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Life in Dubai · Banking

How to resolve a tax dispute with the Federal Tax Authority

If you live in Dubai and you disagree with a decision made by the Federal Tax Authority, you are not stuck with it. There is a clear path: first ask the FTA to look again, and if that does not settle things, take the matter to a committee at the Ministry of Justice. This guide walks you through the order of steps, who may file, and what has to be paid before you begin.

منبع رسمی: Central Bank of the UAE (centralbank.ae)

Procedure per Central Bank of the UAE (centralbank.ae). Fees and timelines change — check the authority's website. We don't invent numbers.

The steps, in order

  1. 1

    Confirm who can file

    A request for reconsideration must be submitted by the person concerned or his legal representative. If you are acting for someone else, make sure your authority to represent them is in order before you start.

    مدارک:Proof of identityLegal representation authority
  2. 2

    Pay taxes and penalties first

    Before going to the Reconsideration committee, the applicant must pay all taxes and penalties as required by the Federal Decree by Law No. 28 of 2022 Concerning Tax Procedures. Settle these first, or the request will not move forward.

    مدارک:Payment confirmation
  3. 3

    Request a reconsideration from the FTA

    If you disagree with an FTA decision, you can request a reconsideration. The request must be submitted within 40 days of the FTA's decision, so act promptly and keep a copy of everything you send.

    مدارک:Reconsideration requestCopy of the FTA decision
  4. 4

    Wait for the FTA review

    The FTA will review the request within 45 business days and inform the applicant of its decision within 5 business days of issuing it. Watch these windows and hold on to any correspondence you receive.

  5. 5

    Escalate to the Tax Disputes Resolution Committee

    If the FTA does not issue a verdict within the specified time, or you disagree with the decision, you can resort to the Tax Disputes Resolution Committee of the Ministry of Justice. This is the next stage of appeal.

    مدارک:FTA decision or proof of no verdict
  6. 6

    Await the Committee's verdict

    The Committee will issue its verdict within 20 business days of receiving the request. If needed, it can extend this by 20 business days. Confirm exact current timeframes on the authority's website before you rely on any date.

هزینه‌ها و مدت‌ها ممکن است تغییر کنند — با منبع رسمی راستی‌آزمایی کنید.

چه کسانی این خدمت را در دبی ارائه می‌دهند

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Talk to our relocation team

Tax disputes are stressful when you are new to the country and unsure of the order of steps. Our Dubai relocation team helps residents prepare a reconsideration request, keep to the deadlines, and move to the Ministry of Justice committee if it comes to that.

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