The UAE’s Federal Tax Authority (FTA) has launched an AI-powered digital platform designed to speed up VAT refunds for tourists, with paperless processing now available at Zayed International Airport, Dubai International Airport and Sharjah International Airport.
Developed with Planet, the authorised operator of the UAE’s Tourist VAT Refund Scheme, the platform uses a mobile application, facial recognition and integrated government systems to verify transactions and process refunds. The FTA described it as the latest system of its kind worldwide.
Tourists can register through the Planet app by scanning their face and uploading images of their passport and bank card. At the airport, they scan a QR code to begin the refund process. Transactions that do not require inspection can be completed in the app, while others are routed to smart gates and self-service kiosks using AI-powered identity checks.
The FTA said the process can be completed within minutes before departure. It also said refunds now take one business day, down from approximately nine days previously, as of October 2026.
Tourist satisfaction reached 93% in the first nine months of 2026. Since the scheme launched in 2018, it has processed 25 million transactions and refunded approximately AED4.2 billion in VAT. The scheme is connected to around 16,700 retail outlets across the UAE.
Source: Emirates 247
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