copy, tax-free tags, a tax invoice, and a copy of a debit card.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Approach the validation point and provide the documents.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- After verification, choose to receive a refund in cash or via card. Cash transactions are acceptable for refunds below AED 35,000. Refunds above that must be credited to the card or digital wallet.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Move out of the UAE within six hours.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Refunds via card will be credited within nine days.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Self-Service Kiosks<\/strong><\/h3>Another quick tax refund method is using self-service kiosks. Follow the process below to get a refund:<\/p>
\n- Visit one of the self-service kiosks at the airport or seaport.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Scan your passport or provide your passport or National ID Card number.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Follow the steps on the screen and complete them. At the end, there will be two lights, green or red. Green validation means transactions are verified, whereas red means an inspection of goods is required.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Select a refund method such as a card, cash, or digital wallet.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Refunds via online transfers will be processed within nine days of leaving Dubai.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
How Much Can You Get Back?<\/strong><\/h2>Tourists receive 85% of the VAT amount paid on eligible transactions. The remaining amount covers processing fees.<\/p>
Deductions<\/strong><\/h3>\n- 15% of the VAT amount is retained as an admin fee<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- AED 4.80 per tax-free tag<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Cash limit:<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Up to AED 35,000 every 24 hours.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Where and When to Claim Your Refund<\/strong><\/h2>
The scheme benefits tourists by reducing the effective cost of shopping, especially for premium items such as electronics, jewellery, accessories, and luxury fashion. Refunds apply only to goods exported from the UAE, not to services such as hotels or dining.<\/p>
Eligibility Requirements<\/strong><\/h2>Not every tourist qualifies for a VAT refund, as the scheme has clear eligibility rules. Tourists coming from foreign countries are eligible under the following conditions:<\/p>
\n- They are non-residents of the UAE and 18 years or older.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Purchases are made from merchants registered in the tax-refund system.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The minimum spend is AED 250 per transaction.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Goods must be taken out of the UAE within 90 days of purchase.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Airline and ship crew members are not eligible.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Eligible Goods<\/strong><\/h3>Almost all goods are eligible, excluding these:<\/p>
\n- Goods that have been consumed completely or partially at the time of exit from Dubai<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Boats<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Motor Vehicles<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Aircrafts<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Goods that the owner doesn’t have at the time of exit from Dubai<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Registered Merchants<\/strong><\/h3>FTA has four types of registered merchants where tourists can enjoy tax-free shopping. All these merchants issue invoices in different ways, such as:<\/p>
\n- Handwritten Tax Invoice<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Paper Tax Invoice and the Tax-Free Tag<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Paper Tax Invoice with a Digital Tag<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Invoice generated using a Paperless method<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Shop at an Eligible Retailer<\/strong><\/h2>Once you confirm eligibility, the next step is to ensure you shop only at merchants registered in the UAE’s Tax Refund for Tourists system, after which you can claim a VAT refund.<\/p>
After shopping, here is the refund process to follow:<\/p>
\n- The shop assistant will take details from a tourist’s passport or GCC<\/a> National ID Card.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Then the shop assistant will record transaction details such as amount, VAT, and purchase date.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- After this, a tax-free tag is attached to the back of the tax invoice as proof. It is also scanned to add transaction details to a tourist’s passport or GCC National ID Card.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
<\/figure>Validate Your Tax-Free Purchase<\/strong><\/h2>The last step in this process is validating your tax-free purchase at one of the validation points. There are multiple ways and locations to do so; let’s explore each one by one.<\/p>
Dubai International Airport<\/strong><\/h3>Validate the purchase at Terminals 1, 2, and 3 at Dubai International Airport<\/a>. Additionally, tourists in Dubai can validate purchases at Port Rashid<\/a>. Here is a brief process to follow:<\/p>\n- Validate before luggage check-in, as staff may inspect the luggage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Be ready with documents like a passport copy, tax-free tags, a tax invoice, and a copy of a debit card.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Approach the validation point and provide the documents.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- After verification, choose to receive a refund in cash or via card. Cash transactions are acceptable for refunds below AED 35,000. Refunds above that must be credited to the card or digital wallet.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Move out of the UAE within six hours.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Refunds via card will be credited within nine days.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Self-Service Kiosks<\/strong><\/h3>Another quick tax refund method is using self-service kiosks. Follow the process below to get a refund:<\/p>
\n- Visit one of the self-service kiosks at the airport or seaport.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Scan your passport or provide your passport or National ID Card number.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Follow the steps on the screen and complete them. At the end, there will be two lights, green or red. Green validation means transactions are verified, whereas red means an inspection of goods is required.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Select a refund method such as a card, cash, or digital wallet.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Refunds via online transfers will be processed within nine days of leaving Dubai.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
How Much Can You Get Back?<\/strong><\/h2>Tourists receive 85% of the VAT amount paid on eligible transactions. The remaining amount covers processing fees.<\/p>
Deductions<\/strong><\/h3>\n- 15% of the VAT amount is retained as an admin fee<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- AED 4.80 per tax-free tag<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Cash limit:<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Up to AED 35,000 every 24 hours.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Where and When to Claim Your Refund<\/strong><\/h2>
Eligible Goods<\/strong><\/h3>Almost all goods are eligible, excluding these:<\/p>
\n- Goods that have been consumed completely or partially at the time of exit from Dubai<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Boats<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Motor Vehicles<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Aircrafts<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Goods that the owner doesn’t have at the time of exit from Dubai<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Registered Merchants<\/strong><\/h3>FTA has four types of registered merchants where tourists can enjoy tax-free shopping. All these merchants issue invoices in different ways, such as:<\/p>
\n- Handwritten Tax Invoice<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Paper Tax Invoice and the Tax-Free Tag<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Paper Tax Invoice with a Digital Tag<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Invoice generated using a Paperless method<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Shop at an Eligible Retailer<\/strong><\/h2>Once you confirm eligibility, the next step is to ensure you shop only at merchants registered in the UAE’s Tax Refund for Tourists system, after which you can claim a VAT refund.<\/p>
After shopping, here is the refund process to follow:<\/p>
\n- The shop assistant will take details from a tourist’s passport or GCC<\/a> National ID Card.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Then the shop assistant will record transaction details such as amount, VAT, and purchase date.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- After this, a tax-free tag is attached to the back of the tax invoice as proof. It is also scanned to add transaction details to a tourist’s passport or GCC National ID Card.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
<\/figure>Validate Your Tax-Free Purchase<\/strong><\/h2>The last step in this process is validating your tax-free purchase at one of the validation points. There are multiple ways and locations to do so; let’s explore each one by one.<\/p>
Dubai International Airport<\/strong><\/h3>Validate the purchase at Terminals 1, 2, and 3 at Dubai International Airport<\/a>. Additionally, tourists in Dubai can validate purchases at Port Rashid<\/a>. Here is a brief process to follow:<\/p>\n- Validate before luggage check-in, as staff may inspect the luggage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Be ready with documents like a passport copy, tax-free tags, a tax invoice, and a copy of a debit card.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Approach the validation point and provide the documents.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- After verification, choose to receive a refund in cash or via card. Cash transactions are acceptable for refunds below AED 35,000. Refunds above that must be credited to the card or digital wallet.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Move out of the UAE within six hours.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Refunds via card will be credited within nine days.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Self-Service Kiosks<\/strong><\/h3>Another quick tax refund method is using self-service kiosks. Follow the process below to get a refund:<\/p>
\n- Visit one of the self-service kiosks at the airport or seaport.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Scan your passport or provide your passport or National ID Card number.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Follow the steps on the screen and complete them. At the end, there will be two lights, green or red. Green validation means transactions are verified, whereas red means an inspection of goods is required.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Select a refund method such as a card, cash, or digital wallet.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Refunds via online transfers will be processed within nine days of leaving Dubai.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
How Much Can You Get Back?<\/strong><\/h2>Tourists receive 85% of the VAT amount paid on eligible transactions. The remaining amount covers processing fees.<\/p>
Deductions<\/strong><\/h3>\n- 15% of the VAT amount is retained as an admin fee<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- AED 4.80 per tax-free tag<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Cash limit:<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Up to AED 35,000 every 24 hours.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Where and When to Claim Your Refund<\/strong><\/h2>
Registered Merchants<\/strong><\/h3>FTA has four types of registered merchants where tourists can enjoy tax-free shopping. All these merchants issue invoices in different ways, such as:<\/p>
\n- Handwritten Tax Invoice<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Paper Tax Invoice and the Tax-Free Tag<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Paper Tax Invoice with a Digital Tag<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Invoice generated using a Paperless method<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Shop at an Eligible Retailer<\/strong><\/h2>Once you confirm eligibility, the next step is to ensure you shop only at merchants registered in the UAE’s Tax Refund for Tourists system, after which you can claim a VAT refund.<\/p>
After shopping, here is the refund process to follow:<\/p>
\n- The shop assistant will take details from a tourist’s passport or GCC<\/a> National ID Card.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Then the shop assistant will record transaction details such as amount, VAT, and purchase date.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- After this, a tax-free tag is attached to the back of the tax invoice as proof. It is also scanned to add transaction details to a tourist’s passport or GCC National ID Card.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
<\/figure>Validate Your Tax-Free Purchase<\/strong><\/h2>The last step in this process is validating your tax-free purchase at one of the validation points. There are multiple ways and locations to do so; let’s explore each one by one.<\/p>
Dubai International Airport<\/strong><\/h3>Validate the purchase at Terminals 1, 2, and 3 at Dubai International Airport<\/a>. Additionally, tourists in Dubai can validate purchases at Port Rashid<\/a>. Here is a brief process to follow:<\/p>\n- Validate before luggage check-in, as staff may inspect the luggage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Be ready with documents like a passport copy, tax-free tags, a tax invoice, and a copy of a debit card.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Approach the validation point and provide the documents.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- After verification, choose to receive a refund in cash or via card. Cash transactions are acceptable for refunds below AED 35,000. Refunds above that must be credited to the card or digital wallet.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Move out of the UAE within six hours.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Refunds via card will be credited within nine days.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Self-Service Kiosks<\/strong><\/h3>Another quick tax refund method is using self-service kiosks. Follow the process below to get a refund:<\/p>
\n- Visit one of the self-service kiosks at the airport or seaport.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Scan your passport or provide your passport or National ID Card number.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Follow the steps on the screen and complete them. At the end, there will be two lights, green or red. Green validation means transactions are verified, whereas red means an inspection of goods is required.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Select a refund method such as a card, cash, or digital wallet.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Refunds via online transfers will be processed within nine days of leaving Dubai.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
How Much Can You Get Back?<\/strong><\/h2>Tourists receive 85% of the VAT amount paid on eligible transactions. The remaining amount covers processing fees.<\/p>
Deductions<\/strong><\/h3>\n- 15% of the VAT amount is retained as an admin fee<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- AED 4.80 per tax-free tag<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Cash limit:<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Up to AED 35,000 every 24 hours.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Where and When to Claim Your Refund<\/strong><\/h2>
Shop at an Eligible Retailer<\/strong><\/h2>Once you confirm eligibility, the next step is to ensure you shop only at merchants registered in the UAE’s Tax Refund for Tourists system, after which you can claim a VAT refund.<\/p>
After shopping, here is the refund process to follow:<\/p>
\n- The shop assistant will take details from a tourist’s passport or GCC<\/a> National ID Card.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Then the shop assistant will record transaction details such as amount, VAT, and purchase date.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- After this, a tax-free tag is attached to the back of the tax invoice as proof. It is also scanned to add transaction details to a tourist’s passport or GCC National ID Card.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
<\/figure>Validate Your Tax-Free Purchase<\/strong><\/h2>The last step in this process is validating your tax-free purchase at one of the validation points. There are multiple ways and locations to do so; let’s explore each one by one.<\/p>
Dubai International Airport<\/strong><\/h3>Validate the purchase at Terminals 1, 2, and 3 at Dubai International Airport<\/a>. Additionally, tourists in Dubai can validate purchases at Port Rashid<\/a>. Here is a brief process to follow:<\/p>\n- Validate before luggage check-in, as staff may inspect the luggage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Be ready with documents like a passport copy, tax-free tags, a tax invoice, and a copy of a debit card.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Approach the validation point and provide the documents.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- After verification, choose to receive a refund in cash or via card. Cash transactions are acceptable for refunds below AED 35,000. Refunds above that must be credited to the card or digital wallet.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Move out of the UAE within six hours.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Refunds via card will be credited within nine days.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Self-Service Kiosks<\/strong><\/h3>Another quick tax refund method is using self-service kiosks. Follow the process below to get a refund:<\/p>
\n- Visit one of the self-service kiosks at the airport or seaport.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Scan your passport or provide your passport or National ID Card number.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Follow the steps on the screen and complete them. At the end, there will be two lights, green or red. Green validation means transactions are verified, whereas red means an inspection of goods is required.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Select a refund method such as a card, cash, or digital wallet.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Refunds via online transfers will be processed within nine days of leaving Dubai.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
How Much Can You Get Back?<\/strong><\/h2>Tourists receive 85% of the VAT amount paid on eligible transactions. The remaining amount covers processing fees.<\/p>
Deductions<\/strong><\/h3>\n- 15% of the VAT amount is retained as an admin fee<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- AED 4.80 per tax-free tag<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Cash limit:<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Up to AED 35,000 every 24 hours.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Where and When to Claim Your Refund<\/strong><\/h2>
<\/figure>Validate Your Tax-Free Purchase<\/strong><\/h2>The last step in this process is validating your tax-free purchase at one of the validation points. There are multiple ways and locations to do so; let’s explore each one by one.<\/p>
Dubai International Airport<\/strong><\/h3>Validate the purchase at Terminals 1, 2, and 3 at Dubai International Airport<\/a>. Additionally, tourists in Dubai can validate purchases at Port Rashid<\/a>. Here is a brief process to follow:<\/p>\n- Validate before luggage check-in, as staff may inspect the luggage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Be ready with documents like a passport copy, tax-free tags, a tax invoice, and a copy of a debit card.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Approach the validation point and provide the documents.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- After verification, choose to receive a refund in cash or via card. Cash transactions are acceptable for refunds below AED 35,000. Refunds above that must be credited to the card or digital wallet.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Move out of the UAE within six hours.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Refunds via card will be credited within nine days.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Self-Service Kiosks<\/strong><\/h3>Another quick tax refund method is using self-service kiosks. Follow the process below to get a refund:<\/p>
\n- Visit one of the self-service kiosks at the airport or seaport.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Scan your passport or provide your passport or National ID Card number.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Follow the steps on the screen and complete them. At the end, there will be two lights, green or red. Green validation means transactions are verified, whereas red means an inspection of goods is required.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Select a refund method such as a card, cash, or digital wallet.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Refunds via online transfers will be processed within nine days of leaving Dubai.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
How Much Can You Get Back?<\/strong><\/h2>Tourists receive 85% of the VAT amount paid on eligible transactions. The remaining amount covers processing fees.<\/p>
Deductions<\/strong><\/h3>\n- 15% of the VAT amount is retained as an admin fee<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- AED 4.80 per tax-free tag<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Cash limit:<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Up to AED 35,000 every 24 hours.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Where and When to Claim Your Refund<\/strong><\/h2>
Validate the purchase at Terminals 1, 2, and 3 at Dubai International Airport<\/a>. Additionally, tourists in Dubai can validate purchases at Port Rashid<\/a>. Here is a brief process to follow:<\/p> Another quick tax refund method is using self-service kiosks. Follow the process below to get a refund:<\/p> Tourists receive 85% of the VAT amount paid on eligible transactions. The remaining amount covers processing fees.<\/p>\n
Self-Service Kiosks<\/strong><\/h3>
\n
How Much Can You Get Back?<\/strong><\/h2>
Deductions<\/strong><\/h3>
\n
Where and When to Claim Your Refund<\/strong><\/h2>
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.propertyfinder.ae\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/image1.webp\")
<\/figure>