The UAE has cut the time tourists wait for value added tax (VAT) refunds to one business day from about nine days, the Federal Tax Authority (FTA) said on Tuesday, as it launched an AI-powered refund platform at the country’s main airports.
The platform, developed with Planet, the authorized operator of the VAT Refund Scheme for Tourists, is operating at Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi, Dubai International Airport and Sharjah International Airport, according to a statement carried by the state news agency WAM.
The FTA expects about four million transactions to pass through the scheme between November 2026 and October 2027, with a projected value of about AED692 million.
Since the scheme began in 2018, about AED4.2 billion in VAT has been refunded to tourists through 25 million transactions, up to October 2026.
The value of refunds grew 8% in 2025 from 2024, while transaction volumes rose 5%, the authority said.
Tourists register on Planet’s mobile application by scanning their face, passport and bank card. At the airport, they scan a QR code to start the refund.
AI software decides which transactions need inspection. Where none is required, tourists can complete the refund through the app without in-person checks. Those flagged for inspection pass through gates that use facial recognition.
About 16,700 retail outlets are connected to the scheme. Of those, 769 joined in the first nine months of 2026, after 1,326 were added in 2025.
There are 98 self-service refund kiosks in shopping centers, hotels and departure points, handling 22.4% of all transactions, the FTA said.
Tourist satisfaction with the service reached 93% in the first nine months of 2026, compared with 92% a year earlier.
“As of October 2026, the UAE has become one of the fastest countries in the world for tourist tax refunds,” said Abdulaziz Mohammed Al Mulla, Director General of the FTA.
