UAE Tax Residency Certificate (TRC) Check
Are you UAE tax resident — and will your certificate hold up where you need it?
A UAE Tax Residency Certificate is straightforward to assume and easy to get wrong. The rules that decide it — set out in Cabinet Decision No. 85 of 2022 — turn on where you spend your time, where your home and interests sit, and your immigration status. And a certificate issued for domestic use does not always satisfy a foreign tax authority relying on a double tax treaty. This short check shows you where you stand before either question is put to the test.
Answer nine short questions and you will receive a score from 0 to 100, with a clear band from low to very high, indicating how well your circumstances align with the criteria. It takes around two minutes, and there is nothing to prepare.
What it looks at
- Physical presence — the days you spend in the UAE across a rolling 12 months.
- Immigration status — your residence permit or nationality, and how long it has been held.
- Permanent home — whether a home is genuinely and continuously available to you.
- Centre of interests — where your personal life, family, and main financial interests sit.
- Purpose of the certificate — general UAE use, or relief under a double tax treaty (where a higher bar applies).
- Company residency — if you also need residency confirmed for a company you own.
- Prior applications — whether an earlier certificate was queried, delayed, or refused.
Who it is for
Individuals who live in, or spend meaningful time in, the UAE and want to understand their tax residency — whether for domestic purposes such as banking, or to claim relief under a treaty with another country. It also covers those who need residency confirmed for a company they own, not only for themselves.
Start the check
Important: This is a general indicator based on the information you provide. It does not constitute tax advice and does not confirm eligibility for a Tax Residency Certificate. Only the Federal Tax Authority can confirm tax residency status.
Is your wider cross-border position also a question?
If you run a UAE company with clients, interests, or assets in more than one country, the International Tax Risk Calculator gives a broader read across substance, permanent establishment and transfer-pricing exposure.
What happens next
Your score points to the areas worth reviewing — it does not resolve them. To confirm which residency route applies to you, and whether your certificate will be accepted for the purpose you need it for, our tax advisory team offers a short introductory call or an office visit. Learn more about our tax advisory work or get in touch.
Frequently asked questions
What does this check measure?
How well your circumstances align with the UAE’s domestic tax residency criteria, and whether a Tax Residency Certificate would be accepted for the purpose you need it for. It is an indicative awareness tool, not a determination.
I already hold a UAE Tax Residency Certificate — does it protect me abroad?
Not necessarily. A certificate issued on the 90-day route is generally accepted for domestic UAE purposes, but most double tax treaties, and the foreign tax authorities that apply them, still expect 183 days of physical presence before they will honour it. If you are relying on your certificate to change your tax position in another country, this is worth confirming before you do.
Is the result tax advice?
No. It is a general indicator. Your actual position depends on your full facts, which we would review with you directly. Only the Federal Tax Authority can confirm tax residency status.
Is it confidential?
Yes. Your answers are used to generate your score and, if you ask for a review, to help our team prepare for the conversation.
How long does it take?
About two minutes — nine single-choice questions.