Value Added Tax (VAT) Refund Services in the UAE are essential for businesses that are eligible to reclaim VAT that they have paid on certain expenses. The UAE introduced VAT on January 1, 2018, at a standard rate of 5%. While businesses charge VAT on their sales, they also incur VAT on their purchases (input tax). VAT refunds allow businesses to recover the difference between the VAT they have paid on business-related expenses and the VAT they have collected from customers.