Reminder: Saudi Arabia’s ZATCA Wave 24 E-Invoicing Deadline Approaches on 30 June 2026
Saudi Arabia’s Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) has set 30 June 2026 as the integration deadline for Wave 24 of Phase 2 of the country’s e-invoicing programme. Taxpayers resident in Saudi Arabia whose VAT-taxable revenues exceeded SAR 375,000 in 2022, 2023 or 2024 are required to integrate their e-invoicing solutions with the Fatoora platform by that date.
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Reminder: Saudi Arabia’s ZATCA Wave 24 E-Invoicing Deadline Approaches on 30 June 2026
Saudi Arabia’s Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) has set 30 June 2026 as the integration deadline for Wave 24 of Phase 2 of the country’s e-invoicing programme. Taxpayers resident in Saudi Arabia whose VAT-taxable revenues exceeded SAR 375,000 in 2022, 2023 or 2024 are required to integrate their e-invoicing solutions with the Fatoora platform by that date.
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Bahrain's VAT Landscape in 2026: Exemption Fights, a New Parcel Threshold, and a Free Zone Proposal
Bahrain's VAT system — 10% since 2019, raised from an original 5% in 2022 — isn't seeing structural change in 2026, but it is seeing real pressure on its edges: two separate parliamentary fights over who should be exempt, a new threshold that actually took effect, and a proposal to rework how VAT applies to re-export trade.
Oman's VAT System in 2026: Fawtara Goes Live, a Tourist Refund Scheme in the Works, and a 50-Year Incentive Bet
Oman's VAT system, in place since April 2021, picked up its most significant change yet in 2026: a national e-invoicing mandate that, unlike its Gulf neighbors, brings every type of transaction into scope at once. Around that central development sit a tourist VAT refund scheme still being finalized, a tax authority reporting genuinely strong revenue growth while ruling out any rate change, and a 50-year tax incentive bet on a new international financial hub.
UAE VAT in 2026: E-Invoicing, Stronger Compliance Rules, and a Shift Toward Real-Time Enforcement
The UAE's VAT system, now eight years old, moved on five distinct fronts in 2026: a major e-invoicing mandate built on a genuinely different technical model than its Gulf neighbors, a set of VAT law amendments that tighten refund timelines and shift evidentiary burden onto buyers, a quietly retroactive correction to how tolls and parking are taxed, an expanded refund scheme for citizens building homes, and a narrower anti-fraud measure on scrap metal.
Saudi Arabia's VAT System in 2026: E-Invoicing's Final Wave, a New GCC Framework, and Platform Liability
Saudi Arabia's VAT system has spent 2026 maturing on four fronts at once: its years-long e-invoicing rollout is reaching the smallest businesses in the country, the regional VAT treaty underlying the entire Gulf has just been amended for the first time in a decade, digital platforms picked up direct VAT liability they didn't have before, and a coordinated GCC-wide sugar tax replaced the old flat-rate model. None of these started this year, but several of them are landing right now.
Qatar's Tax System in 2026: E-Invoicing Approved, VAT Signaled, Sugar Tax Locked In
Qatar still doesn't have VAT. It signed the GCC's VAT framework agreement back in 2018, the same year as the UAE and Saudi Arabia, both of which now operate VAT regimes — Saudi Arabia's standard rate has since climbed to 15%. Qatar's has slipped past every prior timeline. But 2026 is the year that changed shape: Qatar approved its first real piece of digital tax infrastructure, its finance minister signaled VAT is coming "very soon," and a genuinely new excise tax already has a hard effective date.
UAE Extends E-Invoicing ASP Appointment Deadline to October 2026
UAE Ministry of Finance has extended the deadline for large businesses to appoint Accredited Service Providers for e-invoicing to 30 October 2026, while relaxing ASP accreditation rules to allow white-label models and outsourcing arrangements.
Dubai Customs Introduces Temporary Green Corridor for Cargo Moving Through Oman
Dubai Customs introduces temporary facilitation allowing cargo transit from Dubai ports to international destinations through Oman's Green Corridor at Hatta, effective April 4, 2026.
Qatar Cabinet Approves Draft E-Invoicing Law and Executive Regulations
Qatar's Cabinet has approved draft legislation establishing a legal framework for electronic invoicing, prepared by the Ministry of Finance and General Tax Authority to enhance transparency and support digital transformation.
Dubai Customs to Allow Customs Declarations to Be Signed Using UAE PASS from 10 May 2026
Dubai Customs will allow UAE PASS as alternative to digital certificates for signing customs declarations through authorized company representatives.
UAE FTA Updates VAT Refund Guide for Nationals Building New Residences
The UAE Federal Tax Authority released major updates to its VAT refund guide for Emirati nationals on April 10, 2026, introducing digital processing and clarifying residence definitions.
Saudi Arabia Issues Draft Regulations for Four New Special Economic Zones
ECZA has released draft regulations for Ras Al-Khair, Jazan, King Abdullah Economic City, and Cloud Computing & Informatics SEZs, establishing streamlined licensing and governance frameworks.
VAT Radar
Track VAT legislative activity, regulatory updates and policy shifts across the Middle East — by country or period.