Oman Observer, 5 February 2026: Oman’s Tax Authority has said the government will implement a VAT refund service for tourists once it has agreed costs and refund percentages with the companies that will operate the service.

The announcement was made during the Tax Authority’s first media briefing, which reviewed recent performance indicators and upcoming plans for the tax system. The Tax Authority said the tourist VAT refund service will be rolled out only after agreements with service providers have been finalised, and no launch date was provided in the reporting.

In the same briefing, the Director-General of Operations and Tax Services reported that the number of registrants rose in 2025 compared with 2021, including 88% for income tax, 120% for VAT, and 222% for excise tax. The authority also said it was working on advanced systems to strengthen efficiency and compliance, including electronic invoicing, the “Ta’akad” application, a tax risk management system, and the use of AI technologies. It further reported that Oman had signed about 39 effective double taxation agreements up to 2025.

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