Indian expats: 4 passport centres in the UAE closed from 22 October 2026
The Embassy of India has closed four consular application centres. 12 centres stay open for passport, visa and attestation services.
The UAE is moving to mandatory electronic invoicing. Invoices will be sent in a standard digital format through an Accredited Service Provider (ASP), not as a simple PDF. The timeline comes from Ministerial Decision No. 244 of 2025, published by the Ministry of Finance.
Key dates
- Revenue AED 50 million or more: appoint an ASP by 31 July 2026; go live by 1 January 2027.
- Revenue below AED 50 million: appoint an ASP by 31 March 2027; go live by 1 July 2027.
- Government entities: appoint an ASP by 31 March 2027; go live by 1 October 2027.
In October 2026 the Ministry also updated the accreditation rules for service providers (Ministerial Decision No. 168 of 2026). This mainly affects providers, but it is a good reminder for businesses to start preparing.
What small businesses should do now
- Check that your VAT registration and TRN details are correct.
- Make sure your accounting or billing software can connect to an ASP.
- Clean up customer records, including TRNs and addresses.
- Budget for the service provider fee and set a target date before March 2027.
We help with VAT registration, Corporate Tax registration and getting your records in order. Talk to us before the deadline gets close.
Sources: Ministry of Finance, Ministerial Decision No. 244 of 2025 and Gulf News, 10 October 2026. Information checked on 23 October 2026. Confirm your own obligations with the FTA or your tax adviser.
