When your input VAT exceeds your output VAT for a period, you are entitled to a refund from the Federal Tax Authority rather than simply carrying the credit forward indefinitely. Our VAT Refund Services prepare and submit the refund claim with the documentation the FTA expects, and follow up on your behalf until the repayment is actually received in your account.
What's Included
We assess whether your VAT position supports a refund claim, prepare the claim with supporting invoices and documentation, submit it through the FTA portal, and respond to any FTA clarification requests during processing until the refund is approved and paid.
For businesses that have been carrying forward a VAT credit for several periods without actively claiming it, we also review whether requesting an active refund now makes more sense than continuing to carry the balance, particularly where cash flow would benefit from the repayment sooner.
Why Actively Claiming Matters
A VAT credit sitting unclaimed on your account is effectively cash the business could be using, tied up unnecessarily. Refund claims that are poorly documented or submitted without the right supporting evidence are also more likely to be queried or delayed by the FTA, extending the time before you actually receive the funds.
Getting the documentation right the first time — valid tax invoices, clear evidence for any zero-rated or exempt supplies affecting the calculation — is what keeps a refund claim moving rather than stalling in an FTA query cycle that can add weeks or months to the process.
Who Needs This Service
Exporters and zero-rated suppliers who regularly have input VAT exceeding output VAT, businesses with a significant one-off input VAT position from a major purchase or project, and any business carrying an unclaimed VAT credit balance it would rather have as cash.
What We'll Need From You
Our Process
We review your VAT position and confirm the refund is properly supported, prepare and submit the claim with full documentation, monitor its progress with the FTA, and respond promptly to any queries raised until the repayment reaches your account.
Getting Started
Refunds for New and Growing Businesses
Startups and growing businesses with significant upfront capital expenditure — fit-out costs, equipment, initial inventory — often accumulate a large input VAT credit before generating meaningful sales. We help these businesses claim that credit back as an active refund rather than leaving it tied up while the business is still establishing itself.
Tracking a Refund Once Submitted
We monitor every submitted refund claim’s status directly with the FTA rather than waiting for you to chase an update, and respond to any request for further documentation the same week it is raised, keeping the claim moving rather than stalling.
Refunds Following a Large One-Off Purchase
Refunds and Free Zone Businesses
Free zone businesses making supplies both within and outside designated zones sometimes have a more complex refund position to calculate correctly, since the VAT treatment differs depending on where the supply is made. We factor this into every refund claim we prepare for free zone clients.
Why Businesses Choose Us for Refund Claims
Refund claims that are well documented from the outset move through FTA review considerably faster than claims submitted with gaps that trigger a clarification cycle. We prepare every claim to the standard we would want if we were the ones reviewing it, which is what keeps our clients’ refunds moving rather than stalling.
We also track industry-typical refund processing times, so we can give you a realistic expectation of timing rather than an optimistic estimate that leaves you wondering why a refund has not yet arrived.
This experience also means we can usually give you a realistic estimate of your specific claim’s likely timeline at the point of submission, rather than a generic industry average that may not reflect your actual circumstances.
Get Expert Help for Your Business
Talk to an FTA-approved tax consultant today. Free consultation, no obligation — we’ll tell you exactly what your business needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Processing times vary, but a well-documented claim without queries is typically processed within a number of weeks; claims that raise FTA questions take longer until those are resolved.
Yes, you can actively request repayment rather than leaving the balance to offset future VAT liabilities, which is often preferable for cash flow.
Valid tax invoices supporting the input VAT claimed, and evidence for any zero-rated or exempt supplies that contribute to the credit position.
Most delays stem from incomplete documentation or the FTA raising a clarification request — we manage this actively so claims are not left unanswered.
Exporters and zero-rated suppliers commonly have input VAT exceeding output VAT since their sales carry no VAT, making them frequent refund claimants.