AED 353.5 Million Refunded to 4,000 UAE Nationals for Building New Residences in First Half of 2026

Abdulaziz Al Mulla: Continuous enhancements to the FTA’s digital platform further facilitate VAT refunds for UAE nationals building new residences

Abu Dhabi, July 21, 2026: The Federal Tax Authority (FTA) confirmed a significant increase in the number of beneficiaries of the VAT Refund Scheme for UAE Nationals Building New Residences in the first half of 2026.

The Authority stated that approximately 4,000 refund applications submitted by UAE nationals for VAT incurred during the construction of their new residences were approved during the first half of 2026, with a total refund value of AED 353.5 million. This compares to 3,100 approved applications worth AED 284.8 million during the first half of 2025, representing a 27.5% increase in the number of approved applications and a 24.1% increase in the value of VAT refunded.

His Excellency Abdulaziz Mohammed Al Mulla, Director General of the FTA, said: “These positive results reflect the continuous enhancement of the VAT Refund Scheme for UAE Nationals Building New Residences, including the introduction of additional measures to simplify and accelerate procedures through the Authority’s digital refund platform. The FTA also continues to raise awareness of the service by providing comprehensive guidance across a range of channels, highlighting its benefits and the ongoing improvements introduced to enhance the customer experience.”

He added: “In line with the directives of the UAE’s wise leadership designating 2026 as the ‘Year of Family’, the FTA launched an initiative to expand the scope of eligible expenses that qualify for VAT refunds related to the construction of new residences for UAE nationals. This initiative contributes to the development of a modern housing ecosystem that enhances citizens’ wellbeing and supports a stable and dignified family life.”

The FTA explained that, in addition to this initiative, it has also launched a proactive service for UAE nationals who have built or completed the construction of their priVATe residences. The service enables a VAT refund application to be created automatically through the Maskan smart application once the relevant municipality issues the building completion certificate or, where applicable, the building permit.

After the refund application is created, the citizen notifications by SMS and email confirming that an application for the residence has been created. The notifications also include a link or QR code directing the citizen to the Maskan application to complete the required procedures.

Invoice details are automatically populated into the citizen’s account within the Maskan application once the invoices are issued by registered suppliers. In addition, the number of required banking-information fields has been reduced through integration with the Central Bank of the UAE.