EmaraTax – The UAE Federal Tax Authority to launch a New Integrated Platform

The UAE’s Federal Tax Authority announced earlier this month that a new integrated platform will be launched later this year after extensive and intensive assessment and development. The FTA’s intention behind the platform is to centralize access to its services, pay the taxes and obtain refunds thus ensuring effective tax compliance. The new platform also greatly enhances the ability of FTA to have a unified administration of taxes in the UAE and to have quicker decision making and support system to taxpayers in need.

This also means users will have to migrate from the existing online platform. All the major institutions and authorities will also be integrated to EmaraTax.

The platform will offer a simplified and streamlined user experience with extensive self-help and service request options. With the new developments that EmaraTax will bring in, all the users ranging from individual taxpayers, tax agents, legal representatives, foreign missions and diplomats, customs bodies and verification agencies will all stand to benefit.

Features of the new platform – EmaraTax

EmaraTax is a modern tax administration landscape that brings together other influential government entities like the UAE Central Bank and national technology-based programs including UAE PASS to make the best use of common database and thereby simplifying a range of user processes, from logging-in & registration to compiling the tax returns.

A number of customized options will be available on the platform, for example, the applicant can provide the turnover information in the specific field and the platform will determine whether registration is mandatory or voluntary in contrary to the current system which requires manual selection of registration basis.

The payment system is also a major change. A unique number will be generated while making the payment to identify the amount against which the payment should be applied. This will ensure the amount is properly settled correctly.

Most importantly the platform also will send alerts for pending actions such as the upcoming tax returns & pending payments.

The intention of the new system is to align with the UAE Digital Government Strategy 2025 and the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, to leverage the emerging sophisticated technologies and to build a solid digital infrastructure that serves the business community of the UAE.

It is expected that the FTA will release in the next few weeks more information about the features of EmaraTax and the transition to the new system. EmaraTax will be major milestone in the UAE’s national digital agenda.

A mobile version of the app will also be launched shortly after the new platform goes live in November, 2022.