Debanjali Kamstra, the first Mrs UAE World, has begun her journey to the US in time for the Mrs World 2022 pageant to commence.
Kamstra, who is from India, but has lived in Dubai for the past 13 years, was invited by the US organisers of the global pageant in September to be the UAE representative. She will be among 72 contestants competing for the crown, which the organisation says “celebrates the uniqueness of married women”.
Kamstra arrived with her husband in New York City on Tuesday, to begin a week-long holiday in the Big Apple, followed by a few days in Las Vegas, where the globally renowned competition begins on January 9, culminating in a finale on January 15.
“I have three businesses in the UAE, two beautiful children, so I’m a busy and mentally stressed person. I felt I needed a little bit of a break before the pageant,” Kamstra tells The National from New York. “I want to be 100 per cent focused on the pageant.”
Kamstra and her husband plan to do a bit of sightseeing over the next 10 days, as well as promoting her adopted country to the people she meets. “The more I talk, the more people will be aware of the participation of UAE.”
Once she arrives at Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, where the pageant is taking place, the schedule is full on, she says.
“There will be a number of orientations, over 70 participants are coming. On the second day Mrs World will take us on a city tour, then we’ll have rehearsals, breakfast orientations, there will be three dinners.”
She says during this process she hopes to “build a sisterhood” with the rest of the participants, and has even had gifts for each and every one of them shipped to the venue ahead of time. “It’s a little Burj Al Arab ornament with a beach around it, just a small memento.”
She also plans to give a gift to the founder of the venue on behalf of the UAE, but all she’ll say right now is that it’s “falcon related”, as she's chosen the falcon as a theme to represent her country in the pageant. Her national costume, which has been created by Filipino designer Cary Santiago, is also "falcon inspired".
“I’m so excited,” she says. “I’m very nervous as well. I don’t have any guidance. No one had done this before me.
“I’m very proud to represent the UAE. Not a single time do I feel like an expat. I believe patriotism doesn’t come from anywhere except from within. This country has helped me grow from a small child to a mature woman, so it’s time for me to give back to the country.
“That’s the only thing I have in my heart.”
A former cabin crew with Emirates airline, Kamstra is also an architect and opened her first interior design business, Veloche, in Dubai a decade ago. She has since started two more companies, one selling home interiors and the other dealing in healthy snacks and drinks.
She married Christiaan Kamstra in 2012, and the couple live in Dubai with their two daughters, Victoria, 6, and Tiffany, 5, both of whom are spending this time at home with Kamstra's parents.
Kamstra told The National in an earlier interview that the fact she's not a UAE citizen is not an issue for the organisers.
Since the public voting for Mrs World 2022 opened, she’s received a lot of support. “I’m now number three in Mrs World as per the voting.”
The top 15 will move on within the competition.
"Sending me to the top 15 will be such a great message to the world about the UAE's inclusivity and diversity," she told The National previously. "We've recently celebrated 50 years as a nation and have achieved such great things, and this will remind everyone about the country's open-mindedness and welcoming nature.”
As part of her campaign for the pageant, Kamstra has chosen various lines of advocacy work to get involved with, including those for children with autism, people of determination and encouraging female leadership.
To reflect her affinity to the UAE, she’s also chosen to focus on the colours red and gold in her outfits. “I believe the UAE is known for its luxury and richness, and it’s known for its gold. Red is in the flag and it resembles its power, as I’m also a woman of power.
“I will do my level best to represent the country in a beautiful way.”
Left Bank: Art, Passion and Rebirth of Paris 1940-1950
Agnes Poirer, Bloomsbury
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
