The value of customs deposit refund claims filed with Dubai Customs rose 13.1% to AED6.9 billion in the first half of 2026, from AED6.1 billion a year earlier, the Government of Dubai Media Office said on Sunday.
The value of approved claims increased 14.8% to AED6.2 billion, from AED5.4 billion in the first half of 2025.
Dubai Customs processed 1.36 million refund applications in the six months, up 3.6% from 1.31 million in the same period last year.
Customs deposits are paid on goods moved under duty suspension arrangements and are returned to companies once the conditions are met. Faster refunds release cash that traders would otherwise have tied up at the border.
Ahmed Al Jamri, director of the Customs Refund Department, said 99% of applications were completed within the authority’s target of two working days.
Smart systems approved 844,500 applications automatically in the first half, up 10% from 767,500 a year earlier. Automatic approvals made up about 62.1% of all completed applications.
The authority has extended the deadline for companies to submit supporting documents from 30 days to 90 days. It said studies showed some companies needed more time to complete their paperwork in light of recent geoeconomic conditions.
Rashid Al Sharid, executive director of the Administration and Finance Division at Dubai Customs, said shorter processing times give companies more flexibility in managing their capital.
The department is also moving customs exit and entry certificates online, introducing smart approvals for deposit transactions by Jebel Ali Free Zone companies and linking deposit services in the free zone and the logistics zone.
