Dubai Customs handled 1.36 million customs deposit refund applications in the first half of 2026, a 3.6% rise on the 1.31 million processed in the same period last year.
The total value of applications submitted climbed to AED 6.9 billion from AED 6.1 billion in H1 2025, a 13.1% increase. Approved applications reached AED 6.2 billion, up 14.8% from AED 5.4 billion.
Rashid Al Sharid, Executive Director of the Administration and Finance Division at Dubai Customs, said that accelerating the release of eligible deposits gives companies more flexibility in managing capital and a greater ability to seize trade opportunities. “We are focused on developing an integrated system of deposit services that combines processing speed with audit accuracy and expands the scope of smart approvals for applications that meet the criteria. This approach allows human expertise to be directed to transactions that require specialized assessment and improves resource-use efficiency, while maintaining service quality and the soundness of decisions,” he said in a statement.
On the digital side, the Customs Refund Department processed 844.5 thousand applications through automatic smart approvals in H1 2026, compared with 767.5 thousand in the same period of 2025, a 10% increase. Automatically approved applications accounted for around 62.1% of all completed claims.
“The department completed 99% of applications within the set time, against its target of delivering the service within two working days, reflecting the effectiveness of continuous procedural development, the expansion of smart approvals, and the electronic linkage between services, which enhances customer happiness with the customs services provided by Dubai Customs while also supporting the growth of their businesses,” Ahmed Al Jamri, Director of the Customs Refund Department at Dubai Customs added.
Among the operational changes, Dubai Customs extended the deadline for companies to submit supporting documentation from 30 to 90 days.
The adjustment follows studies showing that some businesses need additional time to complete documentation in light of recent geoeconomic conditions, and is designed to reduce delays and avoid deposit forfeiture.
Development work across the department includes the electronic transformation of customs exit and entry certificates, smart approvals for Jebel Ali Free Zone company transactions, and improved links between deposit services in free zones and logistics zones.
The department is also expanding its use of risk engines and refining employee authorisation structures based on transaction type and financial value.
