Eligibility assessment
We confirm whether you meet the day-count, residence and substance tests — for an individual or a company — before a dirham is spent on the application.
International & Regulatory Tax
UAE Tax Residency Certificate (TRC)
A Tax Residency Certificate is the FTA's official proof that you — or your company — are a tax resident of the UAE. It's what unlocks the country's network of more than 140 double-tax treaties, so income isn't taxed twice and withholding tax abroad can be reduced or removed. The rules on days, documents and eligibility are exact, and one missing entry/exit report stalls the whole application. We assess eligibility, assemble the pack and file it through EmaraTax — at a fixed fee agreed before we start.
140+
Double-tax treaties the certificate unlocks
183 days
Presence that establishes individual residency
1 year
Validity of each certificate
Fixed fee
Agreed before we start
What it means
What is a Tax Residency Certificate?
A Tax Residency Certificate — also called a Tax Domicile Certificate — is an official document issued by the UAE Federal Tax Authority confirming that a person or a company is a tax resident of the UAE for a given financial year. It exists for one main reason: to let you claim relief under the UAE's double-tax treaty network of 140-plus agreements, so the same income isn't taxed in two countries.
There are two tracks. An individual qualifies mainly on presence and ties — typically 183 days or more in the UAE in a 12-month period, or 90 days with the right nationality, residence and home in the country. A company qualifies once it has been established and operating in the UAE for at least a year, with audited accounts and real substance behind it. Eligibility now follows the domestic residency rules in Cabinet Decision No. 85 of 2022.
The certificate is tied to a specific country and financial year and is valid for one year, so it's a renewable, not a one-off. Applications run through the FTA's EmaraTax portal, and the evidence is precise: an entry/exit report proving your days, a tenancy contract, six months of bank statements, and — for companies — a trade licence, audited financials and proof of a year's operation.
Used well, a TRC removes double taxation, cuts foreign withholding tax and satisfies banks and counterparties who need proof of where you're resident. The delays come from the detail — the wrong dates, a short-dated tenancy, a missing report. We make sure the pack is right the first time.
What we handle
What our TRC service covers
One team takes you from an eligibility check to a certificate in hand — and applies it to the treaty relief you actually came for.
Individual TRC applications
For residents and business owners — day counts, ties and personal documents assembled into an application the FTA will accept.
Corporate TRC applications
For companies past their first year — trade licence, audited financials and proof of substance packaged for the certificate.
Document & entry/exit pack
We gather the tenancy contract, bank statements, income proof and the official entry/exit report — and check the day count holds up.
EmaraTax submission & FTA liaison
We file through the EmaraTax portal, pay the government fees, and handle any FTA queries or clarifications until the certificate issues.
Treaty benefits & renewals
We help apply the certificate to reduce foreign withholding tax and reclaim what's owed — then keep it renewed each financial year.
What's involved
What a TRC application needs
An application is only as strong as its evidence. These are the essentials the FTA looks for — and the ones that most often hold a certificate up.
Confirmed residency status
A clear read on whether you meet the individual day-count and ties test, or the company's one-year operating test, under Cabinet Decision 85.
A valid residence permit or licence
For individuals, a valid UAE residence visa and Emirates ID; for companies, an active trade licence and constitutional documents.
An entry/exit report
The official immigration report proving days spent in the UAE — the single most common reason an individual application is delayed.
A tenancy contract or title
A registered tenancy contract (Ejari or equivalent) or property title showing a genuine, permanent home in the UAE.
Six months of bank statements
Stamped UAE bank statements for the relevant period, evidencing activity and a real financial footprint in the country.
Proof of income or audited accounts
A salary certificate or source-of-income proof for individuals; audited financial statements for companies past their first year.
The treaty country & year specified
The certificate names a country and a financial year — both have to be fixed correctly to make the treaty claim work.
An EmaraTax account & fees
A registered EmaraTax profile and the FTA's submission and issuance fees ready — so the filing isn't held up at the last step.
The signals
When you need a Tax Residency Certificate
A TRC is rarely wanted for its own sake — it's needed the moment another country, or a bank, asks where you're really resident. If any of these apply, it's time to apply.
You earn income from a treaty country
Dividends, interest, royalties or fees from abroad can qualify for reduced tax under a treaty — but only with a certificate to prove residency.
You're facing withholding tax abroad
A foreign payer is deducting tax at source — the certificate is what reduces the rate, or supports reclaiming what was over-withheld.
Another country questions your residency
A former home country still treats you as resident — an FTA certificate is hard evidence of where you're now taxed.
You've relocated to the UAE
Once you've crossed the residency threshold, a certificate formalises the move for tax purposes — and starts the treaty clock.
Your company invests cross-border
Holding structures, foreign subsidiaries and overseas contracts often need a corporate TRC to access treaty rates on repatriated profits.
A bank or counterparty asks for proof
Banks, funds and partners increasingly ask for a residency certificate as part of KYC — better to hold one before it's demanded.
How we help
From eligibility check to certificate, in five clear steps
One team runs the whole application — with a fixed fee agreed up front and a clear view of which step you're on.
1
Day 1–2
Check eligibility
We confirm you meet the day-count, residence or one-year operating tests, and fix the treaty country and financial year for the certificate.
2
Week 1
Gather documents
We assemble the pack — entry/exit report, tenancy, bank statements, income proof or audited accounts — and check the day count holds.
3
Week 1–2
Prepare & submit
We complete the application on EmaraTax, upload the evidence and pay the government fees — filed right the first time.
4
FTA review
Liaise & issue
We track the application, answer any FTA queries, and see it through to an issued certificate — usually within a few working days.
5
Ongoing
Apply & renew
We help you use the certificate to claim treaty relief and reduce withholding tax — and renew it each financial year you need it.
Get started
Get your Tax Residency Certificate sorted.
Tell us whether it's for you or your company, and which country you need it for — and we'll reply within one business day with an eligibility read and an all-inclusive price.
Thank you — we've got your details.
One of our tax advisors will be in touch within one business day.
One of our tax advisors will be in touch within one business day.