The UAE Cabinet has issued a fresh round of amendments to the Executive Regulation of the Federal Decree-Law No. 8 of 2017 on Value Added Tax. Cabinet Decision No. 149 of 2026 was issued on 1 September 2026 and takes effect from 1 October 2026, although certain amendments to the input tax apportionment rules apply
Every year around February, the same message shows up in half a dozen NRI WhatsApp groups. Someone has just seen their tax slab hit 30%, added surcharge and cess on top of it, and typed some version of “I’m moving to Dubai, this is ridiculous.” Most of them don’t move. The ones who do often
Inspired by an observation by Manuraaj Garg, shared on LinkedIn Manuraaj Garg just got back from Dubai with tremendous experience. And somewhere between paying for parking, tapping his card at a Salik toll, and noticing a price tag on a pair of Nike shoes, something ticked him. It was an insight so sharp and so
The UAE is not a zero-tax country anymore. While there’s no personal income tax, businesses and individuals What happens to somebody outside the UAE that tries to avoid taxes? Although the UAE does not have personal income tax, businesses and individuals in the UAE are taxed through Value Added Tax (VAT) at 5%, corporate tax
Tax Registration in the UAE: Step-by-Step Process In the UAE, a businessperson must first complete online tax registration through the Federal Tax Authority (FTA) EmaraTax portal. However, depending upon which taxes you are going to register for, the method for registration could differ. Typically, registration will be for Corporate Tax and, if you meet the
There is no annual property tax in Dubai. But owning an apartment does come with yearly costs: service charges, a municipality housing fee, utilities and insurance. These are fees for running and living in the building, not taxes on owning it, and they can take a real bite out of your rental yield. Here is
Dubai does not charge a purchase tax on property. Instead, you pay a one-time 4% transfer fee to the Dubai Land Department (DLD), plus a few smaller registration and service charges. There is also no annual property tax, no tax on rental income for individuals, and no capital gains tax when you sell. But “no
The Blockbuster Bollywood movie Dhurandhar part-1 emerged as one of the top Indian films of 2025, surpassing โน1,100 crore in global earnings, even without a release in some Middle Eastern nations. However, the film was never shown in the Gulf countries considering their intricate relationship with Pakistan despite film showing no particular hatred towards any
UAE Corporate Tax for Natural Persons applies when an individual (such as a freelancer or sole proprietor) conducts licensed business activities in the UAE and crosses specific revenue thresholds. Contrary to the outdated โtax-free Dubaiโ belief, natural persons with a UAE trade license must register for corporate tax if their annual business turnover exceeds AED
In this Dubai VAT Guide 2026, we explain the UAEโs 5% VAT system, registration thresholds, free zone rules, and compliance requirements in clear, practical terms and more. Update, October 2026: the VAT Executive Regulation was amended from 1 October 2026. Read what changes under Cabinet Decision No. 149 of 2026. Dubai (and the UAE) operates