On November 2022, the FTA announced the launching of a new online integrated platform called EmaraTax. The new online platform aligns with the UAE Digital Government Strategy 2025 to leverage emerging technologies and build a solid digital infrastructure that serves the people and business community of the UAE. In this article, we will detail all that you need to know in this regard.
What is EmaraTax?
EmaraTax is a new, improved, and feature-rich online platform that offers a range of enhancements to how Taxpayers can access the FTA’s services, pay their taxes and apply for refunds, amongst other things. The new platform is designed to ensure the transition to it is straightforward. It also dramatically enhances the ability of the FTA to administer taxes in the UAE and enables better, faster decision-making and earlier engagement with taxpayers that need support.
The new online platform is a modern tax administration ecosystem that integrates with other influential government entities, such as the UAE Central Bank and national technology-based programmes, including UAE PASS, to simplify user processes, from logging in to compiling tax returns.
EmaraTax will replace the current FTA portal, and the history of the Taxpayers’ accounts will be automatically transferred to the new platform when it launches. Furthermore, the FTA will continue until the first quarter of next year to launch additional services and features in phases, including an EmaraTax application for mobile phones.
What Key Enhancements would be introduced?
- Improving communications with the FTA through an enhanced dashboard;
- Single profile for managing different persons;
- Features in registration, i.e. automatic registration and reactivation of deregistered TRN;
- VAT Administrative Exception application function;
- Offline utility to prepare and upload returns;
- Option to view and compare versions of returns;
- Improvements in the refund functions, making available new types of refund applications through the portal and the ability to see the real-time status of the request;
- Consolidated VAT refund request for multiple returns;
- Allocation of payment against specific taxes or penalties and option to view the breakdown of percentage-based penalties;
- Display of overdue and outstanding liabilities with transaction history details;
- GIBAN payments shall be made against a specific reference number;
- Advance payments allowed for upcoming VAT returns; and
- Various digital integrations, integration with UAE Pass and introduction of a Smart App.
When Will EmaraTax commence and go live?
The migration to EmaraTax will commence from the end of the day on Wednesday, 30th November 2022. And it will be available for use on 5th December 2022.
How to Login into EmaraTax for the first time?
If you already have an account with the FTA, your details will be automatically migrated to EmaraTax, and you do not need to sign up. You will need to reset your password the first time you log in to the new platform.
Once you are logged – in for the first time, you should ensure that your user profile is up to date and in line with the legacy account.
If you have never registered with the FTA, you will need to sign up as a new user.
What do you need to do now?
The FTA will notify you when EmaraTax has gone live. You should keep monitoring your registered email account for any notifications the FTA might send you.
What will happen to the drafted returns on the legacy system?
If you have prepared a draft tax return in the current system and have not submitted it by 30th November 2022, the draft will be transferred to EmaraTax. You can log in and submit the tax returns in EmaraTax after 05th December 2022.
EamarTax will display the status of all tax returns submitted, whichever platform you used to submit them.
For more details about the subject, you can visit the dedicated EmaraTax webpage on the FTA’s website by clicking this link https://tax.gov.ae/en/emaratax.aspx.
