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Obtaining a Tax
Domicile Certificate

METROPOLITAN CONSULTING will provide you with assistance in collecting the necessary documents and obtain a certificate of a UAE tax resident.

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What is a Tax Domicile Certificate?

The Tax Domicile Certificate (TDC) is an official document that is issued to confirm the country of tax residence of an individual or a company. The Federal Tax Service (FTA) is responsible for its issuance in the UAE, and local companies and individuals living in the country receive a certificate here. TDC serves as an official confirmation of the tax residency status of an individual or legal entity in the UAE.

The possibility to apply for the Tax Domicile Certificate under certain conditions by registering a company in the country is one of the main advantages of doing business in the United Arab Emirates. The document is issued to a resident company operating both on the mainland (a mainland company) and in one of the free economic zones. It allows the organization to take advantage of the benefits arising from international agreements on the avoidance of double taxation.

It is worth noting that these benefits do not apply to offshore companies, also known as International Business Companies (IBCs).

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TDC Application Procedure

UAE residents residing in the state for a total of 183 or more days a year are eligible to receive the Tax Domicile Certificate.

Such an option is especially beneficial to those whose countries do not have a double taxation treaty with the UAE. There is an indication of the specific country, for which it is intended, on the certificate. Before registering a TDC, it is recommended to check whether the country you are interested in is included in the list.

The list of documents for obtaining the Tax Domicile Certificate differs depending on who is applying for it — an individual or a company.

The necessary documents for submitting individual applications comprise:

  • a copy of the UAE resident visa
  • a copy of the Emirates ID
  • a copy of a valid passport
  • proof of income in the UAE (employment contract, salary certificate, etc.)
  • a rental agreement or a certificate of property ownership
  • bank statements in the UAE for six months
  • immigration report confirming the number of days of stay in the UAE

The following list of documents will be needed when applying for a legal entity:

  • a UAE commercial license valid for more than one year (for mainland companies or those registered in a free zone)
  • Incumbency certificate or the certificate of the Chamber of Commerce
  • a copy of the company's founding agreement
  • a copy of the commercial lease agreement for a physical office space (virtual ones are not considered), valid for at least 3 months before submitting the application
  • the scheme of the organizational structure of the company
  • a copy of the Emirates ID of the company's directors, shareholders or managers
  • a copy of a valid passport and a valid UAE resident visa of the company's directors, shareholders or managers
  • Bank statements of a company in the UAE for the last six months, certified by the seal of the country's bank, or the last certified audited financial statements

The process of obtaining a Tax Domicile Certificate

  1. Create an account on the portal of the UAE Federal Tax Authority
  2. Fill out the application form
  3. Upload the required documents in PDF or JPEG format

The application and the attached documents of individuals will be checked, and if they meet the criteria, the applicant will receive a confirmation email to pay the remaining fees through the system.

After confirming the payment, you will receive a certificate by courier service.

TDC Validity Period

The duration of the pre-approval process constitutes 4-5 working days.

This time is required for confirmation of the legitimacy of all uploaded documents (after filling out the application form and uploading them) by the UAE Federal Tax Authority.

The certificate issuance process takes five working days after approval and confirmation of all uploaded documents, as well as the payment of registration fees, by the UAE Federal Tax Authority.

The validity period of the TDC is one year and can be extended annually, subject to repeated submission and the updating of documents.

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