Updated October 2026, following the FTA’s launch of its AI-powered refund platform with Planet on 20 October 2026.
If your parents, siblings or friends are visiting the UAE and plan to shop, they can usually claim back most of the 5% VAT they pay — and since October 2026, the refund arrives within one business day instead of around nine.
This guide answers the questions people actually ask: who can claim, whether UAE residents can, what the minimum spend is, how much comes back after fees, and what to do at the airport. The last section is for shop owners, because the same change affects how retailers need to keep their VAT records.
The short answer
Non-resident visitors aged 18 or over can reclaim 87% of the VAT paid on goods bought from a store in the scheme, minus a small fixed fee per claim. The purchase must be at least AED 250 at one store, and the goods must leave the UAE with them within 90 days. UAE residents cannot claim.
What changed in October 2026
On 20 October 2026 the Federal Tax Authority and Planet, the authorised operator of the UAE’s VAT Refund Scheme for Tourists, launched a new digital platform at Dubai International, Zayed International in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah International airports.
- Refunds in one business day. The FTA says the total time to receive a refund has fallen from about nine days to one business day.
- Mostly on a phone. Visitors register in the Planet app with a face scan and photos of their passport and bank card, then scan a QR code at the airport.
- Checks only when needed. The system matches invoices with travel details and decides whether goods need a physical inspection. If they do, the visitor is sent through smart gates to a self-service kiosk.
- Online purchases. Eligible e-commerce purchases made during the stay can also be claimed, if the online store is part of the scheme.
The scheme itself is not new. Since 2018 it has refunded about AED 4.2 billion across 25 million transactions, and roughly 16,700 stores are connected to it. What changed is the speed and the paperwork.
Who can claim a VAT Refund — and who can’t
| Person | Can they claim? |
|---|---|
| Tourist visiting the UAE, aged 18 or over | Yes |
| Family member visiting a UAE resident on a visit visa | Generally yes |
| UAE resident with a foreign passport | No |
| UAE resident flying out on holiday | No |
| Airline or ship crew leaving on duty | No |
Can UAE residents or expats claim the refund?
No. Eligibility follows residence, not nationality. If you live in the UAE, holding an Indian, British or any other foreign passport does not make you a tourist for this scheme, even when you are leaving the country yourself. This is one of the most searched questions on the topic, and the answer does not change with the new platform.
Can my visiting parents or relatives claim?
Usually, yes. A parent, sibling or friend who enters on a visit or tourist visa and is not a UAE resident can claim on what they buy and take home, provided they meet the other conditions. The purchase has to be in their name: the store links the tax-free tag to their passport at the till, not yours. If you pay on their behalf, the tag must still be issued against the visitor’s passport.
Practical tip for families
Ask the visitor to install the Planet app and register a day or two before the flight, not in the airport queue. Registration needs a face scan and clear photos of the passport and the bank card the refund should go to.
What purchases qualify for VAT Refunds for Tourists
- Goods, not services. Hotel stays, restaurant meals, tours, spa treatments and transport do not qualify.
- From a store in the scheme. Look for the Tax Free sign or ask at the till before paying.
- At least AED 250 in one purchase at the same store. Receipts from different shops, or from different days, cannot be added together to reach the minimum.
- Taken out of the UAE by the visitor within 90 days of purchase. Goods sent by courier or cargo do not qualify.
- Not a car, boat or aircraft. Motor vehicles, boats and aircraft are excluded.
- Not used up in the UAE. Food eaten during the trip, or goods fully or partly consumed, are excluded.
Most everyday tourist purchases — clothes, electronics, watches, jewellery, perfume, gifts — qualify as long as these conditions are met.
How much do you actually get back?
The refund is not the full 5%. The visitor receives 87% of the VAT paid, and a fixed fee is deducted per claim. Under FTA Decision No. 11 of 2026, the fixed fee fell from AED 4.80 to AED 3.60 per claim from 12 July 2026. Fees are set by the scheme and can change, so the app shows the exact amount before the claim is confirmed.
| Purchase (incl. 5% VAT) | VAT paid | 87% of VAT | Less fixed fee | Approx. refund |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AED 1,050 | AED 50.00 | AED 43.50 | AED 3.60 | AED 39.90 |
| AED 5,250 | AED 250.00 | AED 217.50 | AED 3.60 | AED 213.90 |
| AED 21,000 | AED 1,000.00 | AED 870.00 | AED 3.60 | AED 866.40 |
In practice the refund works out at a little over 4% of the purchase price on larger items. Refunds can be paid to a card, a digital wallet, or in cash at the airport. Cash is capped at AED 35,000 per tourist in 24 hours; anything above that goes to a card.
How to claim, step by step
- Before the trip ends: download the Planet app and register with a face scan, the passport and the bank card for the refund.
- At the store: ask for a tax-free tag at the till and show the passport. The tag is linked to the passport electronically.
- At the airport: scan the dynamic QR code at the VAT refund point in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah. This starts the claim in the app.
- Only if asked: if the system wants to see the goods, the app directs the visitor through smart gates to a self-service kiosk. Keep the items, receipts and tags easy to reach.
- Get paid: the refund goes to the chosen method, now typically within one business day.
Departing through a land border or sea port? The scheme still operates there, through Planet’s validation points. The new AI platform is currently live at the three airports above.
Why tourist refund claims get rejected
- The claimant is a UAE resident.
- The purchase was under AED 250, or receipts were combined across stores.
- The store was not part of the scheme, or no tax-free tag was issued at the till.
- The goods stayed in the UAE, were shipped separately, or were used during the visit.
- More than 90 days passed between purchase and departure.
- The tag was issued against someone else’s passport.
Who can join
Retailers join through Planet, the scheme operator, and the FTA enrols them. To be eligible you need a valid UAE VAT registration and up-to-date VAT returns and payments, and you must sell goods that tourists can take with them when they leave. Planet then connects your point of sale to its system so staff can issue tags at the till.
What to get right in your books
The same AI that speeds refunds up also looks for unusual transaction patterns. That changes where the risk sits for retailers: not at the airport, but in your accounting.
- Tags issued correctly. Staff should check the passport and residence status before issuing a tag, every time.
- Tax-free sales recorded consistently. The sales you report in your VAT return should reconcile with what Planet’s system shows for the same period.
- Every outlet connected. New branches need to be added to the scheme, or tourists there cannot claim.
- Clean records. The FTA has been tightening documentation requirements across VAT generally, including the new input tax verification rules from 1 October 2026.
Tourist sales are retail sales to consumers, so they sit outside UAE e-invoicing. If you also sell to businesses, those invoices are in scope from 2027 — see our UAE e-invoicing guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can UAE residents claim a VAT refund when they travel?
No. The scheme is only for tourists who are not resident in the UAE. A foreign passport does not make a UAE resident eligible.
What is the minimum purchase for a tourist VAT refund in the UAE?
AED 250 in a single purchase from the same participating store. Receipts from different stores or different days cannot be combined.
How much VAT do tourists get back in the UAE?
87% of the VAT paid, minus a fixed fee per claim, which is AED 3.60 from 12 July 2026. On larger purchases this works out at a little over 4% of the price.
How long does a tourist VAT refund take in 2026?
Since October 2026 the FTA says refunds arrive within one business day, down from about nine days.
Can visiting family members claim a VAT refund?
Generally yes, if they are non-residents visiting the UAE. The tax-free tag must be issued against their own passport at the time of purchase.
How long do tourists have to take goods out of the UAE?
90 days from the date of purchase. Goods must be carried out by the tourist, not shipped.
Can online purchases qualify for a tourist VAT refund?
Yes, eligible e-commerce purchases made during the stay can be claimed if the online store is part of the scheme.
How Fintra Global can help retailers
We work with UAE retailers on the part of the scheme that sits in the accounts: checking VAT registration and filings are in order before you apply, reconciling tax-free sales with your VAT return each quarter, and keeping the books clean enough to stand up to the FTA’s automated checks. Our VAT services cover registration, returns and reviews, and if you would rather hand over the whole function, see what outsourced accounting costs in the UAE.
Run a shop in the UAE?
Tell us how many outlets you have and how you sell. We’ll tell you whether your VAT records are ready for the scheme and what to fix first. Fixed timeline, transparent pricing, CA-led.
Message us on WhatsApp · Contact us
fintraglobal.com · +971 55 467 2256
This article is general information current as at October 2026 and is not tax advice. Refund rates, fees and limits are set by the FTA and the scheme operator and can change; visitors should check the Planet app for the amount that applies to them.
