How-to compliance
Our briefings on How-to compliance in the UAE — practical, current guidance from the FW Global team.
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You have filed. Your compliance calendar for the year ahead.
With the deadline behind you, do not file and forget. UAE tax is now a rolling calendar of Corporate Tax, VAT, e-invoicing and records. Here is what the year ahead holds and how to stay ahead of it.
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How to claim input VAT, and what disqualifies a claim.
Input VAT is recoverable, but the right is conditional, and businesses lose VAT they were owed or claim VAT they were not. Here is what makes a claim valid, what is blocked, and how to keep your claims clean.
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How to correct a tax error: voluntary disclosure explained.
Correcting an error you found yourself is treated very differently from having the FTA find it. Here is how voluntary disclosure works, the difference in outcome, and why acting early is almost always the right call.
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How to deregister for VAT when you no longer qualify.
Deregistration gets little attention, which is why it catches businesses out. It is not automatic when you stop trading, and late deregistration is penalised. Here is when it applies and how to close it out cleanly.
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How to file your first Corporate Tax return.
The first Corporate Tax return is where you report income, claim deductions, and settle any tax due. The filing is data entry; the substance is the records behind it. Here is how the return works and where the effort really sits.
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How to file a UAE VAT return: a practical walkthrough.
A VAT return is really one calculation: the VAT you charged less the VAT you paid. Here is the step-by-step, the figures the portal wants, and the handful of errors that most often trigger a query.
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How to handle reverse-charge VAT on imports.
The reverse charge applies when you buy services from abroad: you account for the VAT the foreign supplier cannot charge. A VAT-free foreign invoice is not a VAT-free transaction. Here is how it works and how to get it right.
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How to issue a compliant tax invoice in the UAE.
A tax invoice is the document that lets your customer reclaim VAT and the evidence the FTA looks for. A missing field is not a formatting quibble. Here is what a compliant invoice must contain and where businesses fall short.
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How to keep accounting records that satisfy the FTA.
Record-keeping is now a legal requirement with real consequences. If you cannot show how you reached a number, the authority can decide it for you. Here is what to keep, how long, and how to meet the standard without the burden.
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How to register for VAT: thresholds and steps.
VAT registration is driven by turnover, and getting the band wrong costs you either a penalty or recoverable VAT. Here is how mandatory and voluntary registration differ, the steps, and when voluntary registration is actually worth it.
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How to prepare for and respond to an FTA audit.
An audit is a review, not an accusation, and for a business with good records it is routine. Preparation is what makes the difference. Here is what an audit involves and how to be ready long before a notice arrives.
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Keeping records digitally: the FTA's new rules on scans and electronic copies.
FTA Decision No. 4 of 2026, effective 30 July 2026, confirms you can keep accounting records as electronic copies or scans rather than originals. The catch is in the conditions.