Visitors to the UAE can claim back value-added tax at over 19,300 shops nationwide, at 100 self-service kiosks, and—for the first time—on qualifying orders placed through the Noon online marketplace.
That online component marks new territory for the Federal Tax Authority, which folded Noon into its Digital Tourist VAT Refund System in collaboration with Planet, the designated operator of the refund scheme. Refunds now apply to eligible purchases tourists make on the platform during their stay in the country. The FTA has signaled that additional online retailers and e-commerce sites will follow, and it characterized the move to cover digital shopping as a world first.
Abdulaziz Mohammed Al Mulla, Director General of the FTA, pointed to steady upgrades behind the system’s faster turnaround. “Continuous enhancements to the system have further strengthened its performance. Within minutes, tourists can complete their transactions, receive a digital invoice and submit it directly through the system before leaving the UAE,” he said. “They can also use one of the self-service kiosks available at all departure points covered by the system, as well as at numerous hotels and shopping centres, to complete their VAT refund process quickly and easily.”
The retail network tied to the system grew 5.9 percent over the year, reaching roughly 19,340 outlets by the close of June 2026 against 18,260 twelve months prior. In the January-to-June stretch, 449 stores joined—down from the 697 signed on across the same window in 2025. Counting back two and a half years, 2,983 outlets have come onboard in total.
Kiosk coverage expanded as well, climbing to 100 units by the end of June from 93 a year earlier, a 7.5 percent annual rise. Twenty-three of those machines were installed over the past two and a half years, positioned at exit points for travelers along with a selection of hotels and malls around the country.
Tourists receive digital invoices, file their refund claims electronically, and wrap up the process at kiosks stationed in departure areas, shopping centers, and hotels. A refreshed release of Planet’s app arrived during 2026, folding in 11 more languages to reach a dozen supported options, English among them.
By nationality, travelers from India, Russia, Turkey, China, and the United States made up the bulk of those claiming tourist VAT refunds over the year, per FTA figures.
