People enjoy Kaputas Beach on August 17, 2019, in Kas, southern Turkey. The country could welcome British tourists without a vaccine certificate this summer. Getty Images
People enjoy Kaputas Beach on August 17, 2019, in Kas, southern Turkey. The country could welcome British tourists without a vaccine certificate this summer. Getty Images
People enjoy Kaputas Beach on August 17, 2019, in Kas, southern Turkey. The country could welcome British tourists without a vaccine certificate this summer. Getty Images
People enjoy Kaputas Beach on August 17, 2019, in Kas, southern Turkey. The country could welcome British tourists without a vaccine certificate this summer. Getty Images

Turkey could welcome British tourists without vaccine certificates


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Latest: UK adds Qatar and Oman to red travel list, removes Portugal and Mauritius

Turkey is expected to admit British tourists without a vaccine certificate or negative Covid-19 test because it is confident most will be inoculated by the summer.

The country’s tourism minister said visitors may be welcomed as soon as the UK government lifts its ban on non-essential travel, expected on May 17.

The move stands in contrast to Greece, which is in talks with UK ministers about the creation of vaccine certificates.

The EU has also proposed a vaccine passport scheme for inoculated travellers.

But Turkish Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy said the success of the UK’s vaccine drive meant British tourists would be welcomed “with open arms”.

“We will re-evaluate the situation and then decide if we will continue to require negative PCR test results from British citizens entering the country,” he said.

“I expect there will be no such requirement from British visitors as the UK government is rapidly, and impressively, rolling out the vaccination programme for the whole nation and a significant portion of the population will be vaccinated by early summer.

“We are looking forward to welcoming British tourists with open arms, as we did safely last summer.”

The British tourism industry welcomed Mr Ersoy's comments.

Paul Charles, director of The PC Agency travel consultancy, tweeted that the announcement was "very positive news".

The prospect of international travel depends on whether the UK will require travellers to quarantine on their return home.

Concern about imported coronavirus cases prompted ministers to set up a hotel quarantine system for arrivals from 33 “red list” countries earlier this year. All other travellers are required to quarantine at home for 10 days.

Previous “travel corridors,” introduced last summer meant tourists did not have to quarantine on their return if they visited a country with low rates of coronavirus.

The system was abandoned as a surge in cases swept the continent.

Turkey was removed from the UK’s safe list last October because of concerns about the way the country reports its data.

The country is prioritising hotel employees and other tourism workers for vaccination before the main summer season.

UK 'red list' travel ban countries:

Entry to the UK is banned from the following countries for non-nationals.

British and Irish nationals, and those who have residence rights in the UK, are able to enter from these countries but must quarantine in a government-approved hotel for 10 days.

Angola

Argentina

Bolivia

Botswana

Brazil

Burundi

Cape Verde

Chile

Colombia

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Ecuador

Eswatini

Ethiopia

French Guiana

Guyana

Lesotho

Malawi

Mozambique

Namibia

Oman

Panama

Paraguay

Peru

Qatar

Rwanda

Seychelles

Somalia

South Africa

Suriname

Tanzania

United Arab Emirates

Uruguay

Venezuela

Zambia

Zimbabwe

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  • 2. Fabio Aru (Italy / Astana) 10
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  • 4. Robert Gesink (Netherlands / LottoNL) 8
  • 5. Warren Barguil (France / Sunweb) 7
  • 6. Chris Froome (Britain / Team Sky) 6
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  • 10. Richie Porte (Australia / BMC Racing) 4
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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

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