The Federal Tax Authority (FTA) announced that requests from UAE nationals wishing to recover Value Added Tax (VAT) incurred on the building of their new homes are to be submitted exclusively via the new characteristic on the e-Services platform beginning from Sunday, February 2, 2020.

Launched in January 2020, the new feature enables the UAE nationals to recover VAT more easily, the Authority explained in a press statement, including that as of today, applicants have to swap from email application to the e-Services platform, which is set to save their time and expedite the strategies for VAT recovery.

The press statement went on to assert that the new platform provides the fine and easiest way for UAE nationals to recover the VAT they incurred on the building of their new homes, noting that the system was launched following a sequence of tests verified it was completely functional, accurate, and efficient.

The new platform is available on the FTA website; it is convenient to use and only requires a few easy steps, the Authority asserted. UAE nationals who are deemed eligible to recover VAT incurred on the building of their new homes will receive an email list the documents they are required to submit to complete their application. Once the documents are verified, the applicant is notified and the Authority proceeds to affirm that the amount to be refunded matches the sum of the Tax Invoices submitted. Following last approvals, the refund amount is transferred to the applicants bank account.

The declaration revealed that the Authority had carried out a survey with UAE nationals looking to recover the VAT they incurred on constructing their new homes, as well as with Tax Agents. The poll inquired about the effectivity of the new platform, where respondents observations were taken into consideration. The FTA stressed that the new platform was designed in accordance with the latest standards to make sure its efficiency, speed, ease of use, and readability of procedures.

The Federal Tax Authority went on to list the 4 documents required to submit a request via the new platform, namely, a copy of the applicants household book, a building permit included in the certificate of completion issued by the Municipality, a copy of the Emirates ID of the applicant, and a document indicating the date from which the building has been occupied (e.g. an invoice for setting up electricity and water services).

The Federal Tax Authority called on nationals wishing to recover the taxes they incurred on the building of their new homes to review the guideline the FTA had issued in January 2020, which are available via the FTA official website. The manuals provide a simple but comprehensive explanation of the steps that need to be accompanied to locate, fill, submit, and track the VAT recovery request form.