Industries Eligible for U.A.E. VAT Refunds

VAT refunds are available to U.S. companies in many sectors, including:

Medical device and life sciences

Pharmaceuticals and biotech

Engineering and manufacturing

Aerospace and aviation suppliers

Tech and SaaS companies

Film, TV, production and media

Automotive and EV suppliers

Energy, renewables, and utilities

Education and training organisations

Professional services (consulting, legal, marketing)

Food & beverage exporters

Retail, luxury goods, fashion, and apparel brands

What you can Reclaim

Who Qualifies for the UAE VAT Refund Scheme

The refund applies to businesses that:

• are not established or registered for VAT in the UAE,

• carry out no taxable supplies within the UAE during the refund period, and

• are established in a country that offers reciprocal VAT refunds to UAE businesses (most OECD jurisdictions, including the U.S., UK, EU, Australia, Japan, and Singapore).

Refunds are available to companies attending trade fairs, conducting business meetings, or purchasing services locally from UAE-registered suppliers.

Important: businesses that have a branch or permanent establishment in the UAE, or that supply goods/services locally, are not eligible under the refund scheme.

Eligible and Non-Eligible Expenses in the UAE - Services

Travel & Accommodation

Hotels, car hire, local transport, but must relate to business travel

Events & Exhibitions

Trade fairs, congress fees, booth build, but Admission tickets are not used

Professional Services

Legal, accounting, consultancy, but services linked to local sales or operations

Marketing & Promotion

Printing, advertising, design, but marketing aimed solely at UAE consumers

Transport & Logistics

Freight, local transfers, car hire for business but not usually reclaimable are personal vehicle or taxi use

Eligible and Non-Eligible Expenses in the UAE - Goods

Machinery, tools and equipment

Tools and equipment purchased abroad, Machinery, components, and industrial parts

Medical devices

Medical devices and trial units. Prototype testing equipment

IT and technical gear

IT and technical gear. Samples, demo units, exhibition materials

Goods exported with proof of shipment

Printing, advertising, design, but Supplier must charge VAT

Antravia verifies each invoice to confirm that UAE VAT has been correctly charged, the supplier is VAT-registered, and the service is eligible for refund under FTA rules.

How the UAE Refund Scheme works

Where Travel meets Smart Finance

Eligibility check

Antravia assesses whether your business qualifies under the reciprocity list and whether each expense meets FTA criteria.

Invoices must display the supplier’s TRN (Tax Registration Number), your business details, and a clear business purpose. Proof of payment (bank transfer or card statement) is required.

Refund applications are filed annually via the Federal Tax Authority’s online portal, usually between 1 March and 31 August for the previous calendar year.

Documentation & filing

Submission & tracking

Approved refunds are transferred directly to your business’s bank account, either in AED or converted to the preferred currency.

Refund Payment

The FTA reviews each claim and may request clarifications or additional documentation. Claims are typically processed within 4–8 months.

FTA Review

How Antravia simplifies your UAE VAT Reclaim

End-to-end management of the FTA submission process

Eligibility screening by jurisdiction and transaction type

Translation and formatting of invoices to FTA standards

Representation during review and clarification stages

Refund tracking and reconciliation in your accounting records

Secure document storage and audit-ready documentation

Why choose Antravia

Specialists in travel, hospitality, and international finance

We understand complex supplier chains and expense reporting.

FTA-compliant submissions

No missed details or rejected claims.

Transparent fees

Contingent or blended models based on refund success.

Multi-currency refund support

Direct reconciliation in your GBP, EUR, or USD books.

Global coverage

Seamless VAT recovery across the EU, UK, and GCC under one coordinated system.

Ready to Reclaim UAE VAT?

Upload your sample invoices or contact our team to confirm your eligibility.

We’ll estimate potential refunds, prepare documentation, and manage the submission directly with the FTA.