Federal Tax Authority launches new website

Upgraded services online are designed to keep pace with the rapid technological development

The Federal Tax Authority on Saturday said the electronic tax refund system for tourists witnessed a significant growth. Bloomberg

The UAE Federal Tax Authority (FTA) launched its upgraded website with a bundle of services and amenities for users, also enabling them to submit forms online.

“The Federal Tax Authority has designed its new website in accordance with international best practices," said FTA director general Khalid Ali Al Bustani

"The site plays a fundamental role as the main platform of the Federal Tax Authority in order to keep pace with the rapid technological development in this area. It has been configured to provide the best services for business, facilitate optimum access to customers and employs the latest technologies to enhance interaction between the authority and the various business sectors around the clock.

"All forms have been automated to ensure the validity of the data submitted to the authority and thus help speed-up the authority’s response to taxpayers’ requests. The site also provides a comprehensive tax library for all guides, e-learning programs, videos and simplified graphics."

Mr Al Bustani said he hoped the website would contribute to improving the electronic experience of taxpayers and that it would enhance user interaction.

The move comes after the FTA projected in March that the number of UAE businesses registering this year would grow from levels seen in 2018, as more companies become tax compliant.

The limited number of businesses and people that registered last year was due to a lack in compliance, Khalid Al Bustani said at the sidelines of the Arab Regional Tax Forum in Dubai. However, he said the authority had conducted numerous awareness campaigns to limit the number of those penalised for non-compliance.

The rise in the number of new businesses launched in the UAE will also result in an increase in the number of registrations this year, he added.

“Regarding registration, this is a dynamic process because we have companies that are still reaching the compulsory threshold, when they reach that they need to register,” Mr Al Bustani said.

He concluded by saying: “Launching the new FTA website, which has been designed according to  the highest international standards, falls under the authority’s efforts to continuously upgrade its electronic systems to administer taxes efficiently, providing fast and easy procedures and helping users to ensure compliance with their tax laws.”