Do you know about VAT Refund for Tourists? Tourists to the UAE can also get the VAT they have paid back when they leave the country. However, they are required to pay a 15 per cent administrative fee as well as a 4.8 per cent tag fee for every individual claim.

Tourists visiting the UAE who are at least 18 years old are eligible for the refund. The visitor must also intend to exit the UAE along with the purchased goods within 90 days.

However, the VAT paid cannot be refunded unless the total value of tax-inclusive purchases is at least Dh250.

Tourists can get their money back at the airports in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. In VAT Refund for Tourists, a Tourists will receive their refunds through a special device placed at the departure port – airport, seaport, or border port – by submitting the tax invoices for their purchases from the outlets registered in the Scheme, along with copies of their passport and credit card.

Once these documents are submitted, tourists can either recover the VAT in cash in UAE dirhams, or have it transferred to their credit card. Until October 2018, 4,000 retail outlets across the UAE were connected electronically to the system.

These eligible outlets can be identified with posters displayed on their storefronts and visible to visitors.